Benefits of Seamless Gutters
Gutters need to 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 very little work on your part besides gutter cleaning and annual maintenance.
If you haven’t had to replace your gutters recently, it’s probably a good time to start looking at the options. More than likely, your options have changed a lot since the last time you shopped for gutters, either when you built your home or the last time you replaced them.
Styles and materials improve a lot over a period of only a few years. This means your next gutters will be a lot 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 most revolutionary upgrades in residential gutters is the creation of seamless gutter systems.
Seamless gutters are installed in long sections, as opposed to standard gutters that only come in sections between 10 and 20 feet long. They are made on-site in most situations with a custom machine, eliminating the difficulties of transporting long, narrow materials.
Many gutter installation businesses own their own equipment and are able to complete the entire process on their own – measure, manufacture and installing your seamless gutters – in less than one day!
Because they are built to size, it is not uncommon to have seamless gutters that stretch over 40 feet, with the longest length of a seamless gutter at around 100 feet with no joints. This offers homeowners the option to have an individual piece of lightweight aluminum in any color they choose.
Benefits of Seamless Gutters
Standard gutters have been used for so long that it can be difficult to believe how another option can be much more effective. To determine if seamless gutters are a good idea for your house, you will want to know what sets them apart 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:
Better Curb Appeal – With joints only at the corners, seamless gutters have a noticeably sleek appearance. Seamless gutter machines even cut out holes for gutter downspouts, which should 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 get hung 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 extremely happy, because it means you won’t need to clean them out as much. Seamless gutters only need 1 annual cleaning. In contrast, most 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 from any joint as soon as the gutters start to pull away from the home. Loose fasteners are another problem that can cause gutter leaks. Getting rid of joints along 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 are able to hide within 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 can damage your roof, leading to hundreds of dollars’ of repairs (at a minimum). Keeping that buildup out of rain gutters makes them less appealing for pests.
Eliminates Waste – Measuring for seamless gutters and then building them on site guarantees that your gutters will be the perfect length without having additional pieces that were cut off to match the length of the house. This is an eco-friendly process that lowers your home’s carbon footprint. Also, there is no need to get rid of the excess or see it end up in a landfill.
Last Longer – Seamless gutters are made with the newest 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 gutters also protect your house, including the exterior walls, windows and the soil.
Seamless Gutters Installed by a Professional
Seamless gutters almost always require professional installation due to their size and the training and machinery required to manufacturer them. Individuals don’t have own the machinery necessary to produce seamless gutters, nor do they have the knowledge of how to set up these machines to make precise cuts.
Seamless gutters do cost more, but once they are installed, you will quickly understand their value which pays for itself over time via less repairs and longer time between replacements. If you have any questions concerning the value of seamless gutters, talk with a gutter installer who offers both traditional and seamless gutter systems to determine if the cost difference and benefits are a good fit for your budget and needs.
Installing seamless rain gutters is not a project that a homeowner can handle safely. Pros can install a section up to about 30 feet or so by themselves, but anything longer requires 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 rain gutters that are longer than that, the installation team will need to start in two places (1/3 of the way from each end) and fasten 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 seamless gutter by mishandling it. This can affect the gutter’s appearance as well as limit its effectiveness. PRO Raleigh Gutters is proud to provide seamless gutter installation to all homes and businesses in the Raleigh area. Call 919-737-7271 now for more information!