Benefits of Seamless Gutters
Gutters should be replaced almost as often as the roof, so roughly every 20 years. This is a good long while, and in the meantime, your home’s rain gutters should do their job with very little work on your part besides gutter cleaning and routine maintenance.
If you haven’t replaced your gutters recently, it’s probably a good time to start looking at the options. Odds are, your options have changed a lot since you last shopped for gutters, either when you built your house 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 much more efficient, lighter and offer better curb appeal 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 enhancements in residential gutters is the invention of seamless gutter systems.
Seamless gutters are installed in very long sections, opposed to traditional gutters which are only sold in sections between 10 and 20 feet. They are made on-site in many situations with a custom machine, eliminating the difficulties of transporting such long, narrow items.
Most gutter installation companies own their own machinery and are able to do the whole process – measure, manufacture and installing your seamless gutters – in just one day!
Because they are built to size, it is possible to have seamless gutters that stretch over 40 feet, with the longest length of a seamless gutter at around 100 feet with no joints. This offers homeowners the option to have an individual piece of lightweight aluminum in any color they choose.
Benefits of Seamless Gutters
Traditional gutters have been popular for so long that it can be difficult to see how another option can be much more effective. To determine if seamless gutters are a good choice for your home, you need know 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:
Better Curb Appeal – With joints just at the corners, seamless gutters have a sleek appearance. Seamless gutter fabrication machines cut out holes for downspouts, which must be present every 20 to 30 feet, so that they are smooth and perfectly sized. The custom measurements also improve the curb appeal of your home without being overstated or obvious.
Easier Care – Less joints mean there are less opportunities for debris to get hung on or get stuck within the rain gutters. Water flows through more smoothly with fewer clogs. As a homeowner, this will likely make you extremely happy, as it means you don’t need to clean them out as often. Seamless gutters only need 1 annual cleaning. In comparison, most standard gutter systems must be cleaned 2 to 4 times a year in order to keep them functioning well.
Lower Chance of Leaks – Normal gutters can leak at any joint as soon as the gutters start to pull away from the home. Loose fasteners are also a problem that can result in gutter leaks. Getting rid of joints throughout the entire length and width of your house helps reduce the risk of leaks (which protects your windows, porches, and landscaping).
Prevent Pests – Clogged gutters will attract small animals, rodents and insects that will hide inside of them or build a nest with the debris that is present. From there, insects, birds, squirrels and chipmunks have access to your attic and can destroy your roof, resulting in hundreds of dollars’ worth of damage (at a minimum). Keeping that buildup out of your gutters makes them less attractive for pests.
Eliminates Waste – Measuring for seamless gutters and then manufacturing them on site guarantees that your gutters will be the perfect length without having scrap pieces that were cut off to match the length of the house. This is an eco-friendly practice that reduces your home’s carbon footprint. In addition, there is no need to eliminate the excess 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 results in less leaks, a smaller chance of rusting and reduced risk of the gutters pulling away from the house. Longer lasting rain gutters also protect your home, including the walls, windows and surrounding soil below.
Seamless Gutters Installed by a Professional
Seamless gutters typically require professional installation due to their size and the training and machinery needed to manufacturer them. Individuals don’t have own the machinery necessary to make seamless gutters, nor do they have the training on how to set up these machines to make precise cuts.
Seamless gutters are more expensive, but once they are professionally installed, you will immediately understand their value which pays for itself over time via fewer repairs and longer time between replacements. If you have any questions concerning the value of seamless rain gutters, talk with a gutter installer who provides 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 rain gutters is not a task that a homeowner can handle safely. Professionals can install a section up to about 35 feet 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, securing the gutter every few feet. For rain gutters that are longer than that, the installation team will start in two places (1/3 of the way from each end) and fasten 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. You can easily damage a long gutter by handling it improperly. This can affect the gutter’s appearance as well as limit its effectiveness. AllClean Anderson Gutters is proud to offer seamless gutter installation to all homes and businesses in the Anderson area. Call 765-204 6776 now for more information!