The nine signs
Multiple patched seams on one elevation. Standing water in the trough a day after rain. Rust streaks, which means steel and means it's rusting through. Nail or spike holes through the front face from previous hanger systems. Gutter separated from the fascia along a run. Cracks or splits in the trough. Chalked, oxidized finish. Peeling paint on the siding directly below a gutter line. Pooling or eroded soil under the same spot every storm.
Two or three of those together is a replacement conversation. Five is an answer.
The obsolete-profile problem
True 4-inch gutter, common on 1940s and 50s St. Louis homes, hasn't been stocked in decades. Nothing patches into it, no guard fits it, and no downspout connects cleanly.
When we find it, replacement is the only honest recommendation.
The patching math
A repair that buys two years on a gutter with three years left is a delay with a bill attached. Two of those and you've paid a meaningful share of replacement to postpone it.
The threshold we use: if the same elevation has needed work twice in three years, replace the elevation.
Timing it with a roof
If the roof is within a few years of replacement, do them together. The drip edge, first shingle course and gutter all meet at one line, and coordinating them means the water transitions correctly instead of running behind the trough.
It also saves paying two crews to set up at the same house.
Questions people ask
How long do gutters last?
Aluminum, 20 to 25 years here. Steel less. Copper, generations.
Should I replace all my gutters or just the bad section?
Sometimes one elevation is genuinely all that's needed. If the whole system is the same age and showing the same wear, doing it once is cheaper.
Can I replace gutters in winter?
Yes, on dry days. Sealant needs reasonable temperatures to cure, so we schedule around hard cold.
Do I need to replace the fascia too?
About a third of the time there's at least one soft board. We check with the gutter off and show you.
Free estimate
We measure, we look at the fascia, and you get a number in writing.
Talk to a real St. Louis gutter company
Third generation, family-run since 1947. Somebody picks up, day or night.