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 need to do their job with very little effort on your part besides gutter cleaning and annual maintenance.

If you haven’t replaced your home’s gutters recently, it’s probably about time to begin considering the options. More than likely, your options have changed a lot since you last shopped for gutters, either when building your house or the last time you had to replace them.

Styles and materials improve a lot over a period of just a few years. This means that your next gutters will be more efficient, lighter and offer better curb appeal than the current ones on your home.

Seamless gutters are one of the new options available.

What are Seamless Gutters?

One of the standout upgrades in home gutters is the creation of seamless gutter systems.

Seamless gutters are installed in long sections, as opposed to traditional gutters which are only sold in sections between 10 and 20 feet. They are made on-site in many situations with a custom machine, removing the difficulties of transporting long, narrow materials.

Many 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 extend over 40 feet, with the maximum length of a seamless rain gutter at around 100 feet without joints. This gives homeowners the choice to have an individual piece of lightweight aluminum in whatever color they choose.

Benefits of Seamless Gutters

Standard gutters have been popular for so long that it can be difficult to believe how another choice can be a lot more effective. To decide if seamless gutters are a good choice for your house, you should understand what sets them apart so you can also 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 just at the corners, seamless gutters have a noticeably sleek appearance. Seamless gutter machines cut out holes for gutter downspouts, which must 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 overstated and obvious.

Easier Care – Fewer joints mean there are less chances for debris to get hung on or get stuck within the gutters. Water drains through more smoothly with fewer clogs. As a homeowner, this should make you extremely pleased, since it means you don’t need to clean them out as often. Seamless gutters typically only need 1 yearly cleaning. In comparison, some regular rain gutter systems must be cleaned 2 to 4 times a year to keep them functioning well.

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

Prevent Pests – Clogged gutters will attract animals and insects that will hide within them or build a nest with the organic materials that are 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’ of repairs. Keeping that buildup out of gutters makes them less attractive for pests.

Eliminates Waste – Measuring for seamless gutters and then building them on site means that your gutters will be the perfect length without having scrap 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. In addition, there is no need to destroy the excess (which can result in harmful chemicals) 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 results in fewer leaks, a smaller chance of rust and reduced risk of the gutters pulling away from the home. Longer lasting rain gutters can also protect your home, including the exterior walls, windows and surrounding soil below.

Seamless Gutters Installed by a Professional

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

Seamless gutters do cost more, but once they are installed, you will understand their value which pays for itself due to fewer repairs and longer time between replacements. If you have questions about the value of seamless gutters, speak to a gutter installer who does both traditional and seamless gutter systems to determine if the cost difference and benefits are a good fit for your budget and needs.

Installing these extra-long rain gutters is not a project that a homeowner can handle safely. Professionals can install a section up to about 30 feet or so on their own, but anything longer requires a second person.

For 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 begin in two places (1/3 of the way from each end) and attach 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 long gutter by mishandling it. This can damage the gutter’s appearance as well as limit its effectiveness. Berkeley Gutter Service is proud to offer seamless gutter installation to all homes and businesses in the Berkeley area. Call 510-650-1810 now for more information!