Benefits of Seamless Gutters

Gutters should 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 need to do their job with very little work on your part besides gutter cleaning and routine maintenance.

If you haven’t had to replace your gutters recently, it’s probably a good time to begin looking at the options. Chances are, your options have changed since you last shopped for gutters, either when you built your house or the last time you replaced them.

Styles and types of materials improve a lot over a period of only a few years. This means your next rain gutters will be even more efficient, lighter and offer better curb appeal 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 improvements in residential gutters is the invention of seamless gutter systems.

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

Most gutter installation services have their own machinery and are able to complete the entire process on their own – measure, manufacture and installing your seamless gutters – in only one day!

Since they are manufactured to size, it is not uncommon to have seamless gutters that stretch over 50 feet, with the maximum length of a seamless gutter around 100 feet with no 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 popular for so long that it can be hard to realize how another option can be more effective. To determine if seamless gutters are a good idea for your home, you will want to understand 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:

More Attractive – With joints just at the corners, seamless gutters have a very sleek appearance. Seamless gutter fabrication machines 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 help the curb appeal of your home without being too overstated and obvious.

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

Lower Chance of Leaks – Normal gutters can leak at any joint if the gutters start pulling away from the house. Loose fasteners are also a problem that cause gutter leaks. Eliminating joints across the length and width of your house helps reduce the likelihood of leaks (which protects your windows, porches, and landscaping).

Discourages Pests – Buildup in your gutters will attract animals, rodents and insects that can hide within them or build a nest with the debris that is present. From there, insects, birds, squirrels and chipmunks have access to your attic and are able to destroy your roof, leading to hundreds of dollars’ worth of repairs. Keeping that buildup out of your gutters makes them less attractive for pests.

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

Last Longer – Seamless gutters are designed with the newest technology and the best materials available. This results in fewer leaks, less chance of rust and reduced risk of the gutters pulling away from the house. Longer lasting gutters also protect your home, including the walls, windows and surrounding soil below.

Seamless Gutters Installed by a Professional

Seamless gutters typically need professional installation due to their size and the experience and equipment required to build them. Most homeowners don’t have access t the equipment needed to make seamless gutters, nor do they have the training on how to set up these machines to make precise cuts.

Seamless gutters are more expensive, but once they are installed, you will immediately see their value which pays for itself because of less repairs and longer time between replacements. If you have any questions concerning the value of seamless gutters, speak to a gutter installer who does both traditional and seamless gutter systems to determine if the price difference and benefits are a good fit for your budget and needs.

Installing seamless gutters is not a job that a homeowner can handle safely. Pros can install a section up to about 30 feet by themselves, but anything longer than that requires a second person.

For gutters that are 35 feet or less, they will start in the middle and work their way to each end, securing 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 secure those sections due to 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 long gutter by handling it improperly. This can damage the gutter’s appearance as well as limit its effectiveness. Peoria Gutters, Inc. is proud to offer seamless gutter installation to all homes and businesses in the Peoria area. Call 309-220-5679 now for more information!