Benefits of Seamless Gutters
Gutters should be replaced almost as often as the roof, so somewhere around 20 years. This is a good long while, and in the meantime, your rain gutters should do their job with little work on your part besides gutter cleaning and routine maintenance.
If you haven’t replaced your home’s gutters recently, it’s probably about time to begin considering the options. More than likely, your options have changed since the last time you shopped for gutters, either when you built your home or the last time you had to replace them.
Styles and types of materials improve a lot over a period of only a few years. This means that your next rain gutters will be a lot more efficient, lighter and offer better curb appeal than the current ones on your house.
Seamless gutters are one of the new options available.
What are Seamless Gutters?
One of the standout upgrades in rain gutters is the creation of seamless gutter systems.
Seamless gutters are installed in long sections, as opposed to traditional gutters which only come in sections between 10 and 20 feet long. They are made on-site in most situations with a special machine, eliminating the difficulties of transporting such long, narrow items.
Most gutter installation services own their own equipment and are able to do the entire process on their own – measure, manufacture and install your seamless gutters – in less than one day!
Since they are built to size, it is possible to have seamless gutters that extend over 50 feet, with the longest length of a seamless rain gutter around 100 feet without joints. This gives homeowners the choice to have an individual piece of lightweight aluminum in whatever color they choose.
Benefits of Seamless Gutters
Traditional gutters have been used for so long that it can be hard to believe how another choice can be a lot more effective. To determine if seamless gutters are a good idea for your house, you should know what sets them apart so you can understand why there is a noticeable price difference between the two.
There are many benefits of seamless gutters over traditional gutter systems:
Better Curb Appeal – With joints just at the corners, seamless gutters have a noticeably sleek look. Seamless gutter machines even cut out holes for downspouts, which must be present every 20 to 30 feet, so that they are smooth and correctly sized. The custom measurements also improve the curb appeal of your home without being overstated and obvious.
Easier Care – Fewer joints means there are less opportunities for debris to get hung on or get stuck within the rain gutters. Water flows through smoothly with fewer clogs. As a homeowner, this should make you very pleased, as it means you won’t be cleaning them out nearly as much. Seamless gutters usually only need 1 yearly cleaning. In contrast, most traditional gutter systems must be cleaned 2 to 4 times a year to keep them working well.
Lower Chance of Leaks – Standard gutters can leak at any joint if the gutters start pulling away from the house. Loose fasteners are another problem that leads to gutter leaks. Eliminating joints throughout the entire length and width of your house reduces the likelihood of leaks (which protects your windows, porches, and landscaping).
Discourages Pests – Buildup in your gutters will attract small animals and insects that will hide inside of them or build nests with the organic materials that are present. From there, insects, birds, squirrels and chipmunks have easy access to your attic and will destroy your roof, causing hundreds of dollars worth of damage (at a minimum). Keeping that buildup out of your rain gutters makes them less attractive for pests.
Eliminates Waste – Measuring for seamless gutters and then cutting them on site means that your gutters will be the correct length without having scrap pieces that were cut off to match the length of the home. This is an eco-friendly process that reduces your home’s carbon footprint. In addition, there is no need to destroy the excess or see it end up in a landfill.
Longer Lifetime – Seamless gutters are designed with the newest technology and the best materials available. This results in fewer leaks, a smaller chance of rust and reduced risk of the gutters pulling away from the home. Longer lasting rain gutters also protect your home, including the exterior walls, windows and the soil.
Seamless Gutters Installed by a Professional
Seamless gutters typically need professional installation because of their size and the experience and equipment required to build them. Most homeowners don’t have to own the machinery needed to make seamless gutters, nor do they have the knowledge of how to program these machines to make precise cuts.
Seamless gutters are more expensive, but once they are installed, you will quickly see their value which pays for itself because of fewer repairs and longer time between replacements. If you have any questions about the value of seamless gutters, speak to a gutter installer who offers both standard and seamless gutter systems to decide if the cost difference and benefits are worth it for your budget and needs.
Installing these extra-long rain gutters is not a task that a homeowner can handle safely. Professionals can install a section up to about 35 feet or so by themselves, but anything longer than that requires a second person.
For seamless gutters that are 35 feet or less, they will start in the middle and work their way to each end, fastening the gutter every few feet. For rain gutters any longer than that, the installation team will begin in two places (1/3 of the way from each end) and attach those places due to the length and the weight of the seamless gutter.
Paying for professional seamless gutter installation also means that your warranty will be intact in the event of an accident or storm damages.
Seamless gutter installation is not a recommended DIY home improvement project. You can damage a long gutter by handling it improperly. This can affect the gutter’s appearance as well as its effectiveness. Clean Home Gutters is proud to provide seamless gutter installation to all homes and businesses in the Springfield area. Call 541-203-6460 now for more information!