Benefits of Seamless Gutters
Rain gutters need to be replaced nearly as often as the roof on a home, so roughly every 20 years. This is a good long while, and in the meantime, your home’s gutters need to do their job with little work on your part besides gutter cleaning and routine maintenance.
If you haven’t had to replace your gutters recently, it’s probably a good time to begin looking at the options. Odds are, your options have changed since you last shopped for gutters, either when building your house or the last time you had to replace them.
Styles and types of materials improve significantly over a period of just a few years. This means that your next rain gutters will be more efficient, lighter and more attractive than the ones that are currently on your house.
Seamless gutters are one of the new options available.
What are Seamless Gutters?
One of the major upgrades in residential 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 long. They are made on-site in many cases with a custom machine, removing the difficulties of transporting such long, narrow materials.
Many gutter installation businesses own their own equipment and are able to complete the whole process – measure, manufacture and install your seamless gutters – in only one day!
Because they are manufactured to size, it is possible to have seamless gutters that stretch over 40 feet, with the longest length of a seamless gutter around 100 feet without joints. This gives homeowners the option to have an individual piece of lightweight aluminum in any color they choose.
Benefits of Seamless Gutters
Standard gutters have been used for so long that it can be difficult to see how another option can be more effective. To decide if seamless gutters are a good idea for your house, you should understand the benefits of them so you can understand why there is a noticeable price difference for them.
There are many benefits of seamless gutters over traditional gutter systems:
More Attractive – With joints only at the corners, seamless gutters have a very sleek look. Seamless gutter fabrication machines cut out holes for downspouts, which have to be present every 20 to 30 feet, so they are smooth and correctly sized. The measurements also increase the curb appeal of your home without being overstated and obvious.
Easier Care – Less joints means there are fewer chances for debris to get hung on or get stuck within the rain gutters. Water drains through more smoothly with less clogs. As a homeowner, this should make you very happy, since it means you won’t need to clean them out as often. Seamless gutters typically only need 1 annual cleaning. In comparison, most standard 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 at any joint as soon as the gutters start pulling away from the house. Loose fasteners are also a problem that can lead to gutter leaks. Getting rid of joints along the length and width of your home reduces the likelihood of leaks (which protects your windows, porches, and landscaping).
Discourages Pests – Buildup in your gutters will attract small animals and insects that are able to hide within them or build nests with the debris that is present. From that point, insects, birds, squirrels and chipmunks have access to your attic and will damage your roof, resulting in hundreds of dollars worth of repairs. Keeping that buildup out of gutters makes them less appealing for pests.
Eliminates Waste – Measuring for seamless gutters and then cutting them on site means that your gutters will be the correct length without having scrap pieces that were cut off to match the exact length of the house. This is an environmentally-friendly process that lowers your home’s carbon footprint. In addition, there is no need to destroy the excess (which can result in harmful chemicals) or see it end up in a landfill.
Longer Lifetime – Seamless gutters are made with the newest technology and the best materials on the market. This creates less leaks, a smaller chance of rusting and reduced risk of the gutters pulling away from the house. Longer lasting gutters also protect your home, including the exterior walls, windows and surrounding soil.
Seamless Gutters Installed by a Professional
Seamless gutters almost always require professional installation due to their size and the training and equipment necessary to build them. Individuals don’t have the equipment required to produce 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 understand their value which pays for itself due to less repairs and longer time between replacements. If you have questions concerning the value of seamless gutters, speak to a gutter installer who offers both standard and seamless gutter systems to decide if the cost difference and benefits are a good fit for your budget and needs.
Installing these extra-long rain gutters is not a project that a homeowner can handle safely. Pros can install a section up to about 30 feet by themselves, but anything longer will require 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, fastening the gutter every several feet. For gutters any longer than that, 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 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 easily damage a long gutter by handling it improperly. This can damage the gutter’s appearance as well as its effectiveness. A+ Gutters of Kettering is proud to offer seamless gutter installation to all homes and businesses in the Kettering area. Call 937-319-3476 now for more information!