Benefits of Seamless Gutters

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

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

Styles and materials improve drastically over a period of only a few years. This means that your next rain gutters will be even more efficient, lighter and more attractive than the current ones on your home.

Seamless gutters are one of the new options available.

What are Seamless Gutters?

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

Seamless gutters are installed in very long sections, as opposed to standard gutters which only come in sections between 10 and 20 feet long. They are made on-site in most situations with a custom machine, eliminating the difficulties of transporting long, narrow items.

Most gutter installation services have their own machinery and can do the whole process – measure, manufacture and install your seamless gutters – in only one day!

Since they are built to size, it is possible to have seamless gutters that stretch over 40 feet, with the maximum length of a seamless gutter around 100 feet with no joints. This gives homeowners the option to have an individual piece of lightweight aluminum in any color they choose.

Benefits of Seamless Gutters

Standard gutters have been used 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 smart idea for your house, you need to know what sets them apart so you can 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 only at the corners, seamless gutters have a sleek look. Seamless gutter fabrication machines even cut out holes for downspouts, which have to be present every 20 to 30 feet, so that they are smooth and perfectly sized. The measurements also help the curb appeal of your home without being overstated or obvious.

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

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

Prevent Pests – Clogged gutters will attract animals and insects that can 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 are able to destroy your roof, resulting in hundreds of dollars’ worth of damage. Keeping that buildup out of gutters makes them less attractive for pests.

Eliminates Waste – Measuring for seamless gutters and then building them on site guarantees that your gutters will be the perfect size without having scrap pieces that were cut off to match the length of the home. This is an eco-friendly process that lowers your home’s carbon footprint. Also, there is no need to get rid of 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 creates less leaks, a smaller chance of rust and reduced risk of the gutters pulling away from the house. Longer lasting gutters 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 because of 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 do cost more, but once they are installed, you will immediately see their value which pays for itself because of 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 standard 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 homeowner can handle safely. Pros can install a section up to about 30 feet or so on their own, but anything longer than that 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, attaching the gutter every several feet. For rain gutters that are longer, the installation team will need to begin 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. Homeowners can easily damage a long gutter by handling it improperly. This can affect the gutter’s appearance as well as limit its effectiveness. Elite Erie Gutters is proud to provide seamless gutter installation to all homes and businesses in the Erie area. Call 814-200-9737 now for more information!