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 long time, and in the meantime, your rain gutters need to do their job with very little effort on your part besides gutter cleaning and routine maintenance.
If you haven’t replaced your gutters recently, it’s probably a good time to start looking at the options. Odds are, your options have changed a lot since the last time you shopped for gutters, either when building your house or the last time you had to replace them.
Styles and materials improve significantly over a period of just a few years. This means that your next gutters will be 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 standout improvements in residential gutters is the creation of seamless gutter systems.
Seamless gutters are installed in long sections, opposed to traditional gutters that are only sold in sections between 10 and 20 feet. They are made on-site in most situations with a special machine, eliminating the difficulties of transporting such long, narrow materials.
Most gutter installation services own their own equipment and can complete the whole process – measure, manufacture and installing your seamless gutters – in just one day!
Because they are built to size, it is not uncommon to have seamless gutters that stretch over 50 feet, with the maximum length of a seamless rain gutter around 100 feet with no joints. This gives homeowners the choice to have a single piece of lightweight aluminum in whatever color they choose.
Benefits of Seamless Gutters
Traditional gutters have been used for so long that it can be difficult to see how another option can be 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 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 very sleek appearance. Seamless gutter fabrication machines cut out holes for gutter downspouts, which should be present every 20 to 30 feet, so that they are smooth and perfectly sized. The custom measurements also increase the curb appeal of your home without being overstated and obvious.
Easier Care – Less joints means there are fewer chances for debris to get hung on or get stuck within the rain gutters. Water flows through smoothly with less clogs. As a homeowner, this will likely make you very happy, since it means you won’t be cleaning them out nearly as often. Seamless gutters usually only need 1 yearly cleaning. In contrast, most regular gutter systems have to be cleaned 2 to 4 times a year to keep them functioning well.
Lower Chance of Leaks – Normal gutters can leak at any joint as soon as the gutters start to pull away from the house. Loose fasteners are another problem that can result in gutter leaks. Getting rid of joints along the entire length and width of your home helps reduce the chance of leaks (which protects your windows, porches, and landscaping).
Discourages Pests – Clogged gutters will attract animals, rodents and insects that are able to hide inside of them or build nests with the materials that are present. From that point, insects, birds, squirrels and chipmunks have access to your attic and can destroy your roof, resulting in hundreds of dollars’ of repairs (at a minimum). Keeping that buildup out of your gutters makes them less appealing for pests.
Eliminates Waste – Measuring for seamless gutters and then manufacturing them on site guarantees that your gutters will be the perfect length without having scrap pieces that were cut off to match the exact 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.
Last Longer – Seamless gutters are designed with the newest technology and the best materials available. This results in fewer leaks, less chance of rusting and reduced risk of the gutters pulling away from the home. Longer lasting rain gutters also protect your house, including the walls, windows and the soil.
Seamless Gutters Installed by a Professional
Seamless gutters usually need professional installation because of their size and the experience and machinery needed 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 set up these machines to make precise cuts.
Seamless gutters do cost more, but once they are installed, you will 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, speak to a gutter installer who provides both traditional and seamless gutter systems to determine if the price difference and benefits are a good fit for your budget and needs.
Installing seamless gutters is not a job that a homeowner can handle safely. Professionals can install a section up to about 35 feet or so 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, securing the gutter every several feet. For gutters any longer than that, the installation team will start in two places (1/3 of the way from each end) and attach 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 long gutter by handling it improperly. This can damage the gutter’s appearance as well as its effectiveness. Hammond Gutters & More! is proud to provide seamless gutter installation to all homes and businesses in the Hammond area. Call 219-245-6930 now for more information!