|
1. Hassle-free gutter
maintenance programs
In an effort to make routine
gutter cleaning service more
convenient for you, the
Gutter Guys have designed the
very popular Ongoing Gutter
Maintenance Programs
customized to every homeowner's
needs.
After your initial gutter
cleaning and evaluation
performed at your property, we
will send you a simple proposal
suggesting how often your
gutters need to be cleaned,
depending on the condition of
your gutters and conditions
around your house.
On the proposal you will simply
consider our suggestion and
initial next to the service
level that you choose, sign and
mail it back.
Once you have an established
program, we will simply contact
you a few days prior to
scheduled service to confirm the
gutter cleaning; however, no one
needs to be present for the work
to be done. In addition, the
gutter-cleaning technician will
take place, as scheduled and any
other prearranged gutter matters
that need attention will be
taken care of. We will then
leave a tag on your door to let
you know that the work was done
and mail you an invoice.
2. Gutter
cleaning and free evaluation
Gutter cleaning is one of the
most important home-maintenance
services needed at least twice a
year. It is often overlooked
until gutters actually overflow
and cause substantial damage.
Preventive maintenance is the
most efficient way to prolong
the life of your gutters, roof,
windows and siding.
Gutter
cleaning consists of cleaning
out leaves and debris from
gutters and downspouts and
cleaning off all accessible roof
areas. It also includes cleaning
up gutter cleaning related
debris off the ground after the
gutters are cleaned. In
addition, the gutter-cleaning
technician will make notes and
record the condition of your
gutters at no extra charge.
Should your gutters need special
attention we will let you know
if you are at home, otherwise we
will call you or will list any
suggested additional work on the
invoice.
3. Gutter strainer
installations
Gutters often do not have any
strainers installed on top of
the downspouts, and if they do,
often those strainers are
inadequate to do the job of
keeping the debris out of the
downspouts and letting water
through. Our gutter
strainers, or downspout
strainers, are made from heavy
gage steel wire, which makes
them strong and heavy so they
stay in place. They are also
galvanized to protect them
against the elements. These
strainers last at least eight or
ten years, making them more
economical than cheaper aluminum
mesh or plastic versions that
commonly need to be replaced
almost every year. Mesh
strainers get clogged as fast as
downspouts without strainers.
Also, the natural elements often
displace lesser quality
strainers out of place and they
can just lay next to the
downspout opening rather than
sitting in it, because those
strainers are too light.
Further, aluminum strainers are
flimsy and often bent out of
shape. Finally, the UV rays
usually break down the plastic
strainers and within a couple of
years these strainers just
crumble and fall inside the
downspouts they were intended to
protect. We encourage you to
have us install our gutter
strainers to reduce future
downspout clogging in between
cleanings. Our techs don't
automatically just install
strainers so please ask us for
the strainers or approve the
installation of strainers when
it is suggested to you. If you
are a die-hard "do it
yourselfer" your can find lesser
quality strainers at your local
hardware store or you can check
out
www.gutterstrainer.com for
high quality gutter strainers.
In the end good strainers will
save you a lot of time and
aggravation from clearing clogs
from your downspouts or worse
yet, underground drains.
Please
note: For copper gutters
use only copper strainers.
Copper reacts chemically with
aluminum (through a process
known as electrolysis),
eventually resulting in holes in
the gutter. For that same reason
don't use copper strainers in
aluminum gutters.
4. Gutter screens or covers
Gutter screens are very
profitable. For that reason
every hardware store or even
home improvement catalogue
carries some sort of
contraption, cheep or expensive,
with a promise that you won't
have to clean your gutters ever
again. The fact is that every
year we remove screens out of
gutters on hundreds of homes.
Simply, because there is no
screen, or helmet, or mesh that
will keep EVERYTHING out of your
gutters. Screened gutters also
have to be cleaned on a regular
basis and the cost is often much
higher because of the extra
labor involved. On the other
hand, we will be happy to
install screens for you if you
desire, but we do not recommend
them nor guarantee their
durability or effectiveness.
5. Seamless gutter
installation: aluminum or
copper and gutter types
Seamless gutter simply
means that a straight gutter is
made of one continuous peace of
gutter material. There are still
seams on corner miters,
downspout outlets and end cups.
Seamless gutters are more
durable because seams tend to
weaken the gutter over time and
can cause destructive and
annoying water leaks ten or
fifteen years after
installation. The seam sealer
cracks due to the constant
expansion and contraction of the
metal, and seams have to be
re-sealed from the inside with a
special high quality gutter
sealer.
Copper VS.
Aluminum
There is really no difference
what your gutters are made of as
far as functionality is
concerned. Aluminum is
practical and inexpensive and
provides a neat, clean look.
Copper is very expensive
compared to aluminum but may be
desirable on certain buildings
to provide a distinctive classic
look as it takes on the color of
its greenish patina.
Selecting a
gutter type: K Style, Or 1/2
Round
The "K" System and 1/2 Round
System are the most common and
efficient gutters. We also
install these gutters in two
common sizes of 5" and 6".
Please inquire about any other
styles or custom made gutters
that you might be interested in.
