Benefits of Seamless Gutters
Gutters need to be replaced about as often as the roof on a home, so somewhere around 20 years. This is a good long while, and in the meantime, your rain gutters need to do their job with little effort on your part besides gutter cleaning and annual maintenance.
If you haven’t needed to replace your home’s gutters recently, it’s probably a good time to begin looking at the options. Chances are, 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 types of materials improve a lot over a period of only a few years. This means that your next rain gutters will be even more efficient, lighter and more attractive than the current ones on your home.
Seamless gutters are one of the newest options available.
What are Seamless Gutters?
One of the major enhancements in residential gutters is the creation of seamless gutter systems.
Seamless gutters are installed in long sections, as opposed to traditional gutters that are only sold 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.
Many gutter installation businesses own their own machinery and are able to do the entire process on their own – measure, manufacture and install your seamless gutters – in less than one day!
Because they are manufactured to size, it is not uncommon to have seamless gutters that stretch over 50 feet, with the maximum length of a seamless gutter at around 100 feet with no joints. This gives homeowners the choice 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 hard to believe how another option can be more effective. To decide if seamless gutters are a smart idea for your house, you need to understand what sets them apart so you can also understand why there is 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 perfectly sized. The measurements also improve the curb appeal of your home without being overstated or obvious.
Easier Care – Fewer joints mean there are less opportunities for debris to cling on or get stuck within the rain gutters. Water flows through more smoothly with fewer clogs. As a homeowner, this will likely make you extremely pleased, since it means you won’t be cleaning them out nearly as much. Seamless gutters typically only need 1 annual cleaning. In contrast, most standard rain gutter systems must be cleaned 2 to 4 times a year to keep them working well.
Lower Chance of Leaks – Standard gutters can leak at any joint if the gutters start to pull away from the house. Loose fasteners are also a problem that can cause gutter leaks. Getting rid of joints along the length and width of your house helps reduce the likelihood of leaks (which protects your windows, porches, and landscaping).
Prevent Pests – Clogged gutters will attract small animals, rodents and insects that are able to hide inside of them or build nests with the debris that is present. From there, insects, birds, squirrels and chipmunks have easy access to your attic and will damage your roof, leading to hundreds of dollars worth of damage (at a minimum). Keeping that buildup out of your gutters makes them less appealing for pests.
Eliminates Waste – Measuring for seamless gutters and then cutting them on site ensures that your gutters will be the correct size without having scrap 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 get rid of 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 creates fewer leaks, a smaller chance of rust and reduced risk of the gutters pulling away from the house. Longer lasting gutters also protect your house, including the exterior walls, windows and surrounding soil below.
Seamless Gutters Installed by a Professional
Seamless gutters typically require professional installation due to their size and the training and equipment required to build them. Individuals don’t have access t the machinery required to make 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 installed, you will quickly understand their value which pays for itself due to less repairs and longer time between replacements. If you have any questions about the value of seamless gutters, talk with a gutter installer who provides both traditional and seamless gutter systems to determine if the cost difference and benefits are worth it for your budget and needs.
Installing these extra-long rain gutters is not a task that a homeowner can handle safely. Professionals can install a section up to about 30 feet or so 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 few feet. For gutters longer than that, the installation team will need to start in two places (1/3 of the way from each end) and fasten those sections 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 seamless gutter by handling it improperly. This can damage the gutter’s appearance as well as limit its effectiveness. Cranston Gutters is proud to offer seamless gutter installation to all homes and businesses in the Cranston area. Call 401-208-2926 now for more information!