Benefits of Seamless Gutters
Rain gutters should be replaced about as often as the roof on a home, so roughly every 20 years. This is a good long while, but in the meantime, your gutters should do their job with little work on your part besides gutter cleaning and routine maintenance.
If you haven’t replaced your home’s gutters recently, it’s probably a good time to begin considering the options. More than likely, your options have changed since you last shopped for gutters, either when you built your home 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 gutters will be more efficient, lighter and more attractive than the ones that are currently on your house.
Seamless gutters are one of the newest options available.
What are Seamless Gutters?
One of the major upgrades in rain gutters is the creation of seamless gutter systems.
Seamless gutters are installed in long sections, opposed to standard gutters which are only available in sections between 10 and 20 feet. They are made on-site in most situations with a special machine, removing the difficulties of transporting long, narrow items.
Most gutter installation businesses have their own equipment and can complete the entire process on their own – 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 extend over 50 feet, with the longest length of a seamless gutter around 100 feet without joints. This offers homeowners the choice to have a single piece of lightweight aluminum in any color they choose.
Benefits of Seamless Gutters
Traditional gutters have been popular for so long that it might be difficult to believe how another choice can be a lot more effective. To determine if seamless gutters are a smart choice for your home, you will want to know the benefits of them so you can 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 only at the corners, seamless gutters have a noticeably sleek look. 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 measurements also increase the curb appeal of your home without being too overstated or obvious.
Easier Care – Less joints means there are fewer chances for debris to cling on or get stuck within the rain gutters. Water flows through smoothly with fewer clogs. As a homeowner, this will likely make you very happy, as it means you won’t be cleaning them out as often. Seamless gutters only need 1 annual cleaning. In contrast, some standard gutter systems must be cleaned 2 to 4 times a year in order to keep them functioning well.
Lower Chance of Leaks – Traditional gutters can leak at any joint as soon as the gutters start pulling away from the house. Loose fasteners are also a problem that result in gutter leaks. Eliminating joints along the entire length and width of your house reduces the chance of leaks (which protects your windows, porches, and landscaping).
Prevent Pests – Clogged gutters will attract animals, rodents and insects that will hide inside of them or build a nest with the debris that is present. From that point, insects, birds, squirrels and chipmunks have access to your attic and will damage 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 cutting them on site guarantees that your gutters will be the perfect length without having extra pieces that were cut off to match the length of the house. This is an environmentally-friendly practice 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 creates fewer leaks, a smaller chance of rusting and reduced risk of the gutters pulling away from the home. Longer lasting gutters also protect your home, including the exterior walls, windows and surrounding soil.
Seamless Gutters Installed by a Professional
Seamless gutters typically require professional installation due to their size and the training and equipment necessary to build them. Most homeowners don’t have access t the equipment needed to make seamless gutters, nor do they have the knowledge of how to program these machines to make exact cuts.
Seamless gutters do cost more, but once they are installed, you will quickly understand their value which pays for itself because of less repairs and longer time between replacements. If you have questions about the value of seamless rain gutters, speak to a gutter installer who provides 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 rain gutters is not a job that a homeowner can handle safely. Pros can install a section up to about 30 feet 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 few 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 attach those sections due to 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 handling it improperly. This can damage the gutter’s appearance as well as limit its effectiveness. Prime Gutters, Inc. is proud to provide seamless gutter installation to all homes and businesses in the Peabody area. Call 978-307-7786 now for more information!