Categories: Gutters

Weighing the Pros and Cons of Seamless Gutters

Let’s face it—most homeowners don’t spend a lot of time thinking about their home’s gutter system. It’s important to remember, though, that taking care of and attending to your gutters may prevent costly repair bills in the future. As a significant part of your roofing system, your gutters funnel rainwater off of the roof and away from your home, all while protecting your foundation, siding, windows and doors from water damage. Gutters are especially important for our New York homes, as our state often experiences intense rains and strong winds, with an average of 10 tornadoes per year.

Unfortunately, many local homeowners don’t realize how much damage can occur when their gutters are broken, clogged or leaking. When your gutters in Syracuse, NY, for example, aren’t functioning properly, water will run off of your home’s roof and collect on the ground near the foundation, possibly wreaking havoc on other parts of your property. Your gutters protect your home from:

  • Basement flooding

  • Cracked or damaged foundation

  • Infestations from mosquitoes and other insects that breed in standing water

  • Mold and mildew which flourish in wet crawlspaces and basements

  • Erosion – Topsoil keeps your home’s foundation intact. If rainwater isn’t directed away properly, the topsoil will erode and leave your foundation vulnerable to the elements.

  • Staining to your fascia, decks, patios, wood framing and other exterior parts of your home

  • Peeling paint

  • Damage to landscaping

If you’re concerned that your gutters aren’t performing properly and adequately protecting your New York home from damage, be sure to contact a professional gutter contractor in Dewitt, NY, right away. They will recommend the best solutions to your problems.

Sectional vs. Seamless Gutters

Sometimes, gutters get damaged beyond repair. The best thing you can do is to replace your gutter system completely. When faced with replacement options, you have two choices: sectional or seamless gutters. Sectional gutters are the more traditional choice, composed of small pieces of metal connected by seams. Seamless gutters, on the other hand, are made up of a single, continuous piece of metal custom-designed to suit your roof line.

While sectional gutters are popular among many homeowners due to their affordability and ease of installation, they can present numerous problems. For example, since they have smaller segments, they accumulate debris very often. Leaves, twigs, dirt and other items may block their passageways, and so more maintenance tasks are necessary in this case. They also have a high risk of getting leaks because several small parts are simply bonded together by seams.

These problems are no big deal when you decide to install seamless gutters in Manlius, NY, instead. Seamless gutters are great at reducing clogs, and they can also be fully customized to suit your aesthetic needs. Learn more about their features below.

All about Seamless Gutters: Pros and Cons

In the home improvement industry, we hear a lot of talk about various gutter types, new accessories and technologies. Gutter guards in Fayetteville, NY, and other parts of the globe began appearing in screen form in the early 1900s, and in the 1960s, a later innovation came in the form of seamless gutters. The idea of seamless gutters is refreshing and fantastic for most homeowners. After all, if the gutters are seamless, they must be better at directing rainwater without leaks at the seams, right?

Well, we’d like to be honest: seamless gutters actually do have seams—at either end, corners or the outlet tubes. This means this type of gutter system isn’t guaranteed to be safe from leaks. As we’ve mentioned before, the difference between traditional sectional gutters and seamless gutters is in length. Sectional gutters are composed of smaller lengths of tubes linked together, whereas seamless gutters are manufactured and installed as a single piece, with corners being the only joints. This makes seamless gutters LESS susceptible to leaks than sectional gutters.

The Pros

Here are a few key reasons you should consider installing seamless gutters in your New York home:

  • Reduced Clogging – One of the most common issues associated with sectional gutters is their vulnerability to debris accumulation. Over time, these gutters can collect leaves, twigs and other debris, which can eventually clog the gutters and prevent proper water flow. Since seamless gutters are fixed, on the other hand, they are less susceptible to debris accumulation, which means they are also easy to maintain. Compared to their traditional counterpart, seamless gutters don’t require frequent cleaning and maintenance. This also means your home is more protected against significant leaks due to the absence of joints and seals in these gutters.

  • Durability –  Seamless gutters are way stronger and sturdier than gutters made up of sections. If they’re secured to your New York house with screws instead of nails, they’re unlikely to get loosened by strong winds, rains, and snow.

  • Customization Features – One more thing to love about seamless gutters is that they are available in a wide range of colors and materials. As a result, you will be able to find something that complements your own personal style and taste. Seamless gutters can be made from materials ranging from steel to aluminum. If you’re looking for something that doesn’t require painting, some types of seamless gutters have a baked-on enamel finish—this is the best option for you. In addition, if you’re thinking about protection for your home’s gutters, gutter covers in Syracuse can easily fit on any seamless gutter due to their design flexibility.

  • Additional Value – A lot of homeowners choose seamless gutters over sectional gutters because of their lack of fasteners and joints. This makes them look better and tidier than their sectional counterpart. They are also custom-made so you can expect them to fit your home’s exact specifications upon installation. In terms of overall value, seamless gutters can offer a substantial return on investment in the form of lower maintenance and repair costs.

The Cons

Seamless gutters, in general, are an excellent choice if you’re thinking about installing a new gutter system for your home here in New York. They are durable, easy to maintain and can protect your home from extensive leaks for many years. No matter how effective they are in protecting your property from water damage, however, seamless gutters still present some drawbacks.

For instance, since they need to be custom-fit to perfectly meet your home’s requirements, they are a bit expensive than most gutter options on the market. A copper seamless gutter averages about $24 per linear foot installed, which translates to up to $5,580 when installed in an average home. Standard steel gutters only cost $16 per linear foot, which equals to $3,565 at most when installed in an average home. Additionally, while seamless gutters are relatively easy to install, they aren’t a DIY job. You will need the skills and expertise of a professional to install them because they aren’t sectioned out.

That added expense and effort, however, is minimal compared to the benefits you can enjoy when you install seamless gutters. For further assistance, get in touch with Barry Best Seamless Gutters! We can help you make the most out of your seamless gutter investment.

Why Work with Barry Best Seamless Gutters?

Now that you know the amazing benefits seamless gutters can provide for your home, it’s time to search for a professional who can help you maximize their full potential. It’s easy for homeowners to be tempted to save bucks by installing their new seamless gutters on their own, but such an important piece of the home’s exterior needs a properly trained and expert hand. That’s where Barry Best Seamless Gutters come in.

For 30 years, Barry Best Seamless Gutters have helped homeowners keep their homes protected from water damage by installing topnotch gutters and gutter protection in Hamilton, NY, and the surrounding communities. We remain one of the most trusted gutter companies in the region, thanks to our 100% dedication to customer excellence. We know how important it is to have a fully functional gutter system, that’s why we have made it a priority to stay at the forefront by implementing innovative procedures and creating top-of-the-line products for our customers.

Here at Barry Best Seamless Gutters, we take the time to understand your needs before developing your unique gutter solution. Our seamless gutters are manufactured with durability and superior leak protection in mind, so you can rest easy knowing all our products can provide the highest level of performance for your New York home.

After determining which type of gutter solution best suits your needs, our expert installers will install the products successfully the first time. Should you need further assistance with your gutters in the future, we provide cleaning and maintenance services as well. We can also supplement your seamless gutters with our Gutter Helmet® gutter protection system, which effectively prevents clogs and other gutter issues. This will make sure you won’t face costly repairs when inclement weather conditions occur in your area.

It is our commitment to our customers in and around New York to be there every step of the way. With our solutions, you can enjoy absolute peace of mind for many years.

Kelly Barry

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