What Are Seamless Gutter Systems?

byAlma Abell

A seamless gutter is one which is produced from a continuous coil of material. A gutter, seamless or not is a trough which is located at the bottom of the roof of a building, it collects rain water than lands on the roof and channels this water away from the building.

Rain gutters in Anne Arundel County are a very important part of any roofing system. Without gutters the accumulated rain water would fall from the roof and eventually erode the soil at the base of the building. With constant soil erosion and water seeping down the side of the foundation wall, the foundation will weaken over time resulting in leaks and possibly structural problems. With the correct design of rain water collection system, consisting of gutters and downspouts, the water can be diverted away from the base of the building.

Seamless gutters as the name implies have fewer seams, this translates to fewer points where leakage can occur as the gutter is formed from a continuous coil of metal. Traditional gutter designs use pre-manufactured gutter sections in a given length, a number of these sections are used in tandem to form the gutter system.

To install seamless gutters in Anne Arundel County it is necessary to hire roofing and siding contractor, most of whom offer this service. As the seamless gutter system is produced on-site using a special rolling machine the homeowner cannot produce and install this as a DIY project.

By the time you are ready to ask various contractors for their quotation you should already have an idea of the total length of gutter and the color. As the material is available in a selection of colors it is possible to co-ordinate the gutter with the rest of the trim or have it match the color of the roof.

It is important that you ask for a formal written quotation, this quotation should specify precisely what is included and it must break down labor and materials as separate items. It is best to get at least three quotations to ensure that you get what you want in the way of product and cost.

As important as the price is the quality of the gutter and the installation. Ask the potential contractors for a couple of past customers that you can contact. Find out if the work was started and completed as they were told and ask if they are satisfied with the gutter and the installation contractor.