Benefits of Seamless Gutters
Rain gutters have to be replaced almost as often as the roof on a home, so roughly every 20 years. This is a good long while, and in the meantime, your rain gutters need to do their job with very little effort on your part besides gutter cleaning and annual maintenance.
If you haven’t had to replace your gutters lately, it’s probably a good time to begin considering the options. Odds are, your options have changed a lot since the last time you shopped for 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 a lot more efficient, lighter and offer better curb appeal 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 standout enhancements in residential gutters is the invention of seamless gutter systems.
Seamless gutters are installed in long sections, as opposed to standard gutters which only come 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.
Many gutter installation businesses have their own equipment and are able to complete the entire process on their own – measure, manufacture and install your seamless gutters – in less than one day!
Because they are built to size, it is possible to have seamless gutters that stretch over 40 feet, with the maximum length of a seamless rain gutter around 100 feet without joints. This gives homeowners the option 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 hard to realize how another option can be a lot more effective. To determine if seamless gutters are a smart choice for your home, you will want to know the benefits of them so you can also 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 just at the corners, seamless gutters have a noticeably sleek look. Seamless gutter machines cut out holes for downspouts, which should be present every 20 to 30 feet, so that they are smooth and correctly sized. The measurements also improve the curb appeal of your home without being 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. As a homeowner, this will likely make you extremely happy, as it means you won’t need to clean them out nearly as often. Seamless gutters only need 1 yearly cleaning. In contrast, most regular rain 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 home. Loose fasteners are another problem that results in gutter leaks. Eliminating joints across the length and width of your house helps reduce the chance of leaks (which protects your windows, porches, and landscaping).
Prevent Pests – Clogged gutters will attract animals, rodents and insects that are able to hide within them or build nests with the organic materials that are present. From that point, insects, birds, squirrels and chipmunks have easy access to your attic and are able to damage your roof, resulting in hundreds of dollars of repairs. Keeping that buildup out of your rain gutters makes them less attractive for pests.
Eliminates Waste – Measuring for seamless gutters and then cutting them on site means that your gutters will be the perfect size without having scrap pieces that were cut off to match the length of the home. This is an environmentally-friendly process that lowers your home’s carbon footprint. Plus, there is no need to get rid of the excess or see it end up in a landfill.
Longer Lifetime – Seamless gutters are designed with the latest technology and the best materials on the market. This leads to fewer leaks, less chance of rusting and reduced risk of the gutters pulling away from the house. Longer lasting rain gutters can also protect your house, including the walls, windows and surrounding soil.
Seamless Gutters Installed by a Professional
Seamless gutters typically need professional installation because of their size and the training and machinery necessary to build them. Most homeowners don’t have the machinery necessary to produce seamless gutters, nor do they have the training on how to set up these machines to make exact cuts.
Seamless gutters are more expensive, but once they are installed, you will understand their value which pays for itself over time via less repairs and longer time between replacements. If you have questions about the value of seamless rain gutters, speak to a gutter installer who offers both standard and seamless gutter systems to determine if the price difference and benefits are worth it for your budget and needs.
Installing seamless rain gutters is not a job that a homeowner can handle safely. Pros can install a section up to about 30 feet by themselves, but anything longer requires a second person.
For gutters that are less than 35 feet, they will start in the middle and work their way to each end, attaching the gutter every several feet. For rain gutters longer, the installation team will start in two places (1/3 of the way from each end) and attach those sections 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 damage a long gutter by mishandling it. This can damage the gutter’s appearance as well as limit its effectiveness. Spokane Gutters Plus is proud to offer seamless gutter installation to all homes and businesses in the Spokane area. Call 509-260-7734 now for more information!