Cyber-Bully: a person or organization that purposely misleads consumers as to the quality of a product or service by manipulating search engines or providing fictitious negative content.
I know of a company that has had some serious issues which have put them at the disadvantage of their competitors. Instead of resolving the issues, they have spent money to bury the negative issues and complaints so that they don’t show up until the 40th page on internet searches and therefore are less likely to be seen. On top of it, this same company has been sponsoring websites showing past competitor’s product issues and improperly insinuating that these products are still in existence and being sold.
Some consumer websites are not there to protect the consumer but to provide entertainment and ultimately sell ads.
Reading negative reviews or gossip is fun. Unfortunately many businesses are unfairly hurt. The hosts of these consumer websites accept no responsibility as they don’t write the content. They make their money off of advertisements once the site becomes popular. They have no concerns on the accuracy or the consequences of the content. Legitimate issues are buried in with angry and unreasonable customers, disgruntled employees, or competitors. Anyone hiding under a cloak of anonymity can write whatever they want without recourse.
Angry rebuttals add to the content and ironically may even drive more traffic to these websites. Sometimes the content becomes almost like a soap opera and subsequently may attract a regular following. Even if the content is a lie, the company being negatively reviewed is hopelessly tarnished.
The owners of these websites state they have no control over the content, but consider this: These websites depend on advertisements for their revenue. Do you think they will publish negative reviews of their sponsors? You can draw your own conclusions.
On the flipside where does the consumer go to find unbiased and legitimate information about products and services?
You can’t always believe what you read and you need to check out several sources to get an idea of the truth. Keep in mind as you are reading reviews that every product has some sort of caveat and all companies make mistakes from time to time. The important issue is if the problem is properly resolved.
There are some legitimate websites that are unbiased. You want to look for the following;
• Absence of Advertisements
• No anonymous contributors
• System for proper resolutions and rebuttals.
• Unbiased Rating System
• Monetary commitment on the part of the consumers and vendors.
The Better Business Bureau and Angie’s List are excellent sources to check out.
The Better Business Bureau recently came under fire for giving preferential treatment to members and has since reconciled these issues. They have come back as a more credible source. Here are the components to their program:
• Vendors have to pay a significant sum and agree to abide by the BBB rules of arbitration.
• Company background and history is published on the BBB website.
• Consumers don’t have to pay to research companies on the BBB website.
• BBB has an unbiased and well explained rating system.
• Report details years in business, number of complaints within last three years, and the resolution of the complaints.
• Complaints are screened for their validity and accuracy.
Angie’s List complements the BBB Listing and is a reliable source of information.
• Consumers pay a membership fee for the privilege of making complaints and viewing reports.
• All vendors are allowed to view complaints against them and provide resolution and rebuttal on the website.
• Vendors are rated on a variety of criteria.
• Complaints are screened for their validity and accuracy, and there is no anonymity.
This time of year is a major challenge for gutter cover contractors in the northern climate. With the onset of winter, service issues arise from angry homeowners complaining of the formation of icicles in areas that never used to have ice build-up.
Without gutter protection, icicles on the gutter are caused by snow melt accumulating in the gutters and down spouts, and overflowing the gutters.
With gutter protection, the ice doesn’t have to fill the gutters and down spouts before it overflows as icicles. Snow melting off of the roof flows over the cold eave and then hits the cold metal of the leaf guard where it freezes.
Systems such as gutter screen inserts in the gutter and fascia mounted products commonly referred as “All in One” gutter / gutter guards have exaggerated ice issues. The transition of snow melt coming off the roof is abrupt as the ice falls on to the gutter toppers and splatters breaking into smaller drops. Smaller drops are more likely to freeze and the ice is spread out more from the splashing snow melt. Worse, the mounting of gutter screen inserts and “All in One” gutter protectors positions the accumulated layers of ice underneath the first row of shingles.
Systems that mount over the first row of shingles protect ice from getting under the shingles, but they still get their share of ice build up.
A proactive stance is for the gutter cap contractor to explain that their product is to avoid gutter cleaning by preventing leaf debris from getting into the gutters, not to prevent icicle formation. Some companies do a very thorough job. For example, the “All in One” gutter guards admit the issue of icicle formation in their warranty. All products will have some drawbacks and consumers appreciate sales reps that don’t “sugar coat” potential issues. It’s better to warn the consumer than to try to explain later why they weren’t given the information about a potential pit fall.
For some gutter cap contractors, ice formation is not an issue due to improvements in gutter heating with self regulating heat cables. Self regulating heat cables are a dramatic improvement over heat tape and wires which rely on constant wattage and could start on fire. Self regulating heat cables gently heat leaf guards, seamless gutters, and down spouts. They are a viable solution to excessive ice formation.
