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 good long while, but in the meantime, your home’s rain gutters need to 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 a lot since you last shopped for 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 just a few years. This means your next gutters will be much more efficient, lighter and more attractive than the current ones on your house.

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, as opposed to traditional gutters which are only sold in sections between 10 and 20 feet. They are made on-site in many situations with a special machine, removing the difficulties of transporting such long, narrow materials.

Many gutter installation businesses own their own machinery and are able to do the whole process – measure, manufacture and install your seamless gutters – in just one day!

Because they are built to size, it is possible to have seamless gutters that stretch over 40 feet, with the longest length of a seamless gutter around 100 feet with no joints. This offers homeowners the option to have an individual piece of lightweight aluminum in whatever color they choose.

Benefits of Seamless Gutters

Standard gutters have been popular for so long that it can be hard to believe how another choice can be more effective. To decide if seamless gutters are a smart idea for your home, you need understand what sets them apart 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 look. Seamless gutter machines cut out holes for downspouts, which should be present every 20 to 30 feet, so they are smooth and correctly sized. The measurements also improve the curb appeal of your home without being too overstated or obvious.

Easier Care – Less joints means there are fewer chances for debris to cling on or get stuck within the gutters. Water drains through more smoothly with fewer clogs. As a homeowner, this will likely make you very pleased, because it means you don’t need to clean them out nearly as much. Seamless gutters only need 1 yearly cleaning. In contrast, some traditional rain gutter systems must be cleaned 2 to 4 times a year in order to keep them functioning well.

Lower Chance of Leaks – Standard gutters can leak from any joint if the gutters start to pull away from the home. Loose fasteners are also a problem that result in gutter leaks. Getting rid of joints across the entire length and width of your house helps reduce 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 a nest 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’ of damage (at a minimum). Keeping that buildup out of your rain gutters makes them less appealing for pests.

Eliminates Waste – Measuring for seamless gutters and then cutting them on site guarantees that your gutters will be the perfect size without having extra pieces that were cut off to match the exact length of the house. This is an eco-friendly process that lowers your home’s carbon footprint. Plus, there is no need to destroy the excess or see it end up in a landfill.

Longer Lifetime – Seamless gutters are made with the newest 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 also protect your home, including the exterior walls, windows and the soil.

Seamless Gutters Installed by a Professional

Seamless gutters typically require professional installation due to their size and the experience and equipment required to build them. Most homeowners don’t have have the equipment required to make 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 quickly understand their value which pays for itself due to less repairs and longer time between replacements. If you have any questions about the value of seamless gutters, speak to a gutter installer who does both traditional and seamless gutter systems to decide if the cost difference and benefits are a good fit 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, 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 attach those sections because of 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 easily damage a seamless gutter by handling it improperly. This can affect the gutter’s appearance as well as its effectiveness. Longmont Gutters Unlimited is proud to provide seamless gutter installation to all homes and businesses in the Longmont area. Call 720-713-1134 now for more information!