Benefits of Seamless Gutters
Rain gutters should be replaced about as often as the roof, so somewhere around 20 years. This is a good long while, and in the meantime, your home’s rain gutters should do their job with little work on your part besides gutter cleaning and annual maintenance.
If you haven’t replaced your gutters lately, it’s probably a good time to start looking at the options. Odds are, your options have changed since the last time you shopped for gutters, either when you built your home or the last time you had to replace them.
Styles and materials improve drastically over a period of just a few years. This means that your next gutters will be 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 standout enhancements in residential gutters is the invention of seamless gutter systems.
Seamless gutters are installed in very long sections, as opposed to traditional gutters which are only sold in sections between 10 and 20 feet long. They are made on-site in many cases with a special machine, eliminating the difficulties of transporting long, narrow items.
Many gutter installation companies own their own equipment and are able to do the entire process on their own – measure, manufacture and installing your seamless gutters – in just one day!
Since they are manufactured to size, it is not uncommon to have seamless gutters that stretch over 40 feet, with the longest length of a seamless gutter at around 100 feet with no joints. This offers homeowners the option to have a single piece of lightweight aluminum in any color they choose.
Benefits of Seamless Gutters
Traditional gutters have been used for so long that it can be difficult to see how another choice can be a lot more effective. To decide if seamless gutters are a smart idea for your home, you need to know what sets them apart so you can understand why there is such a noticeable price difference for them.
There are many benefits of seamless gutters over traditional gutter systems:
More Attractive – With joints only at the corners, seamless gutters have a sleek look. 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 measurements also increase the curb appeal of your home without being too overstated and obvious.
Easier Care – Fewer joints mean there are fewer opportunities for debris to get hung on or get stuck within the gutters. Water drains through more smoothly with fewer 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 much. Seamless gutters usually only need 1 annual cleaning. In contrast, some regular gutter systems must be cleaned 2 to 4 times a year to keep them working well.
Lower Chance of Leaks – Regular gutters can leak at any joint once the gutters start pulling away from the home. Loose fasteners are another problem that can lead to gutter leaks. Getting rid of joints along the entire 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 and insects that can hide inside of them or build a nest with the organic materials that are present. From there, insects, birds, squirrels and chipmunks have access to your attic and are able to destroy your roof, resulting in hundreds of dollars of repairs (at a minimum). Keeping that buildup out of rain gutters makes them less attractive for pests.
Eliminates Waste – Measuring for seamless gutters and then cutting them on site guarantees that your gutters will be the correct size without having scrap pieces that were cut off to match the exact length of the house. This is an eco-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.
Last Longer – Seamless gutters are built with the latest technology and the best materials available. This leads to fewer leaks, a smaller chance of rusting and reduced risk of the gutters pulling away from the home. Longer lasting rain gutters can also protect your house, including the walls, windows and surrounding soil below.
Seamless Gutters Installed by a Professional
Seamless gutters almost always need professional installation because of their size and the experience and machinery needed to build them. Most homeowners don’t have to own the equipment needed to make seamless gutters, nor do they have the knowledge of how to program these machines to make precise cuts.
Seamless gutters are more expensive, but once they are installed, you will immediately 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 does both traditional and seamless gutter systems to decide if the price difference and benefits are worth it for your budget and needs.
Installing seamless rain gutters is not a project that a homeowner can handle safely. Professionals can install a section up to about 30 feet or so on their own, but anything longer requires 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 gutters that are longer than that, the installation team will begin in two places (1/3 of the way from each end) and attach those sections 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 damage a long gutter by handling it improperly. This can damage the gutter’s appearance as well as its effectiveness. Clifton Gutter Solutions is proud to provide seamless gutter installation to all homes and businesses in the Clifton area. Call 973-221-9130 now for more information!