There are a few reasons you may need new gutters. Perhaps your home doesn’t have them and you notice that your landscaping takes a beating during heavy rains. Perhaps your home is older and the existing gutters are rusting, sagging or just look ugly. Don’t let the unknowns keep you from installing the best rain gutter system for your home and budget.
Gutters range from as little as $4 per foot to as much as $30 per foot, depending on the material you choose. Of course, if you work with a gutter company that also offers gutter guard installers, your cost will be increased but you will never have to clean your gutters. As you start researching the right gutters for your home, decide in advance if you want gutter guards to ensure your gutters will coordinate with the covers.
Vinyl, Plastic and Galvanized Steel
Although these gutter options are the least expensive, they have the most disadvantages. Vinyl and plastic gutters don’t hold up well in colder climates as they can become brittle and break. Warmer parts of the U.S. that see little rain and seldom see freezing temperatures often have vinyl or plastic gutters. Typically, vinyl gutters ring in under $4 per foot.
Slightly more expensive than vinyl gutters is galvanized steel. This material can run $4-8 per foot. Its biggest flaw is that steel rusts. Although your initial investment may be low, you’ll have to replace steel gutters sooner than a more durable material.
Zinc and Aluminum
Zinc and aluminum gutter costs vary with the metals market. Recently, aluminum has been running between $10-15 per foot. It is also the most common of gutter materials. The benefits are that it is light, making it easy to install, and it doesn’t rust like steel. If a gutter company advertises seamless gutters, they likely are talking about aluminum gutters. Aluminum gutters come in a wide array of colors to coordinate with your home. The drawback of aluminum gutters is that they do dent and bend easily. Zinc is more durable than aluminum and costs a few dollars per foot more. As it ages, it takes on a bluish patina.
Copper and Stainless Steel
The most expensive gutter materials are stainless steel and copper. Copper is the most expensive, running as much as $30 per foot. It never rusts and its patina is green. It’s most often found on historic homes or high-end homes. In recent years, high pricing has made copper gutters less common. The price of copper also makes it something that thieves target, which may be another reason to choose another material for your home’s gutters.
Other than the high price of up to $20 per foot, stainless steel gutters have few drawbacks. They’re strong, they don’t rust, they won’t attract thieves and you can paint them any color. Of course, anything that requires painting means maintenance, which is one reason that some people choose the slightly less durable aluminum over stainless gutters.
Find a Gutter Professional
When it comes time to choose your gutters, remember to work with gutter guard installers and ask about the best rain gutter system for your home. Gutter Helmet® gutter covers work with all types of gutters, so be sure to ask about Gutter Helmet for your home. If you already have gutters or your gutter company doesn’t install gutter covers, call (800) 824-3772 and ask about gutter guard installers in your area.