Careful consideration needs to be taken for initial cost of installation and energy cost. You need to research the company doing the installation. There are no short cuts to installing these systems. Proper procedures using proper components during the installation phase are critical for an effective system. Be wary of low cost providers and always ask for references of past heater cable jobs.
Additional Resources
The Hazards of Ice in Your Gutters
The Failure of the Cold Roof Concept
This Post Is From GutterRoof.com’s Gutter Protection Article Section
This time of year is a major challenge for gutter cover contractors in the northern climate. With the onset of winter, service issues arise from angry homeowners complaining of the formation of icicles in areas that never used to have ice build-up.
Without gutter protection, icicles on the gutter are caused by snow melt accumulating in the gutters and down spouts, and overflowing the gutters.
With gutter protection, the ice doesn’t have to fill the gutters and down spouts before it overflows as icicles. Snow melting off of the roof flows over the cold eave and then hits the cold metal of the leaf guard where it freezes.
Systems such as gutter screen inserts in the gutter and fascia mounted products commonly referred as “All in One” gutter / gutter guards have exaggerated ice issues. The transition of snow melt coming off the roof is abrupt as the ice falls on to the gutter toppers and splatters breaking into smaller drops. Smaller drops are more likely to freeze and the ice is spread out more from the splashing snow melt. Worse, the mounting of gutter screen inserts and “All in One” gutter protectors positions the accumulated layers of ice underneath the first row of shingles.
Systems that mount over the first row of shingles protect ice from getting under the shingles, but they still get their share of ice build up.
A proactive stance is for the gutter cap contractor to explain that their product is to avoid gutter cleaning by preventing leaf debris from getting into the gutters, not to prevent icicle formation. Some companies do a very thorough job. For example, the “All in One” gutter guards admit the issue of icicle formation in their warranty. All products will have some drawbacks and consumers appreciate sales reps that don’t “sugar coat” potential issues. It’s better to warn the consumer than to try to explain later why they weren’t given the information about a potential pit fall.
For some gutter cap contractors, ice formation is not an issue due to improvements in gutter heating with self regulating heat cables. Self regulating heat cables are a dramatic improvement over heat tape and wires which rely on constant wattage and could start on fire. Self regulating heat cables gently heat leaf guards, seamless gutters, and down spouts. They are a viable solution to excessive ice formation.
Careful consideration needs to be taken for initial cost of installation and energy cost. You need to research the company doing the installation. There are no short cuts to installing these systems. Proper procedures using proper components during the installation phase are critical for an effective system. Be wary of low cost providers and always ask for references of past heater cable jobs.
Additional Resources
The Hazards of Ice in Your Gutters
The Failure of the Cold Roof Concept
This Post Is From GutterRoof.com’s Gutter Protection Article Section
This time of year is a major challenge for gutter cover contractors in the northern climate. With the onset of winter, service issues arise from angry homeowners complaining of the formation of icicles in areas that never used to have ice build-up.
Without gutter protection, icicles on the gutter are caused by snow melt accumulating in the gutters and down spouts, and overflowing the gutters.
With gutter protection, the ice doesn’t have to fill the gutters and down spouts before it overflows as icicles. Snow melting off of the roof flows over the cold eave and then hits the cold metal of the leaf guard where it freezes.
Systems such as gutter screen inserts in the gutter and fascia mounted products commonly referred as “All in One” gutter / gutter guards have exaggerated ice issues. The transition of snow melt coming off the roof is abrupt as the ice falls on to the gutter toppers and splatters breaking into smaller drops. Smaller drops are more likely to freeze and the ice is spread out more from the splashing snow melt. Worse, the mounting of gutter screen inserts and “All in One” gutter protectors positions the accumulated layers of ice underneath the first row of shingles.
Systems that mount over the first row of shingles protect ice from getting under the shingles, but they still get their share of ice build up.
A proactive stance is for the gutter cap contractor to explain that their product is to avoid gutter cleaning by preventing leaf debris from getting into the gutters, not to prevent icicle formation. Some companies do a very thorough job. For example, the “All in One” gutter guards admit the issue of icicle formation in their warranty. All products will have some drawbacks and consumers appreciate sales reps that don’t “sugar coat” potential issues. It’s better to warn the consumer than to try to explain later why they weren’t given the information about a potential pit fall.
For some gutter cap contractors, ice formation is not an issue due to improvements in gutter heating with self regulating heat cables. Self regulating heat cables are a dramatic improvement over heat tape and wires which rely on constant wattage and could start on fire. Self regulating heat cables gently heat leaf guards, seamless gutters, and down spouts. They are a viable solution to excessive ice formation.
