Benefits of Seamless Gutters
Rain gutters have to be replaced nearly as often as the roof on a home, so roughly every 20 years. This is a long time, and in the meantime, your gutters need to do their job with little effort on your part besides gutter cleaning and routine 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 since the last time you shopped for new gutters, either when building your home or the last time you replaced them.
Styles and materials improve significantly over a period of just a few years. This means that your next gutters will be a lot more efficient, lighter and offer better curb appeal than the ones that are currently on your house.
Seamless gutters are one of the newest options available.
What are Seamless Gutters?
One of the standout enhancements in residential gutters is the creation of seamless gutter systems.
Seamless gutters are installed in long sections, opposed to standard 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 materials.
Many gutter installation services own their own machinery and can complete the whole process – measure, manufacture and install your seamless gutters – in only one day!
Since they are manufactured to size, it is possible to have seamless gutters that stretch over 40 feet, with the longest length of a seamless rain gutter around 100 feet without joints. This gives homeowners the choice to have a single piece of lightweight aluminum in any color they choose.
Benefits of Seamless Gutters
Standard gutters have been popular for so long that it can be hard to realize how another option can be a lot more effective. To decide if seamless gutters are a good idea for your home, you need understand what sets them apart so you can also understand why there is such a noticeable price difference between the two.
There are many benefits of seamless gutters over traditional gutter systems:
Better Curb Appeal – With joints only at the corners, seamless gutters have a sleek look. Seamless gutter machines even cut out holes for downspouts, which must be present every 20 to 30 feet, so they are smooth and perfectly sized. The measurements also help the curb appeal of your house without being overstated or obvious.
Easier Care – Fewer joints mean there are less chances for debris to cling on or get stuck within the gutters. Water drains through smoothly with less clogs. As a homeowner, this will likely make you extremely happy, because it means you don’t need to clean them out nearly as often. Seamless gutters typically only need 1 yearly cleaning. In contrast, most regular rain gutter systems have to be cleaned 2 to 4 times a year to keep them functioning well.
Lower Chance of Leaks – Traditional gutters can leak from any joint once the gutters start to pull away from the house. Loose fasteners are also a problem that result in gutter leaks. Getting rid of joints along the entire length and width of your home reduces the likelihood of leaks (which protects your windows, porches, and landscaping).
Discourages Pests – Clogged gutters will attract small animals and insects that are able to hide within them or build a nest with the organic materials that are present. From that point, insects, birds, squirrels and chipmunks have easy access to your attic and can 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 building them on site guarantees that your gutters will be the perfect length without having additional pieces that were cut off to match the length of the home. This is an environmentally-friendly process that reduces your home’s carbon footprint. Also, there is no need to eliminate the excess (which can result in harmful chemicals) or see it end up in a landfill.
Longer Lifetime – Seamless gutters are made with the latest 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 house. Longer lasting rain gutters can also protect your home, including the walls, windows and surrounding soil below.
Seamless Gutters Installed by a Professional
Seamless gutters usually need professional installation because of their size and the training and equipment necessary to build them. Most homeowners don’t have own the machinery necessary to produce 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 quickly see their value which pays for itself because of less repairs and longer time between replacements. If you have questions about the value of seamless rain gutters, talk with a gutter installer who offers both traditional and seamless gutter systems to determine if the price difference and benefits are a good fit for your budget and needs.
Installing seamless gutters is not a project that a homeowner can handle safely. Pros can install a section up to about 30 feet or so on their own, but anything longer than that requires a second person.
For seamless 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 need to begin in two places (1/3 of the way from each end) and fasten those sections 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 seamless gutter by handling it improperly. This can affect the gutter’s appearance as well as its effectiveness. Warner Robins Gutters is proud to provide seamless gutter installation to all homes and businesses in the Warner Robins area. Call 478-209-2715 now for more information!