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Sectional versus seamless gutters

You probably don’t give a lot of thought to your gutters, but they are an essential part of keeping your home and property free from water damage. As water flows down your roof, it collects in and flows through your gutters, keeping it away from your basement, foundation and crawl spaces saving them from flooding. Your gutters also protect your windows and doors from water infiltration, and help preserve your yard’s topsoil.

If you’ve noticed your gutters starting to leak, warp or rust, it’s likely time to replace them to keep your home safe from water damage. While options for gutters are seemingly endless — aluminum versus stainless steel, U shaped versus K shaped — the major decision you will face is whether to install seamless or sectional gutters.

Sectional versus seamless gutters: What’s the difference?Sectional Versus Seamless Gutters - Nashville TN - Gutterman of TN

As the name suggests, sectional gutters are made from different lengths of gutter connected together at joints to fit your home’s roofline. Sectional gutters feature end caps, corner pieces and drop outlets to connect to downspouts. Seamless gutters, however, are custom built for your home. They don’t require joints because they’re made to fit your roofline. Seamless gutters only connect at inside and outside corners, and at downspout locations.

How are seamless gutters made?

Seamless gutters are custom-made on site. When you hire The Gutterman to install seamless gutters on your home, we feed gutter through our specialized machine to the length specifications of your home and then install them. Because everything is done on site, you can be sure that your seamless gutters fit your home’s roofline perfectly, so you don’t have to worry about gaps or leaks.

Why choose seamless gutters?

Seamless gutters carry the major advantage because they are less prone to damage and leaks. Where sectional gutters are joined, water can pool as the gutters age. That invites rust, holes and leaks that can lower the life expectancy of your gutters and put your home at risk from water damage, flooding and rot. Because there are no seams, there are no joints for water to leak from, and the downspouts are less prone to clogging than downspouts with sectional gutter systems.

Custom-made seamless gutters have a longer life expectancy. They don’t need priming or painting and can be color matched to blend into your home’s roofline. Ultimately, seamless gutters provide a better product with less labor. The advantages of seamless gutters are so clear that up to 70 percent of homes now have seamless gutters!

If your home is in need of new gutters, call the experts at The Gutterman. We can talk to you more about our custom-made seamless gutters and walk you through all of your gutter options. Our experts can help you choose the right system to compliment your home’s aesthetics and keep it safe from water damage.

Winterizing your gutters

It’s a job no one likes to do, but cleaning out your gutters and preparing them for winter can help keep your home safe from water leaks and ice damage. Clogged gutters can drive water over the sides of your gutters, posing a threat to your home’s foundation and siding. If water can’t exit gutters, it can freeze inside, causing gutters to sag. The weight of sagging gutters can damage your roof, causing leaks.Winterizing your gutters - Nashville TN - The Gutterman if TN

The Gutterman has compiled steps you should take to winterize your gutters.

  • Remove any debris from your gutters. The first step in winterizing your gutters is to climb your ladder, reach inside those gutters and pull out any leaves, debris or other gook that stagnating inside. Even if you have installed screens on your gutters, you still need to manually check and clean your gutters, as leaves and sticks can become stuck on the screens, preventing water from flowing through your gutters.
  • Inspect your gutters. While you’re on your ladder removing debris, inspect your gutters for any damage. Holes are a common problem, either from rusted steel gutters or from twigs poking through aluminum or copper gutters. Gutters also will sag over time, causing gaps in the seams between the gutters.
  • Patch any holes. If you do find holes in your gutters, it’s easy to create a patch to prevent any leaking or further damage. First, clean the area with a wire brush, and then coat it with roofing cement. Place a piece of metal matching your gutter material over the hole, and coat it with more roofing cement.
  • Seal leaking joints. If you notice water leaking around joints due to sagging gutters, remove any debris or water from the area. With a screwdriver or wire brush, remove any old sealant from the joint. Reseal the area with gutter sealant, which you can find at any home improvement store.

Consider a deicing cable. You also can install a deicing cable in a zigzag pattern along your roofline. The electric lines heat the edge of your room to prevent an ice dam from forming. That ensures that melting ice or snow has a clear path to your gutters, so your home’s roofline drains properly. That can save you from dealing with a leaking roof later.

If you find major problems around your gutters, believe your gutters are beyond repair or are ready for a gutter protection system, we can help! The Gutterman can fix any problems around your gutters, or we can install an advanced gutter system that will stay clear of leaves and debris. Just don’t delay addressing your gutter problems; with winter approaching, your gutters need to be in good working order to protect your home from major water damage.