Benefits of Seamless Gutters
Rain gutters have to be replaced almost as often as the roof on a home, so roughly every 20 years. This is a long time, but in the meantime, your home’s rain gutters should do their job with little effort 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 considering the options. Odds are, your options have changed since you last shopped for new gutters, either when building your home or the last time you replaced them.
Styles and materials improve drastically over a period of only a few years. This means that your next rain gutters will be much more efficient, lighter and offer better curb appeal than the current ones on your home.
Seamless gutters are one of the new options available.
What are Seamless Gutters?
One of the biggest improvements in residential gutters is the creation of seamless gutter systems.
Seamless gutters are installed in very long sections, as opposed to standard gutters that only come in sections between 10 and 20 feet. They are made on-site in many situations with a custom machine, eliminating the difficulties of transporting long, narrow items.
Most gutter installation businesses own their own equipment and can complete the whole process – measure, manufacture and installing your seamless gutters – in just one day!
Because they are manufactured to size, it is possible to have seamless gutters that extend over 40 feet, with the longest length of a seamless gutter at around 100 feet with no joints. This gives homeowners the choice to have a single 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 difficult to realize how another choice can be much more effective. To decide if seamless gutters are a smart idea for your home, you need understand what sets them apart so you can also understand why there is a noticeable price difference for them.
There are many benefits of seamless gutters over traditional gutter systems:
More Attractive – With joints just at the corners, seamless gutters have a sleek appearance. Seamless gutter machines cut out holes for gutter downspouts, which must be present every 20 to 30 feet, so that they are smooth and correctly sized. The custom measurements also improve the curb appeal of your house without being too overstated and obvious.
Easier Care – Less joints means there are fewer opportunities for debris to cling on or get stuck within the gutters. Water drains through smoothly with fewer clogs from dirt and debris. As a homeowner, this should make you very happy, as it means you won’t be cleaning them out as often. Seamless gutters typically only need 1 yearly cleaning. In contrast, some traditional gutter systems must be cleaned 2 to 4 times a year to keep them functioning well.
Lower Chance of Leaks – Standard gutters can leak from any joint once the gutters start to pull away from the house. Loose fasteners are another problem that cause gutter leaks. Getting rid of joints throughout the length and width of your home reduces the risk of leaks (which protects your windows, porches, and landscaping).
Prevent Pests – Clogged gutters will attract animals, rodents and insects that can hide within them or build nests with the organic materials that are present. From that point, insects, birds, squirrels and chipmunks have access to your attic and can damage your roof, leading to hundreds of dollars’ worth of damage (at a minimum). Keeping that buildup out of your gutters makes them less appealing for pests.
Eliminates Waste – Measuring for seamless gutters and then building them on site ensures that your gutters will be the correct size without having scrap pieces that were cut off to match the exact length of the house. This is an environmentally-friendly practice that reduces your home’s carbon footprint. Also, there is no need to get rid of the excess (which can result in harmful chemicals) or see it end up in a landfill.
Longer Lifetime – Seamless gutters are built with the latest technology and the best materials available. This results in 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.
Seamless Gutters Installed by a Professional
Seamless gutters almost always require professional installation because of their size and the experience and machinery necessary to build them. Most homeowners don’t have access t the machinery necessary to produce seamless gutters, nor do they have the knowledge of how to program 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 fewer repairs and longer time between replacements. If you have questions concerning the value of seamless rain gutters, talk with a gutter installer who provides both standard and seamless gutter systems to determine if the price difference and benefits are a good fit for your budget and needs.
Installing seamless rain gutters is not a job that a homeowner can handle safely. Pros can install a section up to about 30 feet 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, attaching the gutter every few feet. For rain gutters longer than that, the installation team will begin in two places (1/3 of the way from each end) and fasten those places 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 handling it improperly. This can damage the gutter’s appearance as well as limit its effectiveness. WeClean Wichita Gutters is proud to offer seamless gutter installation to all homes and businesses in the Wichita area. Call 316-333-5699 now for more information!