Benefits of Seamless Gutters
Gutters need to be replaced nearly as often as the roof, so roughly every 20 years. This is a long time, but in the meantime, your rain gutters need to 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 a good time to start considering the options. More than likely, your options have changed a lot since you last shopped for gutters, either when building your house or the last time you replaced them.
Styles and materials improve drastically over a period of just a few years. This means that your next gutters will be a lot more efficient, lighter and more attractive than the current ones on your home.
Seamless gutters are one of the new options available.
What are Seamless Gutters?
One of the most revolutionary upgrades in rain gutters is the invention of seamless gutter systems.
Seamless gutters are installed in long sections, opposed to traditional gutters which are only available in sections between 10 and 20 feet. They are made on-site in most situations with a custom machine, removing the difficulties of transporting such long, narrow items.
Many gutter installation businesses have their own equipment and are able to complete the whole process – measure, manufacture and install your seamless gutters – in less than one day!
Since they are manufactured to size, it is possible to have seamless gutters that stretch over 40 feet, with the maximum length of a seamless rain gutter at around 100 feet with no joints. This gives homeowners the choice to have an individual piece of lightweight aluminum in whatever color they choose.
Benefits of Seamless Gutters
Standard gutters have been used for so long that it might be difficult to realize how another option can be much more effective. To decide if seamless gutters are a smart idea for your house, you should 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 noticeably sleek appearance. Seamless gutter fabrication machines even cut out holes for gutter downspouts, which have to be present every 20 to 30 feet, so that they are smooth and correctly sized. The custom measurements also help the curb appeal of your house without being overstated and obvious.
Easier Care – Fewer joints means there are fewer chances for debris to get hung on or get stuck within the gutters. Water drains through more smoothly with less clogs from dirt and debris. As a homeowner, this will likely make you very happy, because it means you don’t need to clean them out nearly as often. Seamless gutters only need 1 yearly cleaning. In contrast, most 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 – Normal gutters can leak at any joint if the gutters start to pull away from the home. Loose fasteners are another problem that result in gutter leaks. Getting rid of joints across the length and width of your home helps reduce the chance of leaks (which protects your windows, porches, and landscaping).
Discourages Pests – Buildup in your gutters will attract small animals and insects that can hide inside of them or build a nest with the debris that is present. From there, insects, birds, squirrels and chipmunks have easy access to your attic and can damage your roof, causing hundreds of dollars’ worth of repairs. Keeping that buildup out of your rain gutters makes them less appealing for pests.
Eliminates Waste – Measuring for seamless gutters and then manufacturing them on site ensures that your gutters will be the perfect size without having extra pieces that were cut off to match the length of the home. This is an eco-friendly practice that reduces your home’s carbon footprint. Plus, there is no need to eliminate the excess or see it end up in a landfill.
Longer Lifetime – Seamless gutters are designed with the latest technology and the best materials on the market. This leads to fewer leaks, less chance of rust and reduced risk of the gutters pulling away from the house. Longer lasting rain gutters also protect your house, including the walls, windows and the soil below.
Seamless Gutters Installed by a Professional
Seamless gutters usually need professional installation due to their size and the training and equipment necessary to build them. Most homeowners don’t have access t the equipment necessary to make seamless gutters, nor do they have the training on how to program these machines to make exact cuts.
Seamless gutters are more expensive, but once they are professionally installed, you will immediately see their value which pays for itself over time via fewer repairs and longer time between replacements. If you have questions concerning the value of seamless rain gutters, talk with a gutter installer who offers both traditional and seamless gutter systems to determine if the cost 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. Professionals can install a section up to about 35 feet by themselves, but anything longer than that will require a second person.
For gutters that are less than 35 feet, they will start in the middle and work their way to each end, securing the gutter every few feet. For gutters that are longer, the installation team will begin in two places (1/3 of the way from each end) and fasten those places 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 damage a seamless gutter by handling it improperly. This can damage the gutter’s appearance as well as limit its effectiveness. Springfield Gutter Service is proud to provide seamless gutter installation to all homes and businesses in the Springfield area. Call 217-216-8286 now for more information!