Benefits of Seamless Gutters
Rain gutters should be replaced about as often as the roof on a home, so somewhere around 20 years. This is a good long while, but in the meantime, your home’s gutters should do their job with very little work on your part besides gutter cleaning and routine maintenance.
If you haven’t needed to replace your home’s gutters recently, it’s probably a good time to begin considering the options. More than likely, your options have changed a lot since you last shopped for gutters, either when you built your house or the last time you had to replace them.
Styles and materials improve significantly over a period of just a few years. This means your next rain gutters will be much more efficient, lighter and offer better curb appeal than the current ones on your house.
Seamless gutters are one of the newest 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 very long sections, as opposed to standard gutters which are only manufactured in sections between 10 and 20 feet long. They are made on-site in most situations with a special machine, removing the difficulties of transporting such long, narrow items.
Most gutter installation companies have their own equipment and are able to do the entire process – measure, manufacture and installing your seamless gutters – in only one day!
Since they are built to size, it is not uncommon to have seamless gutters that extend over 50 feet, with the longest length of a seamless gutter at around 100 feet without joints. This offers homeowners the option to have a single piece of lightweight aluminum in whatever 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 a lot more effective. To decide if seamless gutters are a smart idea for your house, you need understand what sets them apart so you can understand why there is such 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 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 correctly sized. The measurements also improve the curb appeal of your house without being overstated and obvious.
Easier Care – Less joints mean there are less chances for debris to get hung on or get stuck within the gutters. Water drains through smoothly with less clogs. As a homeowner, this should make you very happy, because it means you won’t be cleaning them out as much. Seamless gutters only need 1 yearly cleaning. In contrast, most regular gutter systems have to be cleaned 2 to 4 times a year to keep them functioning well.
Lower Chance of Leaks – Regular gutters can leak at any joint once the gutters start pulling away from the house. Loose fasteners are another problem that can lead to gutter leaks. Eliminating joints throughout the entire length and width of your home helps reduce the likelihood of leaks (which protects your windows, porches, and landscaping).
Discourages Pests – Buildup in your gutters will attract small animals and insects that can hide inside of them or build a nest with the materials that are present. From there, insects, birds, squirrels and chipmunks have easy access to your attic and can damage your roof, causing hundreds of dollars’ 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 size without having extra pieces that were cut off to match the exact length of the home. This is an environmentally-friendly process that lowers your home’s carbon footprint. Also, there is no need to get rid of 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 leads to fewer leaks, less chance of rust and reduced risk of the gutters pulling away from the house. Longer lasting rain gutters also protect your home, including the walls, windows and the soil.
Seamless Gutters Installed by a Professional
Seamless gutters typically need professional installation due to their size and the training and machinery required to manufacturer them. Most homeowners don’t have have the machinery necessary to produce seamless gutters, nor do they have the training on how to set up these machines to make exact cuts.
Seamless gutters do cost more, but once they are professionally installed, you will immediately understand their value which pays for itself because of 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 standard and seamless gutter systems to determine if the cost difference and benefits are a good fit for your budget and needs.
Installing seamless 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 requires a second person.
For 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 any longer, the installation team will need to start 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. Homeowners can easily damage a seamless gutter by mishandling it. This can damage the gutter’s appearance as well as limit its effectiveness. Greensboro Gutter Specialists is proud to provide seamless gutter installation to all homes and businesses in the Greensboro area. Call 336-360-6698 now for more information!