Benefits of Seamless Gutters
Gutters have to be replaced nearly as often as the roof on a home, so somewhere around 20 years. This is a long time, but 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 replaced your gutters recently, it’s probably a good time to begin looking at the options. More than likely, your options have changed since you last shopped for gutters, either when building your house or the last time you replaced them.
Styles and materials improve significantly over a period of just a few years. This means your next rain gutters will be even more efficient, lighter and more attractive than the current ones on your home.
Seamless gutters are one of the new options available.
What are Seamless Gutters?
One of the biggest upgrades in residential gutters is the creation of seamless gutter systems.
Seamless gutters are installed in very long sections, opposed to standard gutters that only come in sections between 10 and 20 feet. They are made on-site in most situations with a custom machine, removing the difficulties of transporting long, narrow materials.
Most gutter installation businesses own their own equipment and can complete the entire process – measure, manufacture and install your seamless gutters – in just one day!
Because they are manufactured to size, it is possible to have seamless gutters that stretch over 40 feet, with the longest length of a seamless rain gutter around 100 feet without 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 might be hard to realize how another choice can be more effective. To determine if seamless gutters are a smart idea for your house, you need understand the benefits of them so you can understand why there is such 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 noticeably sleek appearance. Seamless gutter machines even cut out holes for downspouts, which must be present every 20 to 30 feet, so that they are smooth and correctly sized. The measurements also improve the curb appeal of your house without being too overstated and obvious.
Easier Care – Fewer joints mean there are fewer chances 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 extremely pleased, because it means you won’t need to clean them out as much. Seamless gutters only need 1 annual cleaning. In comparison, most standard 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 at any joint once the gutters start pulling away from the house. Loose fasteners are also a problem that cause gutter leaks. Getting rid of joints along the entire length and width of your house helps reduce the chance of leaks (which protects your windows, porches, and landscaping).
Discourages Pests – Buildup in your gutters will attract animals, rodents and insects that will hide within them or build a nest with the debris that is present. From that point, insects, birds, squirrels and chipmunks have easy access to your attic and are able to damage your roof, leading to hundreds of dollars’ worth of repairs. Keeping that buildup out of gutters makes them less appealing for pests.
Eliminates Waste – Measuring for seamless gutters and then building them on site means that your gutters will be the perfect 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. In addition, 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 latest technology and the best materials on the market. This creates less leaks, less chance of rust and reduced risk of the gutters pulling away from the home. Longer lasting gutters also protect your house, including the walls, windows and the soil below.
Seamless Gutters Installed by a Professional
Seamless gutters usually need professional installation due to their size and the training and equipment necessary to manufacturer them. Individuals 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 precise 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 any questions concerning the value of seamless gutters, talk with a gutter installer who offers both standard 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 single person can handle safely. Pros 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 less than 35 feet, they will start in the middle and work their way to each end, fastening the gutter every several feet. For rain gutters longer than that, the installation team will need to 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. Homeowners can damage a long gutter by mishandling it. This can affect the gutter’s appearance as well as its effectiveness. Des Moines Gutter Service is proud to provide seamless gutter installation to all homes and businesses in the Des Moines area. Call 515-203-8666 now for more information!