Benefits of Seamless Gutters
Gutters need to be replaced about as often as the roof on a home, so roughly every 20 years. This is a long time, but in the meantime, your rain gutters need to do their job with little effort on your part besides gutter cleaning and routine maintenance.
If you haven’t replaced your gutters recently, it’s probably about time to begin looking at the options. More than likely, your options have changed since the last time you shopped for new gutters, either when you built your home or the last time you had to replace them.
Styles and materials improve significantly over a period of only a few years. This means your next gutters will be much more efficient, lighter and more attractive than the current ones on your home.
Seamless gutters are one of the newest options available.
What are Seamless Gutters?
One of the major enhancements in residential gutters is the creation of seamless gutter systems.
Seamless gutters are installed in very long sections, as opposed to standard gutters that are only sold in sections between 10 and 20 feet. They are made on-site in most cases with a special machine, eliminating the difficulties of transporting long, narrow materials.
Most gutter installation services own their own machinery and are able to complete the entire process – measure, manufacture and installing your seamless gutters – in only 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 offers homeowners the choice 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 realize how another option can be much more effective. To decide if seamless gutters are a good idea for your house, you need know the benefits of them so you can also understand why there is 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 sleek look. Seamless gutter machines cut out holes for downspouts, which should be present every 20 to 30 feet, so they are smooth and perfectly sized. The custom measurements also help the curb appeal of your house without being overstated or obvious.
Easier Care – Less joints mean there are less chances for debris to get hung on or get stuck within the rain gutters. Water flows through more smoothly with fewer clogs. As a homeowner, this should make you extremely pleased, as it means you won’t be cleaning them out nearly as often. Seamless gutters typically only need 1 yearly cleaning. In comparison, some traditional gutter systems must be cleaned 2 to 4 times a year in order to keep them working well.
Lower Chance of Leaks – Normal gutters can leak from any joint if the gutters start to pull away from the home. Loose fasteners are another problem that result in gutter leaks. Eliminating joints throughout the length and width of your house reduces the likelihood of leaks (which protects your windows, porches, and landscaping).
Discourages Pests – Clogged gutters will attract small animals, rodents and insects that can hide within them or build nests with the organic materials that are present. From there, insects, birds, squirrels and chipmunks have easy access to your attic and can destroy your roof, leading to hundreds of dollars’ worth of damage (at a minimum). Keeping that buildup out of rain gutters makes them less attractive for pests.
Eliminates Waste – Measuring for seamless gutters and then manufacturing them on site guarantees that your gutters will be the perfect size without having scrap pieces that were cut off to match the length of the home. This is an eco-friendly practice that lowers your home’s carbon footprint. Plus, there is no need to eliminate the excess or see it end up in a landfill.
Longer Lifetime – Seamless gutters are made with the latest technology and the best materials on the market. This results in less leaks, a smaller chance of rust and reduced risk of the gutters pulling away from the house. Longer lasting gutters also protect your home, including the exterior walls, windows and the soil.
Seamless Gutters Installed by a Professional
Seamless gutters almost always need professional installation due to their size and the experience and equipment necessary to build them. Individuals don’t have own the machinery necessary to make seamless gutters, nor do they have the training on 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 fewer repairs and longer time between replacements. If you have any questions concerning the value of seamless rain gutters, talk with a gutter installer who provides 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 job that a single person can handle safely. Pros can install a section up to about 35 feet or so on their own, but anything longer than that will require a second person.
For gutters that are less than 35 feet, they will start in the middle and work their way to each end, fastening the gutter every few feet. For rain gutters any longer than that, the installation team will need to start in two places (1/3 of the way from each end) and fasten 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 easily damage a long gutter by handling it improperly. This can damage the gutter’s appearance as well as limit its effectiveness. Orland Park Gutters is proud to provide seamless gutter installation to all homes and businesses in the Orland Park area. Call 708-419-3139 now for more information!