Benefits of Seamless Gutters
Gutters have to be replaced almost as often as the roof on a home, so somewhere around 20 years. This is a good long while, and in the meantime, your home’s gutters should do their job with very little effort on your part besides gutter cleaning and annual maintenance.
If you haven’t replaced your home’s gutters recently, it’s probably about time to start looking at the options. More than likely, your options have changed a lot since you last shopped for new gutters, either when building your house or the last time you had to replace them.
Styles and materials improve a lot over a period of only a few years. This means your next gutters will be even more efficient, lighter and more attractive than the current ones on your home.
Seamless gutters are one of the newest options available.
What are Seamless Gutters?
One of the most revolutionary improvements in residential gutters is the invention of seamless gutter systems.
Seamless gutters are installed in long sections, opposed to standard gutters that are only sold in sections between 10 and 20 feet. They are made on-site in most situations with a custom machine, eliminating the difficulties of transporting such long, narrow materials.
Many gutter installation companies have their own equipment and can do the entire process on their own – measure, manufacture and install your seamless gutters – in just one day!
Because they are manufactured to size, it is possible to have seamless gutters that extend over 40 feet, with the longest length of a seamless rain gutter at around 100 feet with no joints. This offers homeowners the option to have a single piece of lightweight aluminum in whatever color they choose.
Benefits of Seamless Gutters
Traditional gutters have been popular for so long that it can be hard to see how another choice can be a lot more effective. To decide if seamless gutters are a good idea for your home, you will want to understand the benefits of them so you can also understand why there is such a noticeable price difference for them.
There are many benefits of seamless gutters over traditional gutter systems:
Better Curb Appeal – With joints only at the corners, seamless gutters have a very sleek appearance. Seamless gutter fabrication machines cut out holes for gutter downspouts, which have to be present every 20 to 30 feet, so they are smooth and perfectly sized. The measurements also increase the curb appeal of your home without being too overstated and obvious.
Easier Care – Less joints mean there are less opportunities for debris to cling on or get stuck within the rain gutters. Water drains through more smoothly with fewer clogs from dirt and debris. As a homeowner, this will likely make you very pleased, because it means you don’t need to clean them out nearly as often. Seamless gutters typically only need 1 yearly cleaning. In comparison, some regular rain gutter systems have to be cleaned 2 to 4 times a year in order to keep them working well.
Lower Chance of Leaks – Standard gutters can leak from any joint as soon as the gutters start to pull away from the house. Loose fasteners are also a problem that cause gutter leaks. Eliminating joints throughout the length and width of your home reduces the risk of leaks (which protects your windows, porches, and landscaping).
Discourages Pests – Clogged gutters will attract animals and insects that will hide inside of them or build a nest with the organic materials that are present. From there, insects, birds, squirrels and chipmunks have access to your attic and will damage your roof, causing hundreds of dollars’ worth of damage (at a minimum). Keeping that buildup out of gutters makes them less attractive for pests.
Eliminates Waste – Measuring for seamless gutters and then building them on site ensures that your gutters will be the correct length without having additional pieces that were cut off to match the length of the house. This is an environmentally-friendly process that lowers your home’s carbon footprint. Also, there is no need to destroy the excess or see it end up in a landfill.
Longer Lifetime – Seamless gutters are built with the latest technology and the best materials available. This leads to fewer leaks, less chance of rust and reduced risk of the gutters pulling away from the house. Longer lasting rain gutters can also protect your house, including the walls, windows and surrounding soil below.
Seamless Gutters Installed by a Professional
Seamless gutters typically require professional installation due to their size and the experience and machinery 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 program these machines to make precise cuts.
Seamless gutters do cost more, but once they are professionally installed, you will immediately understand their value which pays for itself due to fewer repairs and longer time between replacements. If you have questions about the value of seamless gutters, talk with a gutter installer who provides both standard and seamless gutter systems to determine if the price difference and benefits are worth it for your budget and needs.
Installing these extra-long gutters is not a job that a single person can handle safely. Pros can install a section up to about 35 feet on their own, but anything longer will require a second person.
For gutters that are 35 feet or less, they will start in the middle and work their way to each end, securing the gutter every several feet. For gutters longer, the installation team will need to start in two places (1/3 of the way from each end) and attach those sections because of 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 easily damage a seamless gutter by handling it improperly. This can damage the gutter’s appearance as well as limit its effectiveness. Roseville Gutter Service is proud to offer seamless gutter installation to all homes and businesses in the Roseville area. Call 916-269-5335 now for more information!