Benefits of Seamless Gutters
Gutters need to be replaced about as often as the roof on a home, so roughly every 20 years. This is a long time, and in the meantime, your gutters need to do their job with little work on your part besides gutter cleaning and annual maintenance.
If you haven’t had to replace 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 you last shopped for new gutters, either when you built your house or the last time you replaced them.
Styles and materials improve significantly over a period of only a few years. This means your next gutters will be more efficient, lighter and offer better curb appeal than the current ones on your house.
Seamless gutters are one of the new options available.
What are Seamless Gutters?
One of the biggest upgrades in rain gutters is the invention of seamless gutter systems.
Seamless gutters are installed in long sections, as opposed to traditional gutters which are only manufactured in sections between 10 and 20 feet. They are made on-site in most cases with a special machine, eliminating the difficulties of transporting long, narrow materials.
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 less than one day!
Because they are built to size, it is possible 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 a single 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 option can be a lot more effective. To determine if seamless gutters are a smart idea for your home, you should know 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 only at the corners, seamless gutters have a noticeably sleek look. Seamless gutter machines even cut out holes for gutter downspouts, which should 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 and obvious.
Easier Care – Less joints mean there are less opportunities for debris to get hung on or get stuck within the rain gutters. Water drains through smoothly with fewer clogs from dirt and debris. As a homeowner, this should make you extremely happy, since it means you don’t need to clean them out as often. Seamless gutters only need 1 yearly cleaning. In contrast, most standard gutter systems have to be cleaned 2 to 4 times a year in order to keep them functioning well.
Lower Chance of Leaks – Regular gutters can leak at any joint as soon as the gutters start pulling away from the house. Loose fasteners are another problem that can cause gutter leaks. Eliminating joints throughout 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 animals, rodents and insects that will hide inside of them or build a nest with the debris that is present. From there, insects, birds, squirrels and chipmunks have easy access to your attic and will damage your roof, leading to hundreds of dollars 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 manufacturing 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 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 (which can result in harmful chemicals) or see it end up in a landfill.
Last Longer – Seamless gutters are built with the newest technology and the best materials on the market. This creates less leaks, a smaller chance of rusting and reduced risk of the gutters pulling away from the home. Longer lasting rain gutters also protect your house, including the walls, windows and surrounding soil below.
Seamless Gutters Installed by a Professional
Seamless gutters usually require professional installation because of their size and the training and equipment needed to manufacturer them. Individuals don’t have to own the machinery necessary to make seamless gutters, nor do they have the knowledge of how to program these machines to make exact cuts.
Seamless gutters are more expensive, but once they are professionally installed, you will understand their value which pays for itself because of less repairs and longer time between replacements. If you have any questions concerning the value of seamless gutters, talk with a gutter installer who provides both standard 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 rain gutters is not a job that a single person can handle safely. Pros can install a section up to about 30 feet or so by themselves, but anything longer will require 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 gutters longer than that, the installation team will start in two places (1/3 of the way from each end) and fasten those sections 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. Homeowners can damage a seamless gutter by handling it improperly. This can damage the gutter’s appearance as well as limit its effectiveness. Lake Oswego Gutter Service is proud to offer seamless gutter installation to all homes and businesses in the Lake Oswego area. Call 503-386-0566 now for more information!