Benefits of Seamless Gutters
Rain gutters should be replaced nearly as often as the roof, so somewhere around 20 years. This is a good long while, and in the meantime, your rain gutters should do their job with very little work on your part besides gutter cleaning and annual maintenance.
If you haven’t replaced your home’s gutters recently, it’s probably a good time to start looking at 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 drastically over a period of only a few years. This means your next rain gutters will be even more efficient, lighter and offer better curb appeal than the current ones on your home.
Seamless gutters are one of the new options available.
What are Seamless Gutters?
One of the biggest enhancements in home gutters is the creation of seamless gutter systems.
Seamless gutters are installed in very long sections, opposed to standard gutters which only come in sections between 10 and 20 feet. They are made on-site in many cases with a custom machine, eliminating the difficulties of transporting long, narrow materials.
Most gutter installation services own their own machinery and are able to do the whole process on their own – measure, manufacture and install your seamless gutters – in just one day!
Because they are built to size, it is not uncommon to have seamless gutters that extend over 40 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 any color they choose.
Benefits of Seamless Gutters
Traditional gutters have been used for so long that it might be difficult to see how another choice can be a lot more effective. To decide if seamless gutters are a smart choice 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:
Better Curb Appeal – With joints only at the corners, seamless gutters have a sleek look. Seamless gutter machines even 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 or obvious.
Easier Care – Fewer joints mean there are less opportunities for debris to get hung on or get stuck within the rain gutters. Water drains through more smoothly with less clogs from dirt and debris. As a homeowner, this should make you extremely happy, because it means you won’t need to clean them out nearly as much. Seamless gutters only need 1 annual cleaning. In comparison, some regular gutter systems have to be cleaned 2 to 4 times a year in order to keep them working well.
Lower Chance of Leaks – Regular gutters can leak from any joint once the gutters start to pull away from the home. Loose fasteners are also a problem that can cause gutter leaks. Eliminating joints across the entire length and width of your house helps reduce the risk of leaks (which protects your windows, porches, and landscaping).
Discourages 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 will destroy your roof, leading to hundreds of dollars’ of damage (at a minimum). Keeping that buildup out of gutters makes them less appealing for pests.
Eliminates Waste – Measuring for seamless gutters and then manufacturing them on site ensures that your gutters will be the correct size without having additional pieces that were cut off to match the length of the home. This is an environmentally-friendly practice that reduces your home’s carbon footprint. Plus, there is no need to eliminate the excess (which can result in harmful chemicals) or see it end up in a landfill.
Longer Lifetime – Seamless gutters are built with the latest 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 home. Longer lasting gutters can also protect your home, including the exterior walls, windows and the soil below.
Seamless Gutters Installed by a Professional
Seamless gutters typically need professional installation because of their size and the experience and machinery necessary to build them. Most homeowners don’t have have the machinery needed to produce seamless gutters, nor do they have the knowledge of how to program these machines to make exact cuts.
Seamless gutters are more expensive, but once they are professionally installed, you will understand their value which pays for itself due to fewer repairs and longer time between replacements. If you have any questions about the value of seamless gutters, talk with 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 task that a homeowner can handle safely. Pros can install a section up to about 35 feet by themselves, but anything longer than that 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 few feet. For rain gutters any longer than that, the installation team will need to start in two places (1/3 of the way from each end) and secure 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. You can damage a long gutter by handling it improperly. This can affect the gutter’s appearance as well as limit its effectiveness. Quick Clean Gutters is proud to offer seamless gutter installation to all homes and businesses in the Kalamazoo area. Call 269-215-2832 now for more information!