Benefits of Seamless Gutters

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

If you haven’t replaced your home’s gutters lately, it’s probably about time to start looking at the options. Chances are, your options have changed a lot since you last shopped for gutters, either when you built your home 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 gutters will be much 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 biggest improvements in home gutters is the invention of seamless gutter systems.

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

Most gutter installation businesses have their own machinery and can do 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 possible to have seamless gutters that stretch over 40 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 whatever color they choose.

Benefits of Seamless Gutters

Traditional gutters have been used for so long that it might be difficult to believe how another option can be much more effective. To decide if seamless gutters are a smart choice for your house, you need to know what sets them apart so you can also understand why there is a noticeable price difference between the two.

There are many benefits of seamless gutters over traditional gutter systems:

More Attractive – With joints just at the corners, seamless gutters have a noticeably sleek look. Seamless gutter fabrication machines cut out holes for gutter downspouts, which must be present every 20 to 30 feet, so that they are smooth and perfectly sized. The custom measurements also increase the curb appeal of your home without being too overstated or obvious.

Easier Care – Less joints means there are less chances for debris to get hung on or get stuck within the gutters. Water drains through more smoothly with fewer clogs. As a homeowner, this will likely make you very happy, because it means you don’t need to clean them out as much. Seamless gutters only need 1 yearly cleaning. In contrast, most standard gutter systems must be cleaned 2 to 4 times a year to keep them functioning well.

Lower Chance of Leaks – Regular gutters can leak from any joint as soon as the gutters start to pull away from the house. Loose fasteners are another problem that can lead to gutter leaks. Eliminating joints across the length and width of your house reduces the likelihood of leaks (which protects your windows, porches, and landscaping).

Prevent Pests – Buildup in your gutters will attract small animals and insects that are able to hide inside of them or build a nest with the debris that is present. From that point, insects, birds, squirrels and chipmunks have easy access to your attic and can destroy your roof, resulting in hundreds of dollars worth of damage (at a minimum). Keeping that buildup out of rain gutters makes them less appealing 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 extra pieces that were cut off to match the exact length of the home. This is an environmentally-friendly practice that reduces your home’s carbon footprint. Also, there is no need to eliminate the excess or see it end up in a landfill.

Longer Lifetime – Seamless gutters are made with the newest 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 home. Longer lasting gutters can also protect your home, including the exterior walls, windows and the soil.

Seamless Gutters Installed by a Professional

Seamless gutters typically need professional installation because of their size and the experience and machinery necessary to build them. Individuals don’t have to own the equipment necessary to make seamless gutters, nor do they have the knowledge of how to program these machines to make precise cuts.

Seamless gutters do cost more, but once they are professionally installed, you will immediately understand their value which pays for itself over time via fewer repairs and longer time between replacements. If you have questions concerning the value of seamless gutters, speak to a gutter installer who provides both standard and seamless gutter systems to determine if the price difference and benefits are worth it 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 30 feet on their own, but anything longer than that requires 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, fastening the gutter every several feet. For rain gutters that are 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 damage a seamless gutter by mishandling it. This can affect the gutter’s appearance as well as limit its effectiveness. WeClean Columbia Gutters is proud to offer seamless gutter installation to all homes and businesses in the Columbia area. Call 803-310-2488 now for more information!