Careful consideration needs to be taken for initial cost of installation and energy cost. You need to research the company doing the installation. There are no short cuts to installing these systems. Proper procedures using proper components during the installation phase are critical for an effective system. Be wary of low cost providers and always ask for references of past heater cable jobs.
Additional Resources
The Hazards of Ice in Your Gutters
The Failure of the Cold Roof Concept
This Post Is From GutterRoof.com’s Gutter Protection Article Section
Snow melting off the roof causes glaciers of ice cascading down forming massive icicles commonly referred to as ice dams. Ice dams create a hazard from falling ice and refreezing ice melt on walkways. The roof and other structures of the home are damaged by water getting in cracks and openings and then refreezing.
Early attempts to hold the snow on the roof was done with snow guards. Snow guards are hooks mounted all over the roof to hold the snow in place. Many of them are decorative. The pitfalls of snow guards were that the large accumulation of snow provided an insulating area on the roof to which the bottom portion was melted by heat rising from the home and warming the roof.
Have you ever wondered why you have vents in your soffit (eaves) and roof? It seems like it would make the home less efficient and drafty. But if you have ever been up in your attic, you will see that there is a very thick layer of insulation between the rafters. Back in the 1970S, an R value of R-19 to R -30 would have been the norm, but newer homes today typically have R-49 to R-70. While the insulation does keep the heat in the home, its most important job is to create a cold barrier between the roof and the ceiling. This is called the “Cold Roof Design”. The benefits from a cold roof design are extended life of the shingles (prevents overheating) and the prevention of ice dams on the bottom edge of the roof and gutters. The purpose of a cold roof is to prevent snow melting off the roof until the spring thaw when ice damming is less likely to occur.
No system is goof proof. Despite all precautions, homes in the northern climate get ice dams. There is no way to get around icicle formation with an ice storm. Freezing rain is going to cause problems. Snow melting occurs even with the best designed cold roof systems. Shed style roofs (dormers are absent and eaves are on both sides of home) have the least problems. Complicated roofs with multiple dormers have the worst problems because warm air becomes trapped in the back of the dormer. There are a variety of other issues that can contribute to ice damming. The orientation of roof, color, and slope are all a factor in the degree of icicle formation. Dark colored roofs absorb the heat and melt the snow, while light colored roofs reflect the heat away.
Roof vents breathe out warm air and cause snow melting on the roof. There are a variety of reasons as to why warm air is coming out from the supposedly cold barrier between the ceiling and roof. Warm air leaches from the home below from many exit points in the ceiling. Exit points in the ceiling include plumbing vents, bathroom fan vents, attic hatches, recessed lights, and other electrical fixtures. The wooden rafters which compose 10% of the ceiling are not insulated and transfer heat into the attic. Some of the air will heat the roof, while a great deal will spew out the roof vents and melt the snow. Occasionally, the roof vents will become covered with an insulating layer of snow. The trapped air will then melt the roof at a faster pace.
A fire in the fire place lends a comfy feeling to the home. A heated chimney will also melt the snow around it.
A thaw in the middle of the winter can cause problems by warm air being drawn into the soffit vents where it heats up the roof or melts the areas around the roof vents.
The degree of ice damming on the roof will be determined by the style of roof, color, orientation, and other variables warming the roof. Shed roofs will possess the most efficient cold roof system, but most roofs will need some sort of deicing to prevent excessive ice damming issues.
-
Additional Resources
The Hazards of Ice in Your Gutters
Formation of Ice Dams
This Post Is From GutterRoof.com’s Gutter Protection Article Section
Snow melting off the roof causes glaciers of ice cascading down forming massive icicles commonly referred to as ice dams. Ice dams create a hazard from falling ice and refreezing ice melt on walkways. The roof and other structures of the home are damaged by water getting in cracks and openings and then refreezing.
Early attempts to hold the snow on the roof was done with snow guards. Snow guards are hooks mounted all over the roof to hold the snow in place. Many of them are decorative. The pitfalls of snow guards were that the large accumulation of snow provided an insulating area on the roof to which the bottom portion was melted by heat rising from the home and warming the roof.
Have you ever wondered why you have vents in your soffit (eaves) and roof? It seems like it would make the home less efficient and drafty. But if you have ever been up in your attic, you will see that there is a very thick layer of insulation between the rafters. Back in the 1970S, an R value of R-19 to R -30 would have been the norm, but newer homes today typically have R-49 to R-70. While the insulation does keep the heat in the home, its most important job is to create a cold barrier between the roof and the ceiling. This is called the “Cold Roof Design”. The benefits from a cold roof design are extended life of the shingles (prevents overheating) and the prevention of ice dams on the bottom edge of the roof and gutters. The purpose of a cold roof is to prevent snow melting off the roof until the spring thaw when ice damming is less likely to occur.
