Benefits of Seamless Gutters
Rain gutters need to be replaced almost 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 should do their job with very little work on your part besides gutter cleaning and annual maintenance.
If you haven’t replaced your gutters recently, 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 building 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 gutters will be a lot more efficient, lighter and offer better curb appeal than the current ones on your house.
Seamless gutters are one of the newest options available.
What are Seamless Gutters?
One of the standout enhancements in home gutters is the invention of seamless gutter systems.
Seamless gutters are installed in long sections, opposed to standard gutters that are only available in sections between 10 and 20 feet. They are made on-site in many cases with a custom machine, removing the difficulties of transporting long, narrow materials.
Most gutter installation companies have their own equipment and can do the whole process on their own – measure, manufacture and install your seamless gutters – in less than one day!
Because they are built to size, it is possible to have seamless gutters that stretch over 50 feet, with the maximum length of a seamless gutter at around 100 feet with no joints. This offers homeowners the choice to have an individual piece of lightweight aluminum in whatever color they choose.
Benefits of Seamless Gutters
Standard gutters have been used for so long that it can be hard to believe how another choice can be much more effective. To decide if seamless gutters are a good idea for your home, 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 only at the corners, seamless gutters have a noticeably sleek appearance. Seamless gutter machines even cut out holes for downspouts, which should be present every 20 to 30 feet, so they are smooth and perfectly sized. The measurements also increase the curb appeal of your home without being overstated or obvious.
Easier Care – Less joints mean there are less chances for debris to cling on or get stuck within the gutters. Water flows through more smoothly with fewer clogs. As a homeowner, this will likely make you very happy, since it means you won’t be cleaning them out nearly as often. Seamless gutters typically only need 1 yearly cleaning. In comparison, most traditional rain gutter systems have to be cleaned 2 to 4 times a year in order to keep them functioning well.
Lower Chance of Leaks – Regular gutters can leak at any joint once the gutters start pulling away from the home. Loose fasteners are also a problem that lead to gutter leaks. Eliminating joints across the length and width of your house reduces the risk of leaks (which protects your windows, porches, and landscaping).
Prevent Pests – Clogged gutters will attract animals, rodents and insects that are able to hide within them or build nests with the materials that are present. From there, insects, birds, squirrels and chipmunks have access to your attic and can destroy your roof, leading to hundreds of dollars’ of repairs. Keeping that buildup out of rain 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 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 (which can result in harmful chemicals) or see it end up in a landfill.
Last Longer – Seamless gutters are made with the latest technology and the best materials on the market. This leads to fewer leaks, a smaller chance of rusting 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.
Seamless Gutters Installed by a Professional
Seamless gutters almost always require professional installation because of their size and the experience and machinery required to manufacturer them. Individuals don’t have own the equipment needed to produce seamless gutters, nor do they have the training on how to set up these machines to make exact cuts.
Seamless gutters do cost more, but once they are installed, you will understand their value which pays for itself over time via less repairs and longer time between replacements. If you have any questions concerning the value of seamless rain gutters, speak to a gutter installer who offers both traditional and seamless gutter systems to determine if the cost difference and benefits are a good fit for your budget and needs.
Installing these extra-long rain gutters is not a project that a homeowner can handle safely. Professionals can install a section up to about 30 feet on their own, but anything longer than that will require a second person.
For seamless gutters that are 35 feet or less, they will start in the middle and work their way to each end, fastening the gutter every few feet. For gutters longer than that, the installation team will need to begin 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. Homeowners can damage a seamless gutter by handling it improperly. This can affect the gutter’s appearance as well as its effectiveness. Better Bloomington Gutters is proud to offer seamless gutter installation to all homes and businesses in the Bloomington area. Call 309-204-9707 now for more information!