Continuous Seamless Gutters

If you live in a part of the country where you get a lot of rain, then you most likely have many trees with leaves that drop in the winter. This is beautiful in many respects, but a complete pain in the you know what as far as being a homeowner goes. I mean, who wants to spend the time to clean out all their gutters to make sure that no blocks occur and cause a back up of water, leaking, drainage problems and all the rest.

Well, seamless gutters don't necessarily take the work out of owning a home, but they do ensure that you can have a fairly leak-free gutter system. The term seamless is quite self-explanatory as it pertains to the fact that there are no cuts or folds in the gutter as it travels along the edge of your roof line. The only places where there are seams are at the corners and where it meets a downspout. Even here, depending upon the material, the installers usually create a waterproof seal.

There are a variety of materials that can be used for your rain gutters and the most common are metal. As aluminum has been used for gutters for many years, this is still one of the most popular. It is lightweight, can be painted, and is a very durable. As far as longevity, metal, such as aluminum is the way to go.

Another metal option is to use copper. These are absolutely beautiful, even if we are talking about a guttering system. The shiny copper appearance will patina to a nice verdigris-green color as it weathers. This does not compromise the integrity of the metal or the gutter itself. Copper gutters create an elegant look to a home and should be considered if you are truly looking for a custom installation. Again, durability and joint construction are great with this material as well.

The main function of a gutter is to channel water off the roof and away from your home. This is to assist with proper drainage and eliminate the damage that can occur to roofs, driveways, home or patio foundations or landscaping. The proper cleaning and removal of debris from your gutters is critical to optimum function and protection of your home's structure. If your home has a high roof line or is a precarious pitched one, you should consider professionals to do your cleaning. They will be able to keep your home protected and you safe from injury - not to mention the extra work.

How About Gutter Estimates?

Having a professional come out to give you an estimate is also a good idea if you are in the market for a new guttering system. In most cases, an estimate is free if you live within a reasonable distance of the contractors calling area. An exceptionallay long drive may require a small fee, but even this can be discussed prior to the estimate. If your job is a large one, the contractor may waive the fee or take it off the installation of your gutter system.

This is a really common question. After all, it seems odd that a gutter can simply be one long piece of metal or vinyl in some cases. But it is true. The seamless guttering material begins life as a long roll of metal or vinyl on a disc or wheel. See the image at right. This roll is then loaded through the fabricating machine and your gutter profile is formed. There are several styles to choose from, so you should not feel locked into just one.

As you can see, you could have many feet of gutter formed without the need for a seam. This not only makes your gutters much more water tight but also much stronger than a traditional gutter. Most traditional gutters have lengths of 10 feet, with many fasteners and filled seams along the way. Each seam has the potential for leaks or sealant failure with inclement weather. In fact, snow and ice take their toll on traditional systems in no time.

A seamless system also has several different styles of attachments. In other words, there are several ways you can choose to have your gutters attached to your home. One way is like a traditional system, where there are holes drilled high up in the gutter channel and it is attached to the fascia of your home. A more suggested installation is to use a specific bracketing system that allows for an almost invisible type of hanging mechanism giving you a much cleaner look. This just adds to the visual line your eyes take along a seamless system like this.

Most installations use a standard 5 inch gutter. If your particular roof is of greater pitch or you have slate or tile roofs, then a 6 inch gutter may be recommended. A good rule of thumb to follow is to assume that you will need to have about one 2x3 downspout for every 600 sq. feet of roof or one 3x4 downspout for every 1200 sq. feet of roofing area. In the case of the 6 inch gutters, 3x4 downspouts are the preferred size recommendations. Therefore, if your roof measured 40 feet long by 18 tall at the peak, you would have 40x18=720 sq. feet. This would require (2) 2x3 downspouts or (1) 3x4 downspout. Your installer will calculate all this for you.

You should also know that your installation should take no more than one day for most applications. If your needs are special or your home has many custom angles or features, you may be looking at a 2 or 3 day maximum. Please allow for extra time as certain undisclosed or unforseen structures can cause delays in installation. But, for the most part, a typical home will have their new seamless gutters installed in one day.