"K" System Gutters- can
be made from aluminum or copper
commonly in 5" and 6" widths and
should be made right at the job
site if any gutter lengths are
over twenty feet. This ensures
that all gutter lengths are made
seamless. "K" System gutters can
be hung in a number of ways. The
best way is to attach them to
the fascia board with inside
hidden gutter hangers, which
from inside add structural
rigidity to the gutter. Gutter
Guys only use screws in aluminum
gutter installation. Screws
unlike nails do not pull out
resulting in sagging gutters.
Downspouts put together with
stainless steel screws can
actually be quickly and neatly
taken apart for clog clearing as
opposed to riveted ones which
have to be ripped apart or
drilled out which is more time
consuming and may lead to
further damage. Aside from
higher quality installation, the
best thing about using screws in
gutters is the fact that they do
not increase the cost of the
job.
1/2 Round System- just
like "K" system can also be made
from aluminum or copper in 5"
and 6" widths. This 1/2 round
look has a nice classic appeal
to certain older houses and may
be appropriate if there is no
fascia board. However, the 1/2
Round System is not available in
seamless in lengths of more than
20 feet. But, we can do a very
neat and attractive job of
piecing the lengths together.
Also we are not able to make the
seamless 1/2 round gutters in
copper. But copper is soldered
and this kind of seam is
desirable on copper gutters.
6. Gutter repairs
Our technicians are trained to
spot problem areas with your
gutter system that can easily
be overlooked by any homeowner.
The evaluation of your gutters
is best done when the gutters
are being cleaned. This way we
see what's in the gutter, how it
is attached to the fascia board
and what is the condition of the
edge of roof.
Below are some common
repairs:
-
Normal
wear and tear after
about 20-30 years aluminum
and copper gutters begin to
have pinholes. When it rains
it appears that water drips
from gutters that are
seemingly in good
condition. In fact both
copper and aluminum oxidize
and as a result tiny
pinholes form resulting in
dripping. Gutter replacement
is the only solution.
Sagging gutters: Older
gutters often sag because
years ago contractors used
big spike nails to nail the
gutter through the front and
back of the gutter and into
the facial board. Because
the metal constantly expands
and contracts, over time the
gutters literally pull the
spikes out weakening the
whole gutter system (sadly
some contractors still use
those spikes as opposed to
inside hidden gutter hangers
which should be screwed into
the facial board instead of
nailed). Gutter replacement
is necessary in most cases.
On newer sagging gutters it
is sometimes possible to
install inside hidden
hangers to reinforce and
re-pitch them.
-
Storm
damage occurs when
falling objects, such as
branches during storms,
crush gutters. During rain
storms gutter spikes come
out when gutters are
clogged, filled and weighed
down with water. Screws can
also snap under the weight
of ice, snow or water. This
is easily spotted and
corrective action should be
taken as soon as possible,
to avoid further damage.
-
Ice dam
damage occurs when thick
snow melts from the bottom
where it touches the roof
surface because the roof is
warmer than the air
temperature. The water then
freezes in the gutter and on
top of the overhang where
this ice actually builds up,
sometimes to a thickness of
as much as a foot or more.
Behind this ice dam forms a
puddle of water, sometimes
several inches deep. This
water often leaks inside
through spaces between
shingles. The short-term
remedy is to "cut" some
channels in the ice dam to
drain the water from behind
the ice dam, and to remove
the snow off the roof. The
long-term remedy, is
to properly insulate the
attic, make sure the attic
has proper ventilation, and
also to install ice watch on
the horizontal first three
feet of the roof under the
shingles. Unfortunately,
this is a roofing,
insulation and ventilation
problem. If this ever
happens on your house,
please call us we might be
able to remove the snow and
ice off the roof for you,
this will buy you some time
to remedy the problem for
good. Finally, by no
means should you ever go up
on the snow and ice covered
roof yourself!
-
Dented
downspouts: Downspouts
serve an important function
of draining water collected
by gutters away from the
foundation and should be
repaired in a timely
manner. Usually just the
dented or crushed section of
downspout has to be replaced
and is relatively
inexpensive.
-
Standing
water in gutters can be
the result of improperly
installed gutters that don't
pitch enough so that the
water flows towards the
downspout. It can also be
the result of sagging
gutters, which were
nailed to the fascia board
with gutter spikes, or
hidden hangers were used but
they were nailed in rather
than screwed in. Re-pitching
the gutters properly, and
reinforcing them with inside
hidden hangers and screws
can fix this.
7. Chimney cover installation
with Lifetime Warranty
Gutter Guys exclusively uses the
highest quality chimney covers
made by Gelco Manufacturing,
Inc. chimney tops. These
stainless steel or copper
chimney covers offer exceptional
strength, durability and
resistance to the harsh
elements, and they provide an
excellent value to our
customers. Gelco products are
not sold directly to the public,
but can be purchased through
Gutter Guys and professionally
installed by their technicians.
8. Odd Jobs
Please call or email with
inquires regarding handyman or
odd job services. Most of the
time we are able to accommodate
special requests not related to
gutters. However, gutters are
our first priority.
|
