Benefits of Seamless Gutters

Gutters need to be replaced nearly as often as the roof on a home, so roughly every 20 years. This is a good long while, and in the meantime, your home’s gutters should do their job with very little effort on your part besides gutter cleaning and routine maintenance.

If you haven’t had to replace your gutters lately, it’s probably about time to start looking at the options. More than likely, your options have changed a lot since you last shopped for gutters, either when you built your house 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 even more efficient, lighter and offer better curb appeal than the current ones on your house.

Seamless gutters are one of the newest options available.

What are Seamless Gutters?

One of the biggest upgrades in home gutters is the creation of seamless gutter systems.

Seamless gutters are installed in long sections, opposed to standard gutters which only come in sections between 10 and 20 feet long. They are made on-site in many situations with a special machine, eliminating the difficulties of transporting long, narrow items.

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

Because they are built to size, it is not uncommon to have seamless gutters that extend over 50 feet, with the longest length of a seamless gutter 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

Traditional gutters have been used for so long that it can be difficult to believe how another choice can be a lot more effective. To decide if seamless gutters are a smart choice for your home, you will want to 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 very sleek appearance. Seamless gutter machines even cut out holes for 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 too overstated or obvious.

Easier Care – Fewer joints means there are less chances for debris to get hung on or get stuck within the gutters. Water flows through more smoothly with less clogs. As a homeowner, this will likely make you very pleased, because it means you won’t be cleaning them out as often. Seamless gutters usually only need 1 annual cleaning. In contrast, most regular rain gutter systems have to be cleaned 2 to 4 times a year to keep them working well.

Lower Chance of Leaks – Traditional gutters can leak from any joint as soon as the gutters start pulling away from the home. Loose fasteners are also a problem that cause gutter leaks. Getting rid of joints along the entire length and width of your house reduces the risk of leaks (which protects your windows, porches, and landscaping).

Discourages Pests – Buildup in your gutters will attract animals and insects that are able to hide inside of 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 can destroy your roof, resulting in hundreds of dollars’ of repairs (at a minimum). 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 guarantees that your gutters will be the correct length without having extra pieces that were cut off to match the length of the house. This is an environmentally-friendly process that lowers your home’s carbon footprint. Plus, 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 designed with the newest technology and the best materials available. This results in fewer leaks, a smaller chance of rusting and reduced risk of the gutters pulling away from the house. Longer lasting rain 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 because of their size and the experience and equipment necessary to manufacturer them. Individuals don’t have access t the machinery needed to produce seamless gutters, nor do they have the knowledge of how to program these machines to make exact cuts.

Seamless gutters are more expensive, but once they are installed, you will quickly see their value which pays for itself because of 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 traditional and seamless gutter systems to determine 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. Professionals can install a section up to about 35 feet on their own, but anything longer than that will require a second person.

For gutters that are 35 feet or less, they will start in the middle and work their way to each end, attaching the gutter every few feet. For rain gutters that are longer than that, the installation team will start in two places (1/3 of the way from each end) and secure 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 damage a long gutter by mishandling it. This can affect the gutter’s appearance as well as limit its effectiveness. Westfield Gutter Service is proud to provide seamless gutter installation to all homes and businesses in the Westfield area. Call 413-213-3531 now for more information!