Benefits of Seamless Gutters
Rain 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, but in the meantime, your rain gutters should 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 about time to begin considering the options. Odds are, your options have changed a lot since you last shopped for gutters, either when you built your home or the last time you replaced them.
Styles and materials improve a lot over a period of only a few years. This means your next rain gutters will be more efficient, lighter and offer better curb appeal than the current ones on your house.
Seamless gutters are one of the new options available.
What are Seamless Gutters?
One of the major enhancements in home gutters is the creation 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 custom machine, removing the difficulties of transporting long, narrow items.
Many gutter installation services own their own machinery and can complete the entire process – measure, manufacture and install your seamless gutters – in just one day!
Since they are built to size, it is possible to have seamless gutters that extend over 50 feet, with the longest length of a seamless gutter at around 100 feet with no joints. This gives homeowners the choice to have a single 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 believe how another option can be a lot more effective. To decide if seamless gutters are a good idea for your home, you will want to know what sets them apart so you can 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 just at the corners, seamless gutters have a noticeably sleek appearance. Seamless gutter machines cut out holes for gutter downspouts, which should be present every 20 to 30 feet, so they are smooth and correctly sized. The measurements also increase the curb appeal of your house without being too overstated or obvious.
Easier Care – Less joints mean there are less chances for debris to cling on or get stuck within the rain gutters. Water drains through more smoothly with less clogs. As a homeowner, this will likely make you very happy, because it means you don’t need to clean them out as often. Seamless gutters usually only need 1 yearly cleaning. In comparison, some standard gutter systems must be cleaned 2 to 4 times a year to keep them functioning well.
Lower Chance of Leaks – Traditional 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 lead to gutter leaks. Eliminating joints throughout the entire length and width of your house helps reduce the chance of leaks (which protects your windows, porches, and landscaping).
Discourages Pests – Clogged gutters will attract small animals, rodents and insects that can hide inside of them or build nests with the materials that are present. From there, insects, birds, squirrels and chipmunks have access to your attic and can damage your roof, resulting in hundreds of dollars’ worth of damage (at a minimum). Keeping that buildup out of your rain gutters makes them less appealing 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 extra pieces that were cut off to match the exact length of the home. This is an environmentally-friendly process that reduces your home’s carbon footprint. Plus, there is no need to get rid of the excess (which can result in harmful chemicals) or see it end up in a landfill.
Last Longer – Seamless gutters are made with the latest technology and the best materials on the market. This results in less leaks, less chance of rusting and reduced risk of the gutters pulling away from the home. Longer lasting rain gutters can also protect your home, including the walls, windows and the soil.
Seamless Gutters Installed by a Professional
Seamless gutters almost always require professional installation due to their size and the training and machinery necessary to manufacturer them. Individuals don’t have own the equipment required 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 installed, you will understand their value which pays for itself because of fewer repairs and longer time between replacements. If you have questions concerning the value of seamless gutters, speak to a gutter installer who does both standard 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. Pros can install a section up to about 30 feet by themselves, 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, fastening the gutter every several feet. For rain gutters that are longer than that, the installation team will need to begin in two places (1/3 of the way from each end) and secure 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 long gutter by handling it improperly. This can damage the gutter’s appearance as well as its effectiveness. Prime Gutters Inc. is proud to provide seamless gutter installation to all homes and businesses in the Wyoming area. Call 616-236-5222 now for more information!