Benefits of Seamless Gutters

Gutters should be replaced about as often as the roof on a home, so somewhere around 20 years. This is a long time, and in the meantime, your rain gutters need to do their job with very little work on your part besides gutter cleaning and annual maintenance.

If you haven’t replaced your home’s gutters lately, it’s probably about time to start 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 house or the last time you had to replace them.

Styles and types of materials improve significantly over a period of just a few years. This means your next rain gutters will be much more efficient, lighter and more attractive than the current ones on your house.

Seamless gutters are one of the newest options available.

What are Seamless Gutters?

One of the major improvements in residential gutters is the creation of seamless gutter systems.

Seamless gutters are installed in very long sections, as opposed to traditional gutters which 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 such long, narrow materials.

Many gutter installation services own their own equipment and can do the entire process on their own – measure, manufacture and installing your seamless gutters – in only one day!

Since they are built to size, it is not uncommon to have seamless gutters that stretch over 50 feet, with the longest length of a seamless gutter around 100 feet without joints. This offers homeowners the option to have an individual piece of lightweight aluminum in any color they choose.

Benefits of Seamless Gutters

Standard gutters have been popular for so long that it can be difficult to realize how another choice can be more effective. To determine if seamless gutters are a smart idea for your home, you need know 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:

Better Curb Appeal – With joints just at the corners, seamless gutters have a very sleek appearance. Seamless gutter machines cut out holes for downspouts, which have to be present every 20 to 30 feet, so they are smooth and perfectly sized. The custom measurements also increase the curb appeal of your home 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 rain gutters. Water drains through smoothly with less clogs. As a homeowner, this should make you very pleased, since it means you won’t need to clean them out nearly as much. Seamless gutters only need 1 yearly cleaning. In comparison, most regular gutter systems have to be cleaned 2 to 4 times a year to keep them functioning well.

Lower Chance of Leaks – Normal gutters can leak from any joint if the gutters start pulling away from the home. Loose fasteners are also a problem that result in gutter leaks. Eliminating joints along the entire length and width of your home reduces the risk of leaks (which protects your windows, porches, and landscaping).

Discourages Pests – Buildup in your gutters will attract small animals, rodents and insects that can hide within them or build nests with the materials that are present. From there, insects, birds, squirrels and chipmunks have access to your attic and are able to damage your roof, leading to hundreds of dollars’ of repairs. Keeping that buildup out of gutters makes them less attractive 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 scrap pieces that were cut off to match the length of the home. This is an environmentally-friendly practice that lowers your home’s carbon footprint. Also, there is no need to destroy the excess (which can result in harmful chemicals) or see it end up in a landfill.

Last Longer – Seamless gutters are designed with the latest 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 gutters also protect your home, including the walls, windows and the soil.

Seamless Gutters Installed by a Professional

Seamless gutters almost always need professional installation due to their size and the training and machinery required to build them. Individuals don’t have own the equipment needed to produce seamless gutters, nor do they have the training on how to program these machines to make exact cuts.

Seamless gutters do cost more, but once they are installed, you will quickly see their value which pays for itself over time via fewer repairs and longer time between replacements. If you have questions about the value of seamless rain gutters, speak to a gutter installer who offers both traditional and seamless gutter systems to determine if the cost difference and benefits are a good fit for your budget and needs.

Installing these extra-long gutters is not a job that a homeowner can handle safely. Professionals can install a section up to about 35 feet by themselves, 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 few feet. For rain gutters any longer than that, the installation team will 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 easily damage a long gutter by mishandling it. This can affect the gutter’s appearance as well as its effectiveness. Fort Wayne Gutters is proud to provide seamless gutter installation to all homes and businesses in the Fort Wayne area. Call 260-217-9790 now for more information!