Benefits of Seamless Gutters
Gutters have to be replaced about as often as the roof on a home, so roughly every 20 years. This is a long time, and in the meantime, your rain gutters need to do their job with very 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 the last time you shopped for new gutters, either when you built your home or the last time you replaced them.
Styles and types of materials improve significantly over a period of only a few years. This means your next gutters will be even more efficient, lighter and offer better curb appeal than the ones that are currently on your home.
Seamless gutters are one of the newest options available.
What are Seamless Gutters?
One of the major upgrades in residential gutters is the invention 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 cases with a special machine, eliminating the difficulties of transporting such long, narrow items.
Most gutter installation services own their own machinery and are able to do the whole process on their own – measure, manufacture and install your seamless gutters – in less than one day!
Since they are manufactured to size, it is not uncommon to have seamless gutters that extend over 50 feet, with the maximum length of a seamless rain gutter at around 100 feet with no joints. This offers 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 hard to believe how another option can be much more effective. To determine if seamless gutters are a good choice 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 only at the corners, seamless gutters have a sleek appearance. Seamless gutter fabrication machines even cut out holes for downspouts, which must be present every 20 to 30 feet, so they are smooth and perfectly sized. The custom measurements also help the curb appeal of your house without being too overstated or obvious.
Easier Care – Fewer joints mean there are less chances 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 will likely make you extremely happy, since it means you won’t be cleaning them out as much. Seamless gutters usually only need 1 annual cleaning. In comparison, some 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 as soon as the gutters start pulling away from the house. Loose fasteners are another problem that can cause gutter leaks. Eliminating joints across the entire length and width of your house reduces the risk of leaks (which protects your windows, porches, and landscaping).
Discourages Pests – Clogged gutters will attract animals, rodents and insects that can hide inside of them or build a nest with the materials that are present. From there, insects, birds, squirrels and chipmunks have easy access to your attic and are able to destroy your roof, causing hundreds of dollars’ worth of damage. Keeping that buildup out of your 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 length without having extra pieces that were cut off to match the exact length of the house. This is an eco-friendly practice that lowers your home’s carbon footprint. Also, there is no need to destroy the excess or see it end up in a landfill.
Longer Lifetime – Seamless gutters are designed with the newest technology and the best materials available. This leads to 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 house, including the exterior walls, windows and the soil.
Seamless Gutters Installed by a Professional
Seamless gutters usually require professional installation because of their size and the training and equipment necessary to build them. Individuals don’t have have the machinery required to produce seamless gutters, nor do they have the training on how to program these machines to make exact cuts.
Seamless gutters are more expensive, but once they are installed, you will quickly 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, speak to a gutter installer who offers both traditional and seamless gutter systems to decide if the price difference and benefits are worth it for your budget and needs.
Installing seamless gutters is not a job that a homeowner can handle safely. Professionals can install a section up to about 30 feet on their own, but anything longer requires 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 several feet. For rain gutters any longer than that, the installation team will need to start in two places (1/3 of the way from each end) and attach 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 damage a long gutter by handling it improperly. This can affect the gutter’s appearance as well as its effectiveness. Des Plaines Gutters Plus is proud to offer seamless gutter installation to all homes and businesses in the Des Plaines area. Call 773-232-5355 now for more information!