Benefits of Seamless Gutters
Rain gutters need to be replaced about as often as the roof, so roughly every 20 years. This is a good long while, but in the meantime, your home’s gutters should do their job with very little work on your part besides gutter cleaning and routine maintenance.
If you haven’t replaced your home’s gutters lately, it’s probably a good time to start considering the options. Odds are, your options have changed a lot since the last time you 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 just a few years. This means that your next gutters will be even more efficient, lighter and more attractive than the ones that are currently on your house.
Seamless gutters are one of the new options available.
What are Seamless Gutters?
One of the major improvements in home gutters is the invention of seamless gutter systems.
Seamless gutters are installed in very long sections, opposed to traditional gutters that are only sold in sections between 10 and 20 feet long. They are made on-site in many situations with a special machine, eliminating the difficulties of transporting such long, narrow materials.
Most gutter installation businesses own their own equipment and can complete the whole process – measure, manufacture and installing your seamless gutters – in only one day!
Because they are manufactured to size, it is not uncommon to have seamless gutters that extend over 40 feet, with the maximum length of a seamless gutter around 100 feet without joints. This offers homeowners the choice to have a single piece of lightweight aluminum in whatever color they choose.
Benefits of Seamless Gutters
Traditional gutters have been popular for so long that it can be hard to realize how another option can be a lot more effective. To decide if seamless gutters are a good idea for your house, you will want to understand the benefits of them 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:
More Attractive – With joints just at the corners, seamless gutters have a noticeably sleek appearance. Seamless gutter fabrication machines cut out holes for downspouts, which have to be present every 20 to 30 feet, so they are smooth and correctly sized. The custom measurements also improve the curb appeal of your home without being overstated and obvious.
Easier Care – Fewer joints means there are less chances for debris to get hung on or get stuck within the rain gutters. Water drains through more smoothly with fewer clogs. As a homeowner, this will likely make you extremely pleased, because it means you won’t be cleaning them out nearly as much. Seamless gutters usually only need 1 yearly cleaning. In comparison, most traditional rain gutter systems must be cleaned 2 to 4 times a year to keep them working well.
Lower Chance of Leaks – Regular gutters can leak from any joint as soon as the gutters start pulling away from the home. Loose fasteners are another problem that leads to gutter leaks. Getting rid of joints throughout the length and width of your home reduces the chance of leaks (which protects your windows, porches, and landscaping).
Discourages Pests – Buildup in your gutters will attract animals and insects that are able to hide within them or build nests with the materials that are present. From there, insects, birds, squirrels and chipmunks have easy access to your attic and will destroy your roof, leading to hundreds of dollars of repairs (at a minimum). Keeping that buildup out of your rain gutters makes them less appealing for pests.
Eliminates Waste – Measuring for seamless gutters and then manufacturing them on site ensures that your gutters will be the correct length without having extra pieces that were cut off to match the exact length of the house. This is an eco-friendly practice that reduces your home’s carbon footprint. Plus, there is no need to get rid of the excess or see it end up in a landfill.
Last Longer – Seamless gutters are built with the latest technology and the best materials on the market. This creates less leaks, less chance of rust and reduced risk of the gutters pulling away from the home. Longer lasting gutters also protect your house, including the exterior walls, windows and surrounding soil.
Seamless Gutters Installed by a Professional
Seamless gutters almost always require professional installation due to their size and the experience and equipment necessary to manufacturer them. Individuals don’t have have the equipment required to make seamless gutters, nor do they have the training on how to set up these machines to make exact cuts.
Seamless gutters do cost more, but once they are professionally installed, you will see their value which pays for itself because of less repairs and longer time between replacements. If you have questions about the value of seamless rain gutters, speak to a gutter installer who does 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 task that a homeowner can handle safely. Pros can install a section up to about 30 feet on their own, 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, securing the gutter every several feet. For gutters that are longer, the installation team will need to start in two places (1/3 of the way from each end) and attach those places because of 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 damage a long gutter by handling it improperly. This can affect the gutter’s appearance as well as limit its effectiveness. Syracuse Gutter Solutions is proud to offer seamless gutter installation to all homes and businesses in the Syracuse area. Call 315-306-3696 now for more information!