Benefits of Seamless Gutters
Rain gutters should be replaced about as often as the roof on a home, so somewhere around 20 years. This is a good long while, and in the meantime, your home’s rain gutters should do their job with little work on your part besides gutter cleaning and routine maintenance.
If you haven’t needed to replace your home’s gutters lately, it’s probably a good time to begin looking at the options. Chances are, your options have changed a lot since you last shopped for new gutters, either when building your home or the last time you had to replace them.
Styles and types of materials improve a lot over a period of only a few years. This means that your next rain gutters will be much more efficient, lighter and more attractive than the current ones on your house.
Seamless gutters are one of the newest options available.
What are Seamless Gutters?
One of the most revolutionary enhancements in residential gutters is the invention of seamless gutter systems.
Seamless gutters are installed in long sections, as opposed to traditional gutters that are only manufactured in sections between 10 and 20 feet. They are made on-site in most cases with a custom machine, eliminating the difficulties of transporting long, narrow materials.
Many gutter installation businesses own their own equipment and are able to complete the entire process – measure, manufacture and installing your seamless gutters – in only one day!
Because they are manufactured to size, it is not uncommon to have seamless gutters that extend over 40 feet, with the longest length of a seamless rain gutter around 100 feet with no joints. This offers homeowners the option to have a single piece of lightweight aluminum in any 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 decide if seamless gutters are a smart idea for your house, you should know what sets them apart so you can understand why there is 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 appearance. Seamless gutter machines even cut out holes for downspouts, which have to be present every 20 to 30 feet, so they are smooth and correctly sized. The custom measurements also help the curb appeal of your house without being too overstated or obvious.
Easier Care – Less joints means there are fewer chances for debris to cling on or get stuck within the gutters. Water drains through smoothly with fewer clogs from dirt and debris. As a homeowner, this will likely make you extremely pleased, as it means you won’t be cleaning them out as often. Seamless gutters only need 1 yearly cleaning. In contrast, most regular gutter systems have to be cleaned 2 to 4 times a year in order to keep them working well.
Lower Chance of Leaks – Traditional gutters can leak at any joint once the gutters start to pull away from the home. Loose fasteners are another problem that results in gutter leaks. Getting rid of joints along the length and width of your house reduces the risk of leaks (which protects your windows, porches, and landscaping).
Prevent Pests – Buildup in your gutters will attract small animals, rodents and insects that can hide inside of them or build nests with the materials that are present. From that point, insects, birds, squirrels and chipmunks have access to your attic and will destroy your roof, resulting in hundreds of dollars of repairs. Keeping that buildup out of your 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 correct size without having extra pieces that were cut off to match the length of the house. This is an environmentally-friendly process 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 latest technology and the best materials on the market. This results in less leaks, less chance of rusting and reduced risk of the gutters pulling away from the home. Longer lasting rain gutters can also protect your house, including the walls, windows and the soil.
Seamless Gutters Installed by a Professional
Seamless gutters almost always require professional installation due to their size and the training and equipment necessary to manufacturer them. Most homeowners don’t have access t the machinery necessary to produce seamless gutters, nor do they have the training on how to program these machines to make precise cuts.
Seamless gutters are more expensive, but once they are professionally installed, you will see their value which pays for itself due to less repairs and longer time between replacements. If you have any questions about the value of seamless gutters, talk with a gutter installer who provides both traditional and seamless gutter systems to decide if the cost difference and benefits are a good fit for your budget and needs.
Installing seamless rain gutters is not a project that a single person can handle safely. Pros can install a section up to about 35 feet by themselves, but anything longer 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, securing the gutter every several feet. For gutters longer than that, 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 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. TruClean Tacoma Gutters is proud to provide seamless gutter installation to all homes and businesses in the Tacoma area. Call 253-262-0478 now for more information!