Benefits of Seamless Gutters

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

If you haven’t replaced your gutters lately, it’s probably a good time to start considering the options. Odds are, your options have changed since you last shopped for 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 your next rain gutters will be even more efficient, lighter and more attractive than the ones that are currently 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 creation of seamless gutter systems.

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

Most gutter installation services own their own equipment and can do the whole process on their own – 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 gutter around 100 feet with no joints. This offers homeowners the option 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 can be hard to see how another choice can be much more effective. To determine if seamless gutters are a smart choice for your home, you need know the benefits of them so you can understand why there is such a noticeable price difference between the two.

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 gutter downspouts, which should be present every 20 to 30 feet, so that they are smooth and correctly sized. The measurements also improve the curb appeal of your home without being too overstated and obvious.

Easier Care – Fewer joints means there are fewer opportunities for debris to get hung on or get stuck within the gutters. Water drains through smoothly with fewer clogs. As a homeowner, this will likely make you extremely pleased, because it means you won’t need to clean them out as much. Seamless gutters usually only need 1 yearly cleaning. In comparison, most traditional gutter systems have to be cleaned 2 to 4 times a year to keep them functioning well.

Lower Chance of Leaks – Normal gutters can leak at any joint as soon as the gutters start to pull away from the house. Loose fasteners are another problem that result 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).

Discourages Pests – Clogged gutters will attract animals, rodents and insects that are able to hide inside of them or build nests with the materials that are present. From that point, insects, birds, squirrels and chipmunks have easy access to your attic and can damage your roof, causing hundreds of dollars’ of damage (at a minimum). Keeping that buildup out of gutters makes them less appealing for pests.

Eliminates Waste – Measuring for seamless gutters and then manufacturing them on site means that your gutters will be the perfect size without having additional pieces that were cut off to match the exact length of the home. This is an environmentally-friendly process that reduces 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 designed with the newest technology and the best materials available. This creates less leaks, a smaller chance of rusting and reduced risk of the gutters pulling away from the house. Longer lasting gutters also protect your house, including the exterior walls, windows and the soil.

Seamless Gutters Installed by a Professional

Seamless gutters almost always require professional installation due to their size and the experience and machinery needed to build them. Individuals don’t have access t the machinery required to produce seamless gutters, nor do they have the training on how to program these machines to make exact cuts.

Seamless gutters do cost more, but once they are professionally installed, you will immediately see their value which pays for itself because of fewer repairs and longer time between replacements. If you have questions concerning the value of seamless gutters, speak to a gutter installer who does 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 task 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 less than 35 feet, they will start in the middle and work their way to each end, fastening the gutter every several feet. For gutters longer, the installation team will begin in two places (1/3 of the way from each end) and fasten those sections due to 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. You can easily damage a seamless gutter by mishandling it. This can damage the gutter’s appearance as well as its effectiveness. Indy Gutters, Inc. is proud to provide seamless gutter installation to all homes and businesses in the Indianapolis area. Call 317-406-4947 now for more information!