Benefits of Seamless Gutters
Rain gutters should be replaced nearly as often as the roof, so roughly every 20 years. This is a long time, and in the meantime, your home’s gutters need to do their job with very little effort on your part besides gutter cleaning and annual 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 you last shopped for new gutters, either when building your home or the last time you replaced them.
Styles and materials improve drastically over a period of only a few years. This means that your next rain 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 improvements in rain gutters is the invention of seamless gutter systems.
Seamless gutters are installed in long sections, as opposed to standard gutters which are only available in sections between 10 and 20 feet long. They are made on-site in most situations with a special machine, removing the difficulties of transporting such long, narrow materials.
Most gutter installation businesses have their own machinery and are able to do the whole process – measure, manufacture and install your seamless gutters – in less than one day!
Because they are manufactured to size, it is possible to have seamless gutters that extend over 50 feet, with the longest length of a seamless rain gutter at around 100 feet without 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 used for so long that it might be difficult to see how another choice can be much more effective. To decide if seamless gutters are a good idea for your house, you should know what sets them apart so you can understand why there is 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 very sleek appearance. Seamless gutter fabrication machines even 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 help the curb appeal of your home without being too overstated or obvious.
Easier Care – Less joints means there are fewer opportunities for debris to get hung on or get stuck within the gutters. Water flows through more smoothly with less clogs. As a homeowner, this should make you extremely happy, since it means you won’t be cleaning them out as often. Seamless gutters usually only need 1 annual cleaning. In contrast, most traditional gutter systems must be cleaned 2 to 4 times a year in order to keep them working well.
Lower Chance of Leaks – Standard gutters can leak at any joint if the gutters start pulling away from the house. Loose fasteners are another problem that lead to gutter leaks. Getting rid of joints throughout the entire length and width of your home reduces the chance of leaks (which protects your windows, porches, and landscaping).
Prevent Pests – Buildup in your gutters will attract animals and insects that can hide within them or build nests with the debris that is present. From there, insects, birds, squirrels and chipmunks have access to your attic and can destroy your roof, resulting in hundreds of dollars’ worth 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 building them on site ensures that your gutters will be the correct length without having extra pieces that were cut off to match the length of the house. This is an eco-friendly practice that lowers your home’s carbon footprint. Also, there is no need to eliminate the excess or see it end up in a landfill.
Last Longer – Seamless gutters are made with the newest technology and the best materials available. This creates fewer leaks, less chance of rust and reduced risk of the gutters pulling away from the house. Longer lasting rain gutters also protect your house, including the walls, windows and surrounding soil below.
Seamless Gutters Installed by a Professional
Seamless gutters usually need professional installation because of their size and the training and equipment needed to manufacturer them. Most homeowners don’t have the equipment needed to produce seamless gutters, nor do they have the training on how to program these machines to make precise cuts.
Seamless gutters do cost more, but once they are professionally installed, you will see their value which pays for itself due to fewer 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 decide if the cost difference and benefits are a good fit for your budget and needs.
Installing seamless gutters is not a project that a single person can handle safely. Pros can install a section up to about 35 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, attaching the gutter every several feet. For rain gutters that are longer, the installation team will begin in two places (1/3 of the way from each end) and attach 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. You can easily damage a long gutter by handling it improperly. This can damage the gutter’s appearance as well as its effectiveness. Scranton Gutter Service is proud to offer seamless gutter installation to all homes and businesses in the Scranton area. Call 570-206-9580 now for more information!