Benefits of Seamless Gutters
Rain gutters should be replaced almost as often as the roof on a home, so somewhere around 20 years. This is a good long while, and in the meantime, your gutters should do their job with little effort on your part besides gutter cleaning and routine maintenance.
If you haven’t had to replace your gutters recently, it’s probably about time to start considering the options. More than likely, your options have changed a lot since the last time you shopped for gutters, either when building your home or the last time you replaced them.
Styles and materials improve a lot over a period of just a few years. This means your next rain 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 major upgrades in home gutters is the creation of seamless gutter systems.
Seamless gutters are installed in long sections, as opposed to traditional gutters that only come in sections between 10 and 20 feet long. They are made on-site in many cases with a custom machine, removing the difficulties of transporting long, narrow materials.
Many gutter installation companies own their own equipment and are able to do the whole process – measure, manufacture and install your seamless gutters – in less than one day!
Because they are built to size, it is not uncommon to have seamless gutters that extend over 50 feet, with the maximum length of a seamless gutter around 100 feet without joints. This gives homeowners the option to have a single piece of lightweight aluminum in any color they choose.
Benefits of Seamless Gutters
Standard gutters have been used for so long that it might be hard to see how another choice can be much more effective. To determine if seamless gutters are a good idea for your home, you should know the benefits of them so you can also understand why there is such a noticeable price difference between the two.
There are many benefits of seamless gutters over traditional gutter systems:
More Attractive – With joints just at the corners, seamless gutters have a sleek appearance. Seamless gutter fabrication machines cut out holes for downspouts, which have to be present every 20 to 30 feet, so they are smooth and correctly sized. The custom measurements also help the curb appeal of your house 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 smoothly with fewer clogs. As a homeowner, this should make you very happy, as it means you won’t be cleaning them out as much. Seamless gutters only need 1 annual cleaning. In comparison, most regular rain gutter systems have to be cleaned 2 to 4 times a year in order to keep them working well.
Lower Chance of Leaks – Traditional gutters can leak from any joint as soon as the gutters start to pull away from the home. Loose fasteners are another problem that can lead to gutter leaks. Eliminating joints along the length and width of your house helps reduce the risk of leaks (which protects your windows, porches, and landscaping).
Discourages Pests – Buildup in your gutters will attract animals and insects that are able to hide within them or build nests with the debris that is present. From that point, insects, birds, squirrels and chipmunks have access to your attic and will destroy your roof, resulting in hundreds of dollars’ worth of repairs. Keeping that buildup out of 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 correct size without having scrap pieces that were cut off to match the length of the home. This is an eco-friendly process that reduces your home’s carbon footprint. Plus, there is no need to eliminate the excess or see it end up in a landfill.
Last Longer – Seamless gutters are designed 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 house. Longer lasting rain gutters can also protect your house, including the exterior walls, windows and the soil below.
Seamless Gutters Installed by a Professional
Seamless gutters almost always require professional installation due to their size and the experience and machinery needed to build them. Individuals don’t have have the equipment required to produce 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 installed, you will understand their value which pays for itself because of 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 does both traditional and seamless gutter systems to decide if the price difference and benefits are worth it for your budget and needs.
Installing these extra-long gutters is not a project that a single person can handle safely. Pros can install a section up to about 35 feet by themselves, but anything longer than that 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 several feet. For 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 damage a long gutter by mishandling it. This can damage the gutter’s appearance as well as limit its effectiveness. Gastonia Gutters Plus is proud to offer seamless gutter installation to all homes and businesses in the Gastonia area. Call 704-324-8737 now for more information!