No system is goof proof. Despite all precautions, homes in the northern climate get ice dams. There is no way to get around icicle formation with an ice storm. Freezing rain is going to cause problems. Snow melting occurs even with the best designed cold roof systems. Shed style roofs (dormers are absent and eaves are on both sides of home) have the least problems. Complicated roofs with multiple dormers have the worst problems because warm air becomes trapped in the back of the dormer. There are a variety of other issues that can contribute to ice damming. The orientation of roof, color, and slope are all a factor in the degree of icicle formation. Dark colored roofs absorb the heat and melt the snow, while light colored roofs reflect the heat away.
Roof vents breathe out warm air and cause snow melting on the roof. There are a variety of reasons as to why warm air is coming out from the supposedly cold barrier between the ceiling and roof. Warm air leaches from the home below from many exit points in the ceiling. Exit points in the ceiling include plumbing vents, bathroom fan vents, attic hatches, recessed lights, and other electrical fixtures. The wooden rafters which compose 10% of the ceiling are not insulated and transfer heat into the attic. Some of the air will heat the roof, while a great deal will spew out the roof vents and melt the snow. Occasionally, the roof vents will become covered with an insulating layer of snow. The trapped air will then melt the roof at a faster pace.
A fire in the fire place lends a comfy feeling to the home. A heated chimney will also melt the snow around it.
A thaw in the middle of the winter can cause problems by warm air being drawn into the soffit vents where it heats up the roof or melts the areas around the roof vents.
The degree of ice damming on the roof will be determined by the style of roof, color, orientation, and other variables warming the roof. Shed roofs will possess the most efficient cold roof system, but most roofs will need some sort of deicing to prevent excessive ice damming issues.
-
Additional Resources
The Hazards of Ice in Your Gutters
Formation of Ice Dams
This Post Is From GutterRoof.com’s Gutter Protection Article Section
Snow melting off the roof causes glaciers of ice cascading down forming massive icicles commonly referred to as ice dams. Ice dams create a hazard from falling ice and refreezing ice melt on walkways. The roof and other structures of the home are damaged by water getting in cracks and openings and then refreezing.
Early attempts to hold the snow on the roof was done with snow guards. Snow guards are hooks mounted all over the roof to hold the snow in place. Many of them are decorative. The pitfalls of snow guards were that the large accumulation of snow provided an insulating area on the roof to which the bottom portion was melted by heat rising from the home and warming the roof.
Have you ever wondered why you have vents in your soffit (eaves) and roof? It seems like it would make the home less efficient and drafty. But if you have ever been up in your attic, you will see that there is a very thick layer of insulation between the rafters. Back in the 1970S, an R value of R-19 to R -30 would have been the norm, but newer homes today typically have R-49 to R-70. While the insulation does keep the heat in the home, its most important job is to create a cold barrier between the roof and the ceiling. This is called the “Cold Roof Design”. The benefits from a cold roof design are extended life of the shingles (prevents overheating) and the prevention of ice dams on the bottom edge of the roof and gutters. The purpose of a cold roof is to prevent snow melting off the roof until the spring thaw when ice damming is less likely to occur.
No system is goof proof. Despite all precautions, homes in the northern climate get ice dams. There is no way to get around icicle formation with an ice storm. Freezing rain is going to cause problems. Snow melting occurs even with the best designed cold roof systems. Shed style roofs (dormers are absent and eaves are on both sides of home) have the least problems. Complicated roofs with multiple dormers have the worst problems because warm air becomes trapped in the back of the dormer. There are a variety of other issues that can contribute to ice damming. The orientation of roof, color, and slope are all a factor in the degree of icicle formation. Dark colored roofs absorb the heat and melt the snow, while light colored roofs reflect the heat away.
Roof vents breathe out warm air and cause snow melting on the roof. There are a variety of reasons as to why warm air is coming out from the supposedly cold barrier between the ceiling and roof. Warm air leaches from the home below from many exit points in the ceiling. Exit points in the ceiling include plumbing vents, bathroom fan vents, attic hatches, recessed lights, and other electrical fixtures. The wooden rafters which compose 10% of the ceiling are not insulated and transfer heat into the attic. Some of the air will heat the roof, while a great deal will spew out the roof vents and melt the snow. Occasionally, the roof vents will become covered with an insulating layer of snow. The trapped air will then melt the roof at a faster pace.
A fire in the fire place lends a comfy feeling to the home. A heated chimney will also melt the snow around it.
A thaw in the middle of the winter can cause problems by warm air being drawn into the soffit vents where it heