Benefits of Seamless Gutters
Gutters need to be replaced about as often as the roof on a home, so roughly every 20 years. This is a good long while, but in the meantime, your home’s gutters should do their job with little effort on your part besides gutter cleaning and annual maintenance.
If you haven’t replaced your home’s gutters lately, it’s probably about time to start considering the options. Odds are, your options have changed a lot since you last shopped for new gutters, either when building 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 your next gutters will be a lot more efficient, lighter and offer better curb appeal than the current ones on your home.
Seamless gutters are one of the newest options available.
What are Seamless Gutters?
One of the biggest improvements in residential gutters is the creation of seamless gutter systems.
Seamless gutters are installed in long sections, as opposed to standard gutters that only come in sections between 10 and 20 feet long. They are made on-site in many situations with a custom machine, removing the difficulties of transporting long, narrow materials.
Many gutter installation services own their own machinery and are able to do the whole process on their own – measure, manufacture and installing your seamless gutters – in less than one day!
Since they are manufactured to size, it is not uncommon to have seamless gutters that extend over 40 feet, with the longest length of a seamless gutter at around 100 feet with no joints. This gives homeowners the option to have a single piece of lightweight aluminum in whatever color they choose.
Benefits of Seamless Gutters
Traditional gutters have been used for so long that it might be difficult to believe how another choice can be much more effective. To decide if seamless gutters are a smart choice for your house, you need understand the benefits of them 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 sleek appearance. Seamless gutter fabrication machines cut out holes for gutter downspouts, which must be present every 20 to 30 feet, so they are smooth and correctly sized. The measurements also increase the curb appeal of your house without being too overstated or obvious.
Easier Care – Fewer joints mean there are less chances for debris to cling on or get stuck within the rain gutters. Water flows through smoothly with less clogs from dirt and debris. As a homeowner, this should make you extremely pleased, as it means you won’t be cleaning them out nearly as much. Seamless gutters typically only need 1 yearly cleaning. In contrast, some standard rain gutter systems have to be cleaned 2 to 4 times a year to keep them functioning well.
Lower Chance of Leaks – Normal gutters can leak from any joint as soon as the gutters start to pull away from the house. Loose fasteners are another problem that can result in gutter leaks. Eliminating joints along the length and width of your house reduces the chance of leaks (which protects your windows, porches, and landscaping).
Prevent Pests – Clogged gutters will attract small animals, rodents and insects that are able to hide within them or build a nest with the organic materials that are present. From there, insects, birds, squirrels and chipmunks have easy access to your attic and are able to damage your roof, leading to hundreds of dollars’ of repairs. Keeping that buildup out of gutters makes them less attractive for pests.
Eliminates Waste – Measuring for seamless gutters and then cutting them on site guarantees that your gutters will be the perfect size without having additional pieces that were cut off to match the exact length of the home. This is an eco-friendly practice that reduces your home’s carbon footprint. In addition, there is no need to get rid of the excess (which can result in harmful chemicals) or see it end up in a landfill.
Longer Lifetime – Seamless gutters are built with the latest technology and the best materials on the market. This creates fewer leaks, a smaller chance of rust and reduced risk of the gutters pulling away from the house. Longer lasting gutters can also protect your home, including the exterior walls, windows and the soil.
Seamless Gutters Installed by a Professional
Seamless gutters typically require professional installation because of their size and the training and equipment needed to manufacturer them. Individuals don’t have have the machinery needed to make seamless gutters, nor do they have the knowledge of how to set up these machines to make exact cuts.
Seamless gutters do cost more, but once they are installed, you will immediately see their value which pays for itself over time via less repairs and longer time between replacements. If you have any questions about the value of seamless rain gutters, talk with a gutter installer who offers both standard and seamless gutter systems to determine if the price difference and benefits are worth it for your budget and needs.
Installing seamless gutters is not a job that a homeowner can handle safely. Professionals can install a section up to about 30 feet by themselves, but anything longer requires a second person.
For gutters that are less than 35 feet, they will start in the middle and work their way to each end, attaching the gutter every few feet. For gutters that are longer than that, the installation team will need to begin in two places (1/3 of the way from each end) and attach those places due to the length and 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. Homeowners can damage a seamless gutter by mishandling it. This can damage the gutter’s appearance as well as limit its effectiveness. Springfield Gutter Specialists is proud to offer seamless gutter installation to all homes and businesses in the Springfield area. Call 413-266-5545 now for more information!