Benefits of Seamless Gutters

Rain gutters need to be replaced nearly as often as the roof, so roughly every 20 years. This is a long time, but in the meantime, your home’s rain 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 home’s gutters lately, it’s probably about time to begin considering the options. More than likely, your options have changed since the last time you shopped for gutters, either when building your house or the last time you replaced them.

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

Seamless gutters are one of the new options available.

What are Seamless Gutters?

One of the major upgrades in rain gutters is the invention of seamless gutter systems.

Seamless gutters are installed in very long sections, opposed to standard gutters which only come in sections between 10 and 20 feet. They are made on-site in most cases with a special machine, removing the difficulties of transporting such long, narrow materials.

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

Because 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 rain gutter around 100 feet without joints. This gives homeowners the option to have an individual piece of lightweight aluminum in any color they choose.

Benefits of Seamless Gutters

Traditional gutters have been popular for so long that it can be difficult to believe how another option can be a lot more effective. To decide if seamless gutters are a good idea for your home, you will want to understand what sets them apart so you can 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 very 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 help the curb appeal of your house without being too overstated or obvious.

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

Lower Chance of Leaks – Regular gutters can leak from any joint as soon as the gutters start pulling away from the house. Loose fasteners are also a problem that can cause gutter leaks. Eliminating joints along the length and width of your home helps reduce the chance 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 nests 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’ of damage. Keeping that buildup out of gutters makes them less appealing for pests.

Eliminates Waste – Measuring for seamless gutters and then building them on site ensures that your gutters will be the perfect 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. Plus, there is no need to destroy the excess (which can result in harmful chemicals) 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, a smaller chance of rust and reduced risk of the gutters pulling away from the house. Longer lasting gutters can also protect your home, including the exterior walls, windows and surrounding soil below.

Seamless Gutters Installed by a Professional

Seamless gutters typically need professional installation due to their size and the training and machinery needed to manufacturer them. Individuals don’t have have the equipment necessary 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 professionally 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 about the value of seamless rain gutters, talk with a gutter installer who provides 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 single person 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 gutters that are less than 35 feet, they will start in the middle and work their way to each end, fastening the gutter every few feet. For gutters any longer, the installation team will begin in two places (1/3 of the way from each end) and attach those places due to the length and 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 handling it improperly. This can damage the gutter’s appearance as well as its effectiveness. Lansing Gutters Unlimited is proud to provide seamless gutter installation to all homes and businesses in the Lansing area. Call 517-252-9812 now for more information!