Seamless gutter styles: OG or half-round, aluminum or copper

Whatever the style, a seamless gutter is rolled from a coil at your home in one continuous run, so the only joins are at the corners. A sectional gutter from a hardware store is joined every few feet, and every joint is a future leak. Start there; the profile and the metal come second.

OG is the flat-fronted, stepped profile on most homes. It carries plenty of water for a Bakersfield storm, it is the least expensive to roll, and its front reads as a crown molding along the roofline. If you are not sure, this is the one.

Half-round is a simple semicircle hung on brackets. It suits older homes and anything with a Spanish or craftsman feel, and it self-cleans a little better because there are no inside corners for debris to sit in. It costs more and holds slightly less water for its width.

Aluminum comes in a baked-on color to match the fascia, does not rust, and is the right answer for nearly every home. Copper is chosen for how it looks: bright when new, then a brown and eventually green patina over the years. It costs several times more. Both carry our lifetime warranty against leaks.

Where the water lands matters more than the gutter that catches it. We place downspouts so water runs away from the foundation and the entry, into a splash block or a drain, not onto the patio slab. Ask where they are going before you sign an estimate.