Benefits of Seamless Gutters
Gutters need to be replaced almost as often as the roof, so roughly every 20 years. This is a good long while, but in the meantime, your gutters need to do their job with very little work on your part besides gutter cleaning and annual maintenance.
If you haven’t needed to replace your gutters recently, it’s probably about time to begin looking at the options. More than likely, your options have changed a lot since you last shopped for new gutters, either when you built your house or the last time you replaced them.
Styles and materials improve significantly over a period of just a few years. This means that your next gutters will be much more efficient, lighter and more attractive than the current ones on your home.
Seamless gutters are one of the new options available.
What are Seamless Gutters?
One of the biggest upgrades in residential gutters is the invention of seamless gutter systems.
Seamless gutters are installed in very long sections, opposed to traditional gutters that are only available in sections between 10 and 20 feet long. They are made on-site in many cases with a special machine, eliminating the difficulties of transporting such long, narrow items.
Most gutter installation services have their own machinery and are able to complete the entire process – measure, manufacture and install your seamless gutters – in less than one day!
Since they are built to size, it is possible to have seamless gutters that extend over 40 feet, with the longest length of a seamless rain gutter around 100 feet with no joints. This gives homeowners the option to have an individual piece of lightweight aluminum in whatever color they choose.
Benefits of Seamless Gutters
Standard gutters have been popular for so long that it might be difficult to believe how another option can be much more effective. To determine if seamless gutters are a smart choice for your home, you need 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:
More Attractive – With joints just at the corners, seamless gutters have a noticeably sleek look. Seamless gutter fabrication machines even cut out holes for downspouts, which have to be present every 20 to 30 feet, so they are smooth and perfectly sized. The measurements also improve the curb appeal of your home without being too overstated or obvious.
Easier Care – Fewer joints means there are fewer chances for debris to cling on or get stuck within the rain gutters. Water drains through smoothly with less clogs from dirt and debris. As a homeowner, this should make you very pleased, because it means you don’t need to clean them out nearly as much. Seamless gutters usually only need 1 annual cleaning. In comparison, most regular gutter systems must be cleaned 2 to 4 times a year to keep them working well.
Lower Chance of Leaks – Standard gutters can leak from any joint if the gutters start pulling away from the house. Loose fasteners are also a problem that cause gutter leaks. Eliminating joints throughout the entire length and width of your home helps reduce the risk of leaks (which protects your windows, porches, and landscaping).
Discourages Pests – Buildup in your gutters will attract animals, rodents and insects that can hide within them or build a nest with the organic materials that are present. From there, insects, birds, squirrels and chipmunks have access to your attic and are able to damage your roof, resulting in hundreds of dollars’ of damage (at a minimum). Keeping that buildup out of your rain gutters makes them less attractive for pests.
Eliminates Waste – Measuring for seamless gutters and then building them on site ensures that your gutters will be the correct length without having scrap 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. In addition, 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 made with the latest technology and the best materials on the market. This leads to fewer leaks, less chance of rusting and reduced risk of the gutters pulling away from the home. Longer lasting gutters can also protect your house, including the walls, windows and surrounding soil below.
Seamless Gutters Installed by a Professional
Seamless gutters usually need professional installation due to their size and the experience and machinery necessary to manufacturer them. Most homeowners don’t have access t the equipment necessary 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 quickly see their value which pays for itself due to fewer repairs and longer time between replacements. If you have any questions concerning the value of seamless gutters, speak to a gutter installer who offers both traditional and seamless gutter systems to determine if the price difference and benefits are worth it for your budget and needs.
Installing seamless rain gutters is not a job that a homeowner can handle safely. Pros can install a section up to about 35 feet or so by themselves, but anything longer than that will require 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 than that, the installation team will start in two places (1/3 of the way from each end) and attach 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 limit its effectiveness. Rochester Gutters, Inc. is proud to offer seamless gutter installation to all homes and businesses in the Rochester area. Call 507-203-1599 now for more information!