Benefits of Seamless Gutters
Rain gutters have to be replaced almost as often as the roof, so somewhere around 20 years. This is a good long while, but in the meantime, your gutters should do their job with little effort on your part besides gutter cleaning and routine maintenance.
If you haven’t replaced your home’s gutters recently, it’s probably a good time to start looking at the options. More than likely, your options have changed a lot since the last time you shopped for new gutters, either when building your home or the last time you replaced them.
Styles and types of materials improve significantly over a period of just a few years. This means your next 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 standout improvements in residential gutters is the creation of seamless gutter systems.
Seamless gutters are installed in long sections, as opposed to traditional gutters that only come in sections between 10 and 20 feet long. They are made on-site in most situations with a custom machine, removing the difficulties of transporting such long, narrow materials.
Many gutter installation businesses have their own machinery and can do the whole process on their own – measure, manufacture and install your seamless gutters – in just one day!
Because they are built to size, it is not uncommon to have seamless gutters that extend over 50 feet, with the maximum length of a seamless gutter around 100 feet without joints. This offers homeowners the choice to have a single piece of lightweight aluminum in any color they choose.
Benefits of Seamless Gutters
Standard gutters have been used for so long that it might be difficult to see how another choice can be much more effective. To decide if seamless gutters are a smart idea for your house, you need understand what sets them apart 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 sleek appearance. Seamless gutter fabrication machines even cut out holes for gutter downspouts, which should be present every 20 to 30 feet, so they are smooth and correctly sized. The custom measurements also help the curb appeal of your house without being too overstated and obvious.
Easier Care – Fewer joints mean there are fewer chances for debris to get hung on or get stuck within the rain gutters. Water flows through smoothly with less clogs. As a homeowner, this should make you extremely happy, as it means you won’t be cleaning them out nearly as often. Seamless gutters typically only need 1 annual cleaning. In contrast, most traditional gutter systems have to be cleaned 2 to 4 times a year to keep them functioning well.
Lower Chance of Leaks – Standard gutters can leak from any joint once the gutters start pulling away from the home. Loose fasteners are another problem that can cause gutter leaks. Getting rid of 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 small animals, rodents and insects that will hide within them or build a nest with the materials that are present. From that point, insects, birds, squirrels and chipmunks have easy access to your attic and are able to destroy your roof, resulting in hundreds of dollars’ worth of damage. Keeping that buildup out of gutters makes them less attractive for pests.
Eliminates Waste – Measuring for seamless gutters and then building them on site means that your gutters will be the correct size without having extra pieces that were cut off to match the length of the house. This is an eco-friendly practice that reduces your home’s carbon footprint. Plus, there is no need to destroy the excess or see it end up in a landfill.
Last Longer – Seamless gutters are made with the latest technology and the best materials on the market. This leads to less leaks, less chance of rusting and reduced risk of the gutters pulling away from the house. Longer lasting rain gutters also protect your home, including the exterior walls, windows and the soil below.
Seamless Gutters Installed by a Professional
Seamless gutters almost always require professional installation due to their size and the experience and equipment required to manufacturer them. Most homeowners don’t have access t the machinery required to produce seamless gutters, nor do they have the knowledge of how to set up these machines to make precise cuts.
Seamless gutters are more expensive, but once they are installed, you will see their value which pays for itself over time via less repairs and longer time between replacements. If you have questions about the value of seamless gutters, talk with a gutter installer who offers both traditional 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 gutters is not a project that a single person can handle safely. Pros can install a section up to about 30 feet on their own, but anything longer will require a second person.
For seamless gutters that are 35 feet or less, they will start in the middle and work their way to each end, securing the gutter every several feet. For rain gutters longer than that, the installation team will begin 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 damage a long gutter by mishandling it. This can damage the gutter’s appearance as well as its effectiveness. Oakland Gutter Service is proud to offer seamless gutter installation to all homes and businesses in the Oakland area. Call 510-616-7909 now for more information!