Benefits of Seamless Gutters
Gutters should be replaced about as often as the roof, so roughly every 20 years. This is a good long while, but in the meantime, your home’s gutters need to do their job with very 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 start looking at the options. Chances are, your options have changed since you last shopped for new 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 even more efficient, lighter and more attractive than the ones that are currently on your home.
Seamless gutters are one of the newest options available.
What are Seamless Gutters?
One of the major enhancements in rain gutters is the creation of seamless gutter systems.
Seamless gutters are installed in very long sections, opposed to standard gutters which are only sold in sections between 10 and 20 feet. They are made on-site in most cases with a custom machine, eliminating the difficulties of transporting such long, narrow items.
Many gutter installation companies own their own machinery and can complete the whole process – measure, manufacture and install your seamless gutters – in just one day!
Since they are built to size, it is possible to have seamless gutters that extend over 40 feet, with the maximum length of a seamless rain gutter around 100 feet without joints. This offers homeowners the choice 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 might be difficult to believe how another choice can be more effective. To determine if seamless gutters are a smart choice for your house, you need know the benefits of them so you can understand why there is a noticeable price difference for them.
There are many benefits of seamless gutters over traditional gutter systems:
Better Curb Appeal – With joints just at the corners, seamless gutters have a noticeably sleek appearance. Seamless gutter fabrication machines cut out holes for gutter downspouts, which should 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 overstated or obvious.
Easier Care – Fewer joints means there are fewer opportunities for debris to cling on or get stuck within the rain gutters. Water flows through more smoothly with less clogs from dirt and debris. As a homeowner, this will likely make you extremely pleased, because it means you won’t be cleaning them out as much. Seamless gutters only need 1 annual cleaning. In comparison, most regular 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 at any joint if the gutters start to pull away from the house. Loose fasteners are another problem that can cause gutter leaks. Getting rid of joints along the entire length and width of your house reduces the likelihood of leaks (which protects your windows, porches, and landscaping).
Prevent Pests – Buildup in your gutters will attract animals and insects that can hide inside of them or build nests with the debris that is present. From there, insects, birds, squirrels and chipmunks have access to your attic and can destroy your roof, leading to hundreds of dollars’ of damage. 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 size without having extra pieces that were cut off to match the length of the house. This is an eco-friendly practice that reduces your home’s carbon footprint. Also, 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 newest technology and the best materials available. This creates fewer leaks, a smaller chance of rust and reduced risk of the gutters pulling away from the home. Longer lasting rain gutters also protect your home, including the exterior walls, windows and the soil below.
Seamless Gutters Installed by a Professional
Seamless gutters almost always require professional installation because of their size and the experience and equipment needed to build them. Individuals don’t have own the equipment required to produce seamless gutters, nor do they have the knowledge of how to set up these machines to make exact cuts.
Seamless gutters do cost more, 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 questions concerning the value of seamless gutters, talk with a gutter installer who offers both traditional 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 job that a single person can handle safely. Pros can install a section up to about 35 feet or so by themselves, 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, attaching the gutter every several feet. For gutters longer, the installation team will need to start in two places (1/3 of the way from each end) and attach 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 damage a long gutter by mishandling it. This can damage the gutter’s appearance as well as limit its effectiveness. Muskegon Gutters is proud to offer seamless gutter installation to all homes and businesses in the Muskegon area. Call 231-201-4305 now for more information!