Friday, August 19, 2011

Home Improvement 101: Don’t Forget Your Gutters

It’s that time of the year again. Your house is curbing aesthetic appeal because of a new paint job and new set of window blinds and screens. As you are reading this, the landscape artist might be on his way to give your front yard a new face lift or your pebble mosaic pathway is almost complete.


Slow down!

Don’t get me wrong. These home improvement projects and ideas are wonderful! Every homeowner would love to have their homes taken care of and make it seem like brand new as much as possible. Remember, it’s your house and it’s not a crime to make it beautiful.
Home improvement planning and implementation can assist a homeowner not only to improve the interior and exterior aspects of his home but to also maintain its overall condition in preventing any house damage.

Speaking of house damage, do you see that trough attached underneath the edge of your roof? It’s been there all this time. When was the last time you checked them?  

Better yet, when was the last time you took a real good look at your gutters?




Sure, topics about gutters, guttering systems or gutter guards are not fun. Moreover, it’s not exactly charming and interesting, but they are something that you need and something you need to pay a great deal of attention to.

At some point, most of us forget about our gutters until it’s the rainy season. When we begin to see something that kind of looks like a water leak from our homes, that’s the time we feel the need to have them thoroughly checked. Gutters can only do its job of directing water away from our homes if they are clog-free. If they are not properly cleaned, twigs, leaves, seeds and dirt can block the gutter’s duct which will make the water stagnant. This will become a perfect haven for disease-carrying insects and other creepy-crawlies that can pose a serious threat to you and your family’s health. 

Eventually, the environmental obstruction will also lead to overflow that can cause grave and to some extent, irreparable damages to your home. If the water is not channeled correctly, it can get to the foundation of the house and can cause wood to rot. The water can also go as far as running down your pavement and pathways which will cause algae to grow on surface and make a falling hazard. 

Structural damages associated with clogged gutters can be avoided if your gutters are accurately installed and properly maintained. Choosing a guttering system with a gutter guard that will prevent any environmental debris from going through the gutter helps best in eliminating these unwanted hassles.

If you’re looking for more information regarding guttering systems and gutter guards, visit Easy Fall Rainwater Systems.


Saturday, July 23, 2011

A Homeowner’s Guide to Gutter Guards

Rain gutters will not be able to perform their role in gathering water pouring from the roof away from your home if you don’t keep them clean. Environmental debris like leaves, seeds and bird droppings can clog the gutter system. If the gutters are not working properly, a string of problems will arise from mold, leaking basements and permanent water damages in the foundation and undersides of your homes.
Gutters, like any other home fixture, necessitate regular maintenance. Whether you want to do it by yourself or you prefer to hire professional guttering personnel to get the job done, it is important that your gutters will be cleaned at least twice a year. If your house is located in the suburbs or if you have a lot of trees surrounding your house, then it should be more than the said general guideline.
Today, the guttering industry continues to develop both traditional and innovative solutions to lessen the physical and monetary hassles brought by regular gutter maintenance. One of the most effective solutions chosen by a large number of homeowners is the installation of gutter guards.
So, what are gutter guards?
As the name implies, gutter guards are the solution to a gutter full of debris. They are the answer to overflowing gutters and spillage of water into the rafters which may damage your roofing and soffits. It shields your home from leaves, pine needles, and dirt from clogging up your gutter while letting the water flow through easily.
How do gutter guards really work?

Gutter guards use a screen meshing or a leaf guard that traps the leaves and other debris while allowing the water to pour down into the downspout with ease. The trapped leaves will eventually dry up and the wind will carry them away from your roof. A leaf strainer can also be mounted into the opening of your downspouts as an added protection for similar clogging and blocking of the waterway.
Installing gutter guards are easy and no tools are necessary. They can be fitted into a pre-existing gutter and they will not be visible from the ground so they won’t spoil the overall look and style of your home’s exterior.
To save from spending money on repairs and damage control, invest on a gutter guard today. They will maintain your gutter for you and will make your life worry-free. You’ll be thankful for it in the fall season!
Looking for a new gutter guard for your home? Easy Fall Rainwater Systems developed a new leaf guard that can be fitted over your existing gutter.

Monday, July 4, 2011

Tips When Hiring Professional Guttering Installer


High time for a new gutter installation? Here are some very important bits of advice that will be of great help in learning about what should be considered, from start to finish when hiring gutter system installer.


What is paramount is finding a highly-recommended gutter installer company or individual if you wish to get value from your hard-earned money. But that is not everything.


