Benefits of Seamless Gutters
Rain gutters should be replaced about as often as the roof, so somewhere around 20 years. This is a good long while, and in the meantime, your home’s 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 lately, it’s probably about time to begin looking at the options. Chances are, your options have changed a lot since you last 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 only a few years. This means that your next gutters will be much 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 most revolutionary upgrades in rain gutters is the creation of seamless gutter systems.
Seamless gutters are installed in very long sections, as opposed to traditional gutters that only come in sections between 10 and 20 feet. They are made on-site in most cases with a special machine, eliminating the difficulties of transporting such long, narrow items.
Most gutter installation businesses own their own equipment and can complete the whole process – measure, manufacture and install your seamless gutters – in only one day!
Since they are built to size, it is possible to have seamless gutters that extend over 40 feet, with the longest length of a seamless rain gutter at around 100 feet without joints. This gives homeowners the option to have an individual piece of lightweight aluminum in whatever color they choose.
Benefits of Seamless Gutters
Traditional gutters have been popular for so long that it might be hard to believe how another choice can be much more effective. To determine if seamless gutters are a good idea for your house, you need know the benefits of them so you can understand why there is a noticeable price difference for them.
There are many benefits of seamless gutters over traditional gutter systems:
More Attractive – With joints only at the corners, seamless gutters have a sleek appearance. Seamless gutter machines cut out holes for gutter downspouts, which have to 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 house without being overstated and obvious.
Easier Care – Less joints means there are fewer opportunities for debris to get hung on or get stuck within the rain gutters. Water flows through more smoothly with less clogs. As a homeowner, this will likely make you extremely pleased, as it means you don’t need to clean them out as often. Seamless gutters usually only need 1 yearly cleaning. In contrast, most traditional gutter systems have to be cleaned 2 to 4 times a year to keep them working well.
Lower Chance of Leaks – Standard gutters can leak at any joint once the gutters start to pull away from the home. Loose fasteners are another problem that lead to gutter leaks. Getting rid of joints along the entire length and width of your house reduces the likelihood of leaks (which protects your windows, porches, and landscaping).
Discourages Pests – Clogged gutters will attract small animals and insects that are able to hide inside of them or build nests with the organic materials that are present. From that point, insects, birds, squirrels and chipmunks have access to your attic and can damage your roof, causing hundreds of dollars’ of damage. Keeping that buildup out of gutters makes them less attractive for pests.
Eliminates Waste – Measuring for seamless gutters and then building them on site guarantees that your gutters will be the perfect size without having scrap pieces that were cut off to match the length of the house. This is an environmentally-friendly practice that reduces your home’s carbon footprint. In addition, 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 built with the newest technology and the best materials available. This results in less leaks, a smaller chance of rust and reduced risk of the gutters pulling away from the home. Longer lasting gutters can also protect your home, including the walls, windows and the soil below.
Seamless Gutters Installed by a Professional
Seamless gutters usually require professional installation because of their size and the experience and equipment required to build them. Most homeowners don’t have access t 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 professionally installed, you will immediately understand their value which pays for itself due to fewer repairs and longer time between replacements. If you have questions concerning the value of seamless gutters, speak to a gutter installer who provides both traditional and seamless gutter systems to decide if the price difference and benefits are a good fit for your budget and needs.
Installing these extra-long rain gutters is not a job that a single person can handle safely. Pros can install a section up to about 30 feet or so by themselves, but anything longer 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, attaching the gutter every few feet. For rain gutters that are longer, the installation team will need to begin in two places (1/3 of the way from each end) and secure those places 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 long gutter by mishandling it. This can affect the gutter’s appearance as well as its effectiveness. Parker Gutters & More! is proud to provide seamless gutter installation to all homes and businesses in the Parker area. Call 720-707-3887 now for more information!