Benefits of Seamless Gutters

Rain gutters have to be replaced about as often as the roof, so somewhere around 20 years. This is a good long while, and in the meantime, your 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 lately, it’s probably a good time to start considering the options. Odds are, your options have changed since the last time you shopped for new gutters, either when building your house or the last time you replaced them.

Styles and materials improve drastically over a period of just a few years. This means that your next rain gutters will be much more efficient, lighter and more attractive than the ones that are currently on your house.

Seamless gutters are one of the new options available.

What are Seamless Gutters?

One of the standout upgrades in residential gutters is the creation of seamless gutter systems.

Seamless gutters are installed in very long sections, as opposed to traditional gutters that are only sold in sections between 10 and 20 feet. They are made on-site in many cases with a custom machine, eliminating the difficulties of transporting such long, narrow items.

Most gutter installation businesses own their own equipment and are able to do the whole process on their own – measure, manufacture and installing your seamless gutters – in just one day!

Since they are manufactured to size, it is not uncommon to have seamless gutters that extend over 50 feet, with the longest length of a seamless rain gutter at around 100 feet with no joints. This gives homeowners the choice 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 might be difficult to realize how another option can be much more effective. To determine if seamless gutters are a smart choice for your home, you should know what sets them apart so you can also understand why there is such a noticeable price difference for them.

There are many benefits of seamless gutters over traditional gutter systems:

Better Curb Appeal – With joints only at the corners, seamless gutters have a very sleek appearance. Seamless gutter fabrication machines even cut out holes for gutter downspouts, which have to 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 too overstated and obvious.

Easier Care – Fewer joints mean there are fewer opportunities for debris to cling on or get stuck within the gutters. Water flows through smoothly with fewer clogs from dirt and debris. As a homeowner, this will likely make you very happy, since it means you won’t be cleaning them out nearly as much. Seamless gutters only need 1 annual cleaning. In comparison, most standard gutter systems have to 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 pulling away from the house. Loose fasteners are another problem that can cause gutter leaks. Eliminating joints throughout the length and width of your home helps reduce the likelihood of leaks (which protects your windows, porches, and landscaping).

Discourages Pests – Clogged gutters will attract small animals, rodents and insects that are able to hide within them or build a nest with the debris that is present. From that point, insects, birds, squirrels and chipmunks have access to your attic and are able to damage your roof, causing hundreds of dollars’ of damage (at a minimum). Keeping that buildup out of gutters makes them less appealing for pests.

Eliminates Waste – Measuring for seamless gutters and then manufacturing them on site guarantees that your gutters will be the perfect length without having additional pieces that were cut off to match the length of the home. This is an environmentally-friendly practice that lowers 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.

Longer Lifetime – Seamless gutters are built with the newest technology and the best materials on the market. This creates less leaks, a smaller chance of rusting and reduced risk of the gutters pulling away from the house. Longer lasting gutters can also protect your home, including the walls, windows and the soil.

Seamless Gutters Installed by a Professional

Seamless gutters usually need professional installation because of their size and the experience and machinery required to build them. Most homeowners don’t have own the equipment necessary 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 immediately understand their value which pays for itself due to fewer repairs and longer time between replacements. If you have any questions about the value of seamless rain gutters, talk with a gutter installer who provides both standard and seamless gutter systems to decide if the cost difference and benefits are a good fit for your budget and needs.

Installing these extra-long rain gutters is not a job that a homeowner can handle safely. Pros can install a section up to about 30 feet or so on their own, but anything longer 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, securing the gutter every several feet. For gutters any longer, the installation team will start in two places (1/3 of the way from each end) and fasten 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. You can easily damage a long gutter by handling it improperly. This can affect the gutter’s appearance as well as limit its effectiveness. The Fairfield Gutter Company is proud to provide seamless gutter installation to all homes and businesses in the Fairfield area. Call 707-267-2557 now for more information!