Benefits of Seamless Gutters
Rain gutters have to be replaced nearly as often as the roof on a home, so somewhere around 20 years. This is a good long while, and in the meantime, your home’s rain gutters should do their job with little work on your part besides gutter cleaning and annual maintenance.
If you haven’t had to replace your gutters recently, it’s probably about time to begin 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 replaced them.
Styles and materials improve drastically over a period of only a few years. This means your next rain gutters will be even more efficient, lighter and offer better curb appeal than the current ones on your house.
Seamless gutters are one of the new options available.
What are Seamless Gutters?
One of the major improvements in rain gutters is the creation of seamless gutter systems.
Seamless gutters are installed in long sections, as opposed to standard gutters that are only available in sections between 10 and 20 feet long. They are made on-site in most situations with a special machine, eliminating the difficulties of transporting such long, narrow items.
Many gutter installation companies have their own machinery and can complete the entire process on their own – measure, manufacture and install your seamless gutters – in just one day!
Because they are built to size, it is not uncommon to have seamless gutters that stretch over 40 feet, with the longest length of a seamless rain gutter at around 100 feet without joints. This gives 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 hard to see how another choice can be much more effective. To determine if seamless gutters are a good choice for your home, you should 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 only at the corners, seamless gutters have a noticeably sleek look. Seamless gutter machines cut out holes for gutter downspouts, which must be present every 20 to 30 feet, so they are smooth and correctly sized. The custom measurements also help the curb appeal of your home without being too overstated or obvious.
Easier Care – Less joints mean there are less chances for debris to get hung on or get stuck within the gutters. Water drains through smoothly with less clogs. As a homeowner, this will likely make you very happy, because it means you don’t need to clean them out as often. Seamless gutters only need 1 annual cleaning. In comparison, some traditional gutter systems have to 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 once the gutters start pulling away from the house. Loose fasteners are another problem that results in gutter leaks. Eliminating joints across the length and width of your home reduces the likelihood of leaks (which protects your windows, porches, and landscaping).
Discourages Pests – Buildup in your gutters will attract animals, rodents and insects that can hide within them or build a nest with the debris that is present. From there, insects, birds, squirrels and chipmunks have easy access to your attic and will destroy your roof, resulting in hundreds of dollars of repairs. Keeping that buildup out of your gutters makes them less appealing for pests.
Eliminates Waste – Measuring for seamless gutters and then manufacturing them on site means that your gutters will be the correct size without having extra pieces that were cut off to match the length of the house. This is an environmentally-friendly practice that reduces your home’s carbon footprint. Also, there is no need to destroy the excess (which can result in harmful chemicals) or see it end up in a landfill.
Last Longer – Seamless gutters are designed with the latest technology and the best materials available. This leads to fewer leaks, less chance of rusting and reduced risk of the gutters pulling away from the home. Longer lasting gutters can also protect your house, including the exterior walls, windows and the soil below.
Seamless Gutters Installed by a Professional
Seamless gutters usually require professional installation due to their size and the training and machinery needed to build them. Most homeowners don’t have the equipment needed to make 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 quickly understand their value which pays for itself because of fewer repairs and longer time between replacements. If you have questions concerning the value of seamless rain gutters, talk with a gutter installer who does both standard and seamless gutter systems to decide if the cost difference and benefits are worth it for your budget and needs.
Installing seamless rain gutters is not a project that a homeowner can handle safely. Pros can install a section up to about 30 feet on their own, 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 gutters longer, the installation team will start in two places (1/3 of the way from each end) and attach 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 easily damage a long gutter by mishandling it. This can affect the gutter’s appearance as well as its effectiveness. Renew Redmond Gutters is proud to offer seamless gutter installation to all homes and businesses in the Redmond area. Call 425-217-8990 now for more information!