Benefits of Seamless Gutters
Rain gutters should be replaced about as often as the roof, so somewhere around 20 years. This is a long time, but in the meantime, your home’s gutters need to do their job with very little effort on your part besides gutter cleaning and routine maintenance.
If you haven’t had to replace your gutters lately, it’s probably about time to begin looking at the options. Chances are, your options have changed since you last shopped for gutters, either when you built your house or the last time you replaced them.
Styles and materials improve significantly over a period of just a few years. This means that your next rain gutters will be a lot more efficient, lighter and more attractive than the current ones on your house.
Seamless gutters are one of the new options available.
What are Seamless Gutters?
One of the biggest improvements in home gutters is the invention of seamless gutter systems.
Seamless gutters are installed in long sections, as opposed to traditional gutters that are only sold in sections between 10 and 20 feet. They are made on-site in many cases with a special machine, removing the difficulties of transporting long, narrow materials.
Many gutter installation companies own their own equipment and are able to do 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 40 feet, with the maximum 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 any color they choose.
Benefits of Seamless Gutters
Standard gutters have been used for so long that it might be difficult to realize how another option can be much more effective. To decide if seamless gutters are a good idea for your home, you should understand the benefits of them 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:
Better Curb Appeal – With joints just at the corners, seamless gutters have a noticeably sleek look. Seamless gutter machines even cut out holes for gutter downspouts, which must be present every 20 to 30 feet, so that they are smooth and correctly sized. The measurements also increase the curb appeal of your house without being too overstated and obvious.
Easier Care – Fewer joints means there are less chances for debris to cling on or get stuck within the rain gutters. Water drains through smoothly with less clogs from dirt and debris. As a homeowner, this will likely make you very happy, because it means you won’t need to clean them out as often. Seamless gutters only need 1 annual cleaning. In comparison, some standard rain gutter systems have to be cleaned 2 to 4 times a year in order to keep them functioning well.
Lower Chance of Leaks – Normal gutters can leak at any joint once the gutters start pulling away from the house. Loose fasteners are another problem that cause gutter leaks. Eliminating joints along the entire length and width of your house reduces the risk of leaks (which protects your windows, porches, and landscaping).
Prevent Pests – Buildup in your gutters will attract small animals, rodents and insects that are able to hide inside of them or build a nest with the debris that is present. From that point, insects, birds, squirrels and chipmunks have access to your attic and will destroy your roof, causing hundreds of dollars’ of damage. Keeping that buildup out of 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 perfect length without having extra pieces that were cut off to match the length of the house. This is an environmentally-friendly process that reduces your home’s carbon footprint. In addition, there is no need to destroy 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 on the market. This results in fewer leaks, a smaller chance of rust and reduced risk of the gutters pulling away from the house. Longer lasting gutters also protect your house, including the exterior walls, windows and the soil below.
Seamless Gutters Installed by a Professional
Seamless gutters almost always need professional installation due to their size and the training and machinery necessary to build them. Individuals don’t have own the equipment needed to produce seamless gutters, nor do they have the knowledge of how to set up these machines to make precise cuts.
Seamless gutters are more expensive, but once they are professionally installed, you will understand their value which pays for itself because of fewer repairs and longer time between replacements. If you have questions about the value of seamless gutters, talk with a gutter installer who provides both standard and seamless gutter systems to decide if the cost difference and benefits are worth it for your budget and needs.
Installing these extra-long rain gutters is not a project that a single person can handle safely. Professionals can install a section up to about 35 feet by themselves, but anything longer than that will require a second person.
For seamless gutters that are less than 35 feet, they will start in the middle and work their way to each end, securing the gutter every few feet. For rain gutters longer than that, 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 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 limit its effectiveness. Mount Prospect Gutters is proud to provide seamless gutter installation to all homes and businesses in the Mount Prospect area. Call 847-320-0450 now for more information!