Benefits of Seamless Gutters
Rain gutters have to be replaced nearly as often as the roof on a home, so somewhere around 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 needed to replace your gutters recently, it’s probably about time to start looking at the options. Chances are, your options have changed since the last time you shopped for new gutters, either when building your house or the last time you had to replace them.
Styles and types of materials improve significantly over a period of only a few years. This means your next rain gutters will be a lot more efficient, lighter and more attractive than the ones that are currently on your home.
Seamless gutters are one of the newest options available.
What are Seamless Gutters?
One of the standout 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 sold in sections between 10 and 20 feet long. They are made on-site in most cases with a special machine, removing the difficulties of transporting such long, narrow materials.
Many gutter installation companies have their own machinery and can complete the entire process on their own – measure, manufacture and installing your seamless gutters – in only one day!
Because they are built to size, it is not uncommon to have seamless gutters that stretch over 40 feet, with the longest length of a seamless gutter 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 used for so long that it might be difficult to believe how another option can be a lot more effective. To determine if seamless gutters are a good choice 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:
Better Curb Appeal – With joints just at the corners, seamless gutters have a noticeably sleek look. Seamless gutter fabrication machines cut out holes for downspouts, which have to be present every 20 to 30 feet, so that they are smooth and correctly sized. The custom measurements also improve the curb appeal of your home without being too overstated or obvious.
Easier Care – Less joints mean there are fewer opportunities for debris to cling on or get stuck within the rain gutters. Water drains through smoothly with less clogs. As a homeowner, this will likely make you very happy, since it means you won’t need to clean them out as much. Seamless gutters typically only need 1 annual cleaning. In contrast, some traditional gutter systems must be cleaned 2 to 4 times a year to keep them working well.
Lower Chance of Leaks – Traditional gutters can leak from any joint once the gutters start to pull away from the house. Loose fasteners are another problem that cause gutter leaks. Eliminating joints across the length and width of your home helps reduce the likelihood of leaks (which protects your windows, porches, and landscaping).
Prevent Pests – Buildup in your gutters will attract small animals, rodents and insects that can hide inside of them or build a nest with the debris that is present. From that point, insects, birds, squirrels and chipmunks have easy access to your attic and can destroy your roof, resulting in hundreds of dollars’ of repairs. Keeping that buildup out of your gutters makes them less appealing for pests.
Eliminates Waste – Measuring for seamless gutters and then manufacturing them on site means that your gutters will be the perfect length without having extra pieces that were cut off to match the exact length of the house. This is an environmentally-friendly process that lowers your home’s carbon footprint. In addition, 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 newest technology and the best materials available. This creates less leaks, less chance of rusting and reduced risk of the gutters pulling away from the home. Longer lasting rain gutters also protect your home, including the exterior walls, windows and surrounding soil.
Seamless Gutters Installed by a Professional
Seamless gutters usually need professional installation because of their size and the experience and machinery necessary to manufacturer them. Individuals don’t have access t the machinery 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 understand their value which pays for itself due to less repairs and longer time between replacements. If you have questions concerning the value of seamless rain gutters, speak to a gutter installer who offers both standard and seamless gutter systems to decide if the price difference and benefits are a good fit for your budget and needs.
Installing seamless gutters is not a project that a homeowner can handle safely. Pros can install a section up to about 35 feet by themselves, but anything longer than that requires a second person.
For 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 rain gutters longer, the installation team will need to begin in two places (1/3 of the way from each end) and attach those places due to 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 handling it improperly. This can affect the gutter’s appearance as well as its effectiveness. Eagan Gutter Experts is proud to provide seamless gutter installation to all homes and businesses in the Eagan area. Call 651-240-6408 now for more information!