Many years ago rain gutters were installed with short sections seamed   together to complete a long straight run. This was necessary because transporting very long sections was costly or impossible. These gutters were most likely installed using a spike and ferrule attachment device. The drawbacks to this type of installation are leaking seams, and gutter spikes pulling loose from the fascia. It is common with this type of gutter to see the heads of the spikes protruding from the front of the gutter. The result of this is the possibility of serious water damage to fascia, soffit, siding, and surrounding areas at the foundation of the house. The good news is that great progress has been made over the years, and these problems can be eliminated.

Modern day gutters are seamless. A seamless gutter extruding machine will allow the gutter installation professional to run long lengths of gutter seamlessly right at the home site.  To see this in action watch my posted video just click the link to the left “Gutter machines in action”. Coils of aluminum are fed into the machine and custom lengths of gutter are made right on the spot. Seamless gutters need to be connected to the mitered gutter corners only. This virtually eliminates leaking, and becomes a two man installation process which keeps labor costs low. Typically this seamless gutter is available in a wide variety of colors, and in two sizes, five or six inch. Five inch gutter is the standard in most areas of the country based on the amount of annual rainfall expected.

Attaching the seamless gutters is now accomplished with the use of aluminum inside hidden hangers that are not visible on the outside of the gutter. Stainless steel screws are used rather than the old style spikes making the installation tighter and much longer lasting. This process greatly enhances the appearance of the home at the roof line making for a much nicer curb appeal.

Properly installed seamless gutters last a lifetime as aluminum simply does not deteriorate or rust away. With proper maintenance (cleaning out debris regularly) or a protective guard installed to keep debris out, these gutters will last a lifetime and prevent other more costly damages to the home. Using a qualified licensed and insured gutter professional to do the installation is a wise choice since the work will be guaranteed in writing, and any follow up work to the system will be part of the initial price. Get several estimates and choose a reputable installer, preferable someone local who is easily accessible in the unlikely event of an installation problem. A good installation company should offer a lifetime transferrable warranty on workmanship and material. But be wary of those who use sub contractors to do the installation. Any warranty issues there may be reason for debate as to who is responsible to you for any necessary repair work. Properly installed and maintained seamless rain gutters will be one thing in your home that you can forget about.

Regards,

Everything Gutter | 2 days ago