Benefits of Seamless Gutters

Rain gutters should be replaced almost as often as the roof on a home, so roughly every 20 years. This is a good long while, but in the meantime, your gutters need to do their job with little work on your part besides gutter cleaning and routine maintenance.

If you haven’t needed to replace your gutters lately, it’s probably a good time to begin considering the options. More than likely, your options have changed since the last time you shopped for new gutters, either when you built your home or the last time you had to replace them.

Styles and materials improve significantly over a period of just a few years. This means your next rain gutters will be much more efficient, lighter and offer better curb appeal than the current ones on your home.

Seamless gutters are one of the newest options available.

What are Seamless Gutters?

One of the biggest enhancements in residential gutters is the invention of seamless gutter systems.

Seamless gutters are installed in very long sections, opposed to traditional gutters which are only sold in sections between 10 and 20 feet long. They are made on-site in most cases with a special machine, eliminating the difficulties of transporting long, narrow items.

Many gutter installation companies have their own machinery and are able to do the whole process – measure, manufacture and install your seamless gutters – in only one day!

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

Benefits of Seamless Gutters

Traditional gutters have been used for so long that it might be hard to see how another choice can be much more effective. To determine if seamless gutters are a smart idea for your house, you need know the benefits of them 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 even cut out holes for gutter downspouts, which must be present every 20 to 30 feet, so that they are smooth and perfectly sized. The measurements also help the curb appeal of your house without being too overstated or obvious.

Easier Care – Fewer joints means there are fewer opportunities for debris to cling on or get stuck within the rain gutters. Water flows through more smoothly with less clogs from dirt and debris. As a homeowner, this should make you extremely happy, as it means you won’t be cleaning them out as much. Seamless gutters only need 1 annual cleaning. In comparison, most standard rain gutter systems must be cleaned 2 to 4 times a year to keep them working well.

Lower Chance of Leaks – Traditional gutters can leak from any joint once the gutters start pulling away from the house. Loose fasteners are another problem that can cause gutter leaks. Eliminating joints across the length and width of your home reduces the chance of leaks (which protects your windows, porches, and landscaping).

Discourages Pests – Clogged gutters will attract small animals and insects that will hide inside of them or build nests with the debris that is 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’ worth of repairs (at a minimum). Keeping that buildup out of your rain gutters makes them less appealing for pests.

Eliminates Waste – Measuring for seamless gutters and then cutting them on site means that your gutters will be the correct length without having extra pieces that were cut off to match the length of the house. This is an eco-friendly process that lowers your home’s carbon footprint. Plus, there is no need to get rid of the excess 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 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 surrounding soil.

Seamless Gutters Installed by a Professional

Seamless gutters almost always require professional installation due to their size and the experience and equipment necessary to manufacturer them. Most homeowners don’t have access t the machinery needed to make seamless gutters, nor do they have the training on how to set up these machines to make exact cuts.

Seamless gutters are more expensive, but once they are professionally installed, you will quickly see their value which pays for itself due to less repairs and longer time between replacements. If you have questions concerning the value of seamless gutters, talk with a gutter installer who does both traditional and seamless gutter systems to determine if the cost difference and benefits are worth it for your budget and needs.

Installing these extra-long gutters is not a task that a single person can handle safely. Pros can install a section up to about 35 feet or so by themselves, but anything longer than that requires a second person.

For seamless gutters that are less than 35 feet, they will start in the middle and work their way to each end, securing the gutter every few feet. For rain gutters longer, the installation team will need to start in two places (1/3 of the way from each end) and attach 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 easily damage a seamless gutter by mishandling it. This can affect the gutter’s appearance as well as limit its effectiveness. NE Gutters is proud to offer seamless gutter installation to all homes and businesses in the Methuen area. Call 978-396-9133 now for more information!