Benefits of Seamless Gutters
Gutters should be replaced almost as often as the roof on a home, so roughly every 20 years. This is a long time, and in the meantime, your gutters should do their job with little work on your part besides gutter cleaning and routine maintenance.
If you haven’t replaced your home’s gutters recently, it’s probably a good time to start considering the options. More than likely, your options have changed since the last time you shopped for gutters, either when building your house or the last time you replaced them.
Styles and types of materials improve a lot 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 ones that are currently on your house.
Seamless gutters are one of the new options available.
What are Seamless Gutters?
One of the standout upgrades in home gutters is the invention of seamless gutter systems.
Seamless gutters are installed in long sections, opposed to traditional gutters that are only available in sections between 10 and 20 feet. They are made on-site in many situations with a special machine, removing the difficulties of transporting long, narrow items.
Most gutter installation companies have their own machinery and are able to complete the entire process – measure, manufacture and install your seamless gutters – in just one day!
Because they are manufactured 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 with no joints. This gives homeowners the option to have a single piece of lightweight aluminum in any color they choose.
Benefits of Seamless Gutters
Standard gutters have been popular for so long that it can be hard to realize how another choice can be a lot more effective. To determine if seamless gutters are a smart idea for your home, you should know 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 very sleek appearance. Seamless gutter fabrication machines even cut out holes for downspouts, which must be present every 20 to 30 feet, so that they are smooth and correctly sized. The custom measurements also increase the curb appeal of your house without being too overstated and obvious.
Easier Care – Less joints means there are fewer chances for debris to cling on or get stuck within the rain gutters. Water flows through smoothly with fewer clogs. As a homeowner, this will likely make you very happy, because it means you won’t be cleaning them out nearly as much. Seamless gutters usually only need 1 yearly cleaning. In comparison, some traditional rain gutter systems have to be cleaned 2 to 4 times a year in order to keep them working well.
Lower Chance of Leaks – Regular gutters can leak from any joint as soon as the gutters start to pull away from the home. Loose fasteners are another problem that can lead to gutter leaks. Getting rid of joints across the length and width of your house reduces the risk of leaks (which protects your windows, porches, and landscaping).
Discourages Pests – Buildup in your gutters will attract small animals, rodents and insects that are able to hide inside of them or build nests with the debris that is 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 gutters makes them less appealing for pests.
Eliminates Waste – Measuring for seamless gutters and then cutting them on site means that your gutters will be the correct length without having scrap pieces that were cut off to match the length of the house. This is an eco-friendly process that lowers your home’s carbon footprint. Plus, there is no need to destroy the excess or see it end up in a landfill.
Longer Lifetime – Seamless gutters are designed with the latest technology and the best materials available. This results in less leaks, a smaller chance of rusting and reduced risk of the gutters pulling away from the house. Longer lasting gutters can also protect your home, including the exterior walls, windows and the soil.
Seamless Gutters Installed by a Professional
Seamless gutters usually require professional installation due to their size and the training and equipment needed to manufacturer them. Most homeowners don’t have own the machinery required to make seamless gutters, nor do they have the training on how to set up these machines to make precise cuts.
Seamless gutters do cost more, but once they are professionally installed, you will quickly understand their value which pays for itself over time via fewer repairs and longer time between replacements. If you have questions concerning the value of seamless gutters, speak to a gutter installer who does both traditional and seamless gutter systems to determine if the price difference and benefits are worth it for your budget and needs.
Installing these extra-long rain gutters is not a job that a single person can handle safely. Professionals can install a section up to about 35 feet by themselves, but anything longer than that 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, securing the gutter every few feet. For rain gutters that are longer than that, the installation team will start in two places (1/3 of the way from each end) and fasten 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 easily damage a long gutter by mishandling it. This can affect the gutter’s appearance as well as its effectiveness. ACE Gutters Inc. is proud to offer seamless gutter installation to all homes and businesses in the Youngstown area. Call 330-227-2618 now for more information!