Every few feet along your old gutters there’s a joint, and it seems like every one of them drips. You’ve caulked them, and a winter later they’re leaking again, leaving streaks down the fascia and puddles along the walk. Seamless gutters in the Missouri Ozarks get rid of most of those joints, which is why they’ve become the standard on homes here.
They aren’t magic, though, and it helps to know what they fix and what they don’t before you buy. You deserve a straight explanation, not a sales pitch.
APC Roofing installs seamless gutters across southwest Missouri, on their own or along with a new roof. We’re GAF Certified, licensed and insured, and your estimate is free. Call 913-398-5020.
What makes a gutter seamless
Sectional gutters come in short, pre-cut lengths that are joined together on the house. Every joint is a lap sealed with sealant and fasteners, and on a long run that adds up to a lot of places for water to get out.
A seamless gutter is formed in one continuous piece for each straight run of the house, cut to the exact length of that wall. There’s no joint in the middle of the run. The only seams left are where they have to be: at the corners, the end caps and the downspout outlets.
Why joints fail in Ozarks weather
Sealant at a gutter joint has a hard life in southwest Missouri. Summer sun heats the metal, winter nights freeze it, and the gutter expands and shrinks with every swing. Over the years, that movement breaks the seal. Freeze-thaw makes it worse, because water in a small gap freezes, expands and opens the gap further.
Add the weight of ice in a winter storm and wet leaves in the fall, and the joints in a sectional gutter tend to be the first thing to give. Taking most of those joints out of the system removes most of the weak points.
Seamless gutters in the Missouri Ozarks: what they fix and what they don’t
Seamless gutters solve the leaking-joint problem along each run. They also look cleaner, since there’s no line of laps every few feet, and they’re less likely to separate or sag at a joint.
They don’t fix a gutter that’s too small for the roof. If water overflows the front in a heavy storm because the gutter or downspouts can’t keep up, a seamless gutter of the same size will overflow the same way. They don’t fix bad pitch either. A gutter needs a slight slope toward each downspout, and if it’s hung level or backward, water sits in it no matter how it was made.
The corners still need care. Corners and end caps are sealed, and those seals are the spots to watch over the years. A well-made corner holds up much longer than a run full of joints, but it isn’t maintenance-free.
What a good seamless gutter job includes
The gutter is only as good as the plan behind it. Before installation, the roof sections draining to each run should be looked at, along with the pitch and any valleys, so the gutter and downspouts are sized for the water they’ll actually carry. On wooded Ozarks lots, larger downspouts help twigs and seeds pass through instead of clogging.
The fascia should be solid. Rotted fascia lets hangers pull loose, and APC works on fascia and soffits, so damaged boards can be replaced as part of the job. Hangers should be fastened into solid wood at close enough spacing to carry ice and debris. Downspouts should empty where the water can be carried away from the foundation, which on a sloped lot means paying attention to which way the ground falls.
For more on planning the system, see gutter installation in the Ozarks. For choosing size and style, see rain gutters in the Ozarks.
Pairing new gutters with a new roof
If your roof is due for replacement, it’s a good time to switch to seamless gutters. The old gutters usually have to come down while the roof edge is redone, and new seamless runs can be fitted to the new drip edge. You handle both at once, and the fascia gets checked while everything is open.
How it works with APC Roofing
- Book your free estimate. Call 913-398-5020 or request a free estimate online.
- Get a clear, honest assessment and estimate. Each run is measured, downspout locations planned and the fascia checked. You get a written estimate.
- Get the work done and the site cleaned up. Your seamless gutters go up, and the crew cleans up before leaving.
Financing is available through Aqua Finance, Fortifi, Hearth and Home Run Finance if you’re pairing gutters with a new roof.
Seamless gutter questions
Are seamless gutters completely leak-free?
No gutter is. Seamless gutters remove the joints along each run, which is where most gutter leaks start, but corners, end caps and downspout outlets are still sealed and should be checked from time to time.
Can a seamless gutter be repaired?
Yes. A leaking corner can be resealed, a loose section re-hung and a damaged section replaced.
Do long seamless runs have problems with expansion?
Long runs move more as temperatures change. Proper hangers and how the run is laid out allow for that movement, which matters in a climate with hot summers and freezing winters.
Do seamless gutters still need cleaning?
Yes. Leaves and seeds fill any gutter, seamless or not. On wooded lots, plan on cleaning after the fall leaf drop at least.
Dry fascia, a dry foundation
When the joints are gone and the system is sized right, your gutters carry the water off the roof and away from the house without dripping along the way. Call 913-398-5020 to book your free seamless gutter estimate. Your satisfaction is our reputation.
