Benefits of Seamless Gutters
Gutters should be replaced nearly as often as the roof on a home, 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 gutters lately, it’s probably a good time to begin looking at the options. Odds are, your options have changed since the last time you shopped for new gutters, either when you built your home or the last time you had to replace them.
Styles and types of materials improve significantly over a period of only a few years. This means that your next rain gutters will be even more efficient, lighter and more attractive than the current ones on your house.
Seamless gutters are one of the new options available.
What are Seamless Gutters?
One of the major upgrades in home gutters is the invention of seamless gutter systems.
Seamless gutters are installed in long sections, as opposed to standard gutters which only come in sections between 10 and 20 feet. They are made on-site in many situations with a special machine, removing the difficulties of transporting such long, narrow materials.
Most gutter installation companies own their own machinery and can do the entire process on their own – measure, manufacture and installing your seamless gutters – in less than one day!
Because they are manufactured to size, it is not uncommon to have seamless gutters that extend over 50 feet, with the maximum length of a seamless rain gutter at around 100 feet without joints. This gives homeowners the option 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 difficult to see how another choice can be more effective. To determine if seamless gutters are a good choice for your house, you need 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 just at the corners, seamless gutters have a noticeably sleek appearance. Seamless gutter machines even cut out holes for gutter downspouts, which must be present every 20 to 30 feet, so that they are smooth and correctly sized. The measurements also increase the curb appeal of your home without being too overstated or obvious.
Easier Care – Fewer joints mean there are less opportunities for debris to get hung on or get stuck within the gutters. Water flows through more smoothly with less clogs. As a homeowner, this will likely make you very happy, as it means you won’t be cleaning them out nearly as much. Seamless gutters only need 1 yearly cleaning. In contrast, some traditional 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 at any joint once the gutters start pulling away from the house. Loose fasteners are another problem that can result in gutter leaks. Getting rid of joints throughout the length and width of your home reduces the chance of leaks (which protects your windows, porches, and landscaping).
Discourages Pests – Clogged gutters will attract animals and insects that are able to hide inside of them or build a nest with the materials that are present. From there, insects, birds, squirrels and chipmunks have access to your attic and can destroy your roof, causing hundreds of dollars of damage. Keeping that buildup out of your rain gutters makes them less appealing for pests.
Eliminates Waste – Measuring for seamless gutters and then cutting them on site ensures that your gutters will be the correct size without having additional pieces that were cut off to match the exact length of the house. This is an environmentally-friendly process that reduces your home’s carbon footprint. Plus, there is no need to destroy the excess (which can result in harmful chemicals) or see it end up in a landfill.
Last Longer – Seamless gutters are built with the latest technology and the best materials available. This creates less leaks, a smaller chance of rusting 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 below.
Seamless Gutters Installed by a Professional
Seamless gutters usually require professional installation due to their size and the experience and equipment needed to build them. Most homeowners don’t have to own the machinery 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 installed, you will quickly see their value which pays for itself due to fewer repairs and longer time between replacements. If you have any questions about the value of seamless rain gutters, talk with a gutter installer who provides 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 job 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 35 feet or less, they will start in the middle and work their way to each end, fastening the gutter every several feet. For rain gutters that are longer, the installation team will need to begin in two places (1/3 of the way from each end) and attach 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. You can damage a seamless gutter by handling it improperly. This can damage the gutter’s appearance as well as limit its effectiveness. ABC Albany Gutters is proud to provide seamless gutter installation to all homes and businesses in the Albany area. Call 541-209-5656 now for more information!