Benefits of Seamless Gutters

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

If you haven’t replaced 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 types of materials improve significantly over a period of just a few years. This means that your next gutters will be a lot more efficient, lighter and offer better curb appeal 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 upgrades in home gutters is the creation of seamless gutter systems.

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

Most gutter installation services own their own equipment and are able to complete the whole process – measure, manufacture and install your seamless gutters – in just one day!

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

Benefits of Seamless Gutters

Traditional gutters have been popular for so long that it can be difficult to see how another choice can be a lot more effective. To determine if seamless gutters are a good choice for your home, you should know what sets them apart so you can also 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 fabrication 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 increase the curb appeal of your house without being too overstated and obvious.

Easier Care – Fewer joints means there are less chances for debris to get hung on or get stuck within the gutters. Water flows through more smoothly with less clogs. As a homeowner, this should make you very pleased, as it means you won’t need to clean them out as much. Seamless gutters typically only need 1 annual cleaning. In comparison, some standard gutter systems must be cleaned 2 to 4 times a year in order to keep them working well.

Lower Chance of Leaks – Traditional gutters can leak from any joint if the gutters start to pull away from the home. Loose fasteners are also a problem that can lead to gutter leaks. Eliminating joints across the length and width of your home helps reduce the chance of leaks (which protects your windows, porches, and landscaping).

Discourages Pests – Clogged gutters will attract small animals and insects that will hide inside of them or build a nest with the organic materials that are present. From there, insects, birds, squirrels and chipmunks have access to your attic and are able to destroy your roof, causing hundreds of dollars’ worth 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 ensures that your gutters will be the perfect size without having extra pieces that were cut off to match the exact length of the home. This is an eco-friendly practice that reduces your home’s carbon footprint. In addition, there is no need to eliminate the excess (which can result in harmful chemicals) or see it end up in a landfill.

Last Longer – Seamless gutters are designed with the latest technology and the best materials available. This leads to fewer leaks, less chance of rust and reduced risk of the gutters pulling away from the house. Longer lasting rain gutters also protect your house, including the walls, windows and the soil.

Seamless Gutters Installed by a Professional

Seamless gutters almost always require professional installation because of their size and the training and machinery necessary to manufacturer them. Individuals don’t have have the equipment required to produce seamless gutters, nor do they have the knowledge of how to program these machines to make precise cuts.

Seamless gutters do cost more, but once they are installed, you will immediately see their value which pays for itself over time via less repairs and longer time between replacements. If you have any questions concerning the value of seamless gutters, talk with a gutter installer who offers both traditional and seamless gutter systems to determine if the price difference and benefits are worth it for your budget and needs.

Installing these extra-long gutters is not a project that a single person can handle safely. Professionals can install a section up to about 30 feet on their own, but anything longer will require 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, fastening the gutter every several feet. For rain gutters longer than that, the installation team will need to start 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. Homeowners can damage a long gutter by handling it improperly. This can damage the gutter’s appearance as well as its effectiveness. LikeNew Lexington Gutters is proud to provide seamless gutter installation to all homes and businesses in the Lexington area. Call 859-217-4802 now for more information!