Experience in Roofing
A well-skilled installer will help you select the best kind of gutter system you need. You'll find a variety of materials and designs, which can be utterly confusing. There are systems that have been developed with low maintenance in mind. Leaves and larger rubbish are kept out of the gutter by a revolutionary new system called Leaf Guard. With this innovation, leaves remain dry and most are blown away by the wind.  They can be fitted over your existing guttering. An experience roofer will definitely let you know that this is one of the best guttering systems there is.


Licensed Contractor
Please do comparison shopping - you can either hire a roofing company or a guttering system installer company. But please make sure to not be scammed by checking out their license, anyone can tell you that they are licensed installers but are actually not. Beware of installers who send you cheap quotes, they may not be licensed installers as they actually advertise themselves to be.


Professional roofing contractors are always licensed, and may be listed with the local Plumbing Industry Commission. By checking with this agency, you can be assured in finding contractor with ample installation experience. Licensed guttering installation contractors must be able to provide you with warranty coverage as well. Please ask for this at the time you sign the contract.


A licensed guttering system installer is also likely to be associated with or familiar with quality brands, manufacturers and installation procedures. Many roofing manufacturers train installers that use their products in order to familiarize them with the design and features of their products. As a result, the installer is more adept at their job, able to balance the intricacies between the art and science of gutter installation.


Gutter Replacement Costs
If you have done your homework, researching for the top quality but reasonably priced guttering system materials, this can help reduce replacement costs. You might also want to look for a local contractor so the transportation cost can be considerably reduced as well.

Sunday, May 29, 2011

The Importance of Gutters

Most folks are taking gutters for granted. Believe it or not, rain gutters play a very important role in your homes. Its main purpose is to gather the water that pours out of your roof and divert it to the ground away from certain parts of your house. Managing rainwater helps prevent water damage thereby keeping home repairs at a minimum.
Without a guttering system, constant dripping of rainwater from the roof can damage even cemented walkways and footpaths, not to mention any landscaping you may have around the house. The flow of rainwater from the roofs may also splatter on the undersides of your home, which can mar the surface and, in the long run, may be the cause of mold and mildew growth. Mold does not only ruin the overall aesthetics of your home’s exterior but it has been found to cause many health hazards like heightened vulnerability to colds and flu, sinus infections, allergic reactions and can trigger asthma attacks.
Water not guided by a gutter may likely penetrate the interior walls and seep into the basement. A lot of lasting damage can be the result of basement flooding, including the loss of any item that might have been stored inside. Even though waterproofed materials can be used for the walls, this cannot keep the excess water from leaking into the basement. Drainage is the key to avoiding this. A rain gutter with a downspout is the most cost-saving solution to basement flooding.
The biggest concern of homeowners in investing for a suitable gutter is that it can avert water damage of a house’s foundation. Over time, rainwater falling from your roof will find its way to the foundation of your home and may erode the soil below the footing. The erosion of the soil will make the foundation uneven and the concrete on which your house is built may crack. Repairs on this kind of damage to your home mean a great deal of money and will take a lot of time for it to be finished. Having a rain gutter installed is definitely one of the most valuable home improvement projects you undertake

Wednesday, April 27, 2011

The Benefits of PVC Gutters

Gutters play a very important role in the overall well being and preservation of your homes. They properly direct water away from your house to avoid damage from moist exposure and flooding outside your house.


You have different options when it comes to choosing the type of material to use in making your gutters. Among the familiar types would be copper, aluminum, steel and wood. However, the most popular one is PVC.



There are many benefits in using PVC or Polyvinyl chloride for their rain gutters. One of the primary reasons would be its strength. PVC can withstand water, snow, debris and other masses better than their metal counterparts because it is biologically and chemically resistant making it very suitable in places with varying temperatures and extreme weather. This brings us to another benefit of it being maintenance free. PVC is a standalone material that doesn’t have to be painted to avoid rust because it’s water resistant which means it will not rust or corrode at all. 


PVC is lightweight which makes it very easy to work with. Installation is trouble free because they snap together without difficulty. Another benefit would be its flexibility. PVC materials nowadays are being plasticized by combining them with various additives to make it elastic and expandable. It is made to bend with weight without the shape being distorted or bent permanently which is the case with metal gutters. Dents and bending will no longer be an issue. Lastly, PVC gutters costs less than other gutter materials that’s why it is preferred by most household.


Overall, the gutter material that will suit your home should be strong, flexible and cost effective. PVC gutters seem to have covered all these factors. Then again, you may perhaps hit upon a different type of material that will be more appropriate with the aspects or features that you’re looking for.