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 rain gutters should do their job with little effort on your part besides gutter cleaning and annual maintenance.
If you haven’t replaced your home’s gutters recently, it’s probably about time to begin considering the options. More than likely, your options have changed a lot since you last shopped for gutters, either when you built your house or the last time you had to replace them.
Styles and materials improve significantly over a period of just a few years. This means your next rain gutters will be more efficient, lighter and more attractive than the current ones on your house.
Seamless gutters are one of the newest options available.
What are Seamless Gutters?
One of the most revolutionary improvements in rain gutters is the invention of seamless gutter systems.
Seamless gutters are installed in long sections, opposed to traditional gutters that only come 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 items.
Most gutter installation companies own their own machinery and are able to do the entire process on their own – measure, manufacture and install your seamless gutters – in less than one day!
Since they are manufactured to size, it is not uncommon to have seamless gutters that extend over 50 feet, with the maximum length of a seamless rain 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
Standard gutters have been popular for so long that it might be difficult to realize how another choice can be a lot more effective. To determine if seamless gutters are a good idea for your house, you should understand the benefits of them so you can also 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 gutter downspouts, which have to be present every 20 to 30 feet, so they are smooth and perfectly sized. The custom measurements also increase the curb appeal of your home without being too overstated or obvious.
Easier Care – Fewer joints mean there are less chances for debris to cling on or get stuck within the gutters. Water drains through more smoothly with less clogs from dirt and debris. As a homeowner, this will likely make you very happy, since it means you won’t need to clean them out nearly as much. Seamless gutters only need 1 annual cleaning. In comparison, some standard rain gutter systems have to be cleaned 2 to 4 times a year to keep them functioning well.
Lower Chance of Leaks – Standard gutters can leak at any joint once the gutters start to pull away from the home. Loose fasteners are also a problem that cause gutter leaks. Eliminating joints across the entire length and width of your home helps reduce the risk of leaks (which protects your windows, porches, and landscaping).
Prevent Pests – Clogged gutters will attract 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 are able to destroy your roof, leading to hundreds of dollars worth of damage (at a minimum). Keeping that buildup out of 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 extra pieces that were cut off to match the exact length of the house. This is an environmentally-friendly practice that reduces your home’s carbon footprint. In addition, there is no need to eliminate the excess (which can result in harmful chemicals) or see it end up in a landfill.
Longer Lifetime – Seamless gutters are made with the newest technology and the best materials on the market. This creates fewer leaks, less chance of rust and reduced risk of the gutters pulling away from the home. Longer lasting rain gutters can also protect your home, including the walls, windows and the soil.
Seamless Gutters Installed by a Professional
Seamless gutters almost always need professional installation due to their size and the training and equipment needed to build them. Individuals don’t have the equipment needed to produce seamless gutters, nor do they have the knowledge of how to program these machines to make exact cuts.
Seamless gutters do cost more, but once they are installed, you will quickly understand their value which pays for itself over time via fewer repairs and longer time between replacements. If you have any questions concerning the value of seamless gutters, speak to a gutter installer who offers both standard and seamless gutter systems to determine if the price difference and benefits are a good fit for your budget and needs.
Installing these extra-long gutters is not a task 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 35 feet or less, they will start in the middle and work their way to each end, attaching 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 secure 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. Homeowners can easily damage a seamless gutter by handling it improperly. This can affect the gutter’s appearance as well as limit its effectiveness. Hometown Hampton Gutters is proud to provide seamless gutter installation to all homes and businesses in the Hampton area. Call 757-231-3393 now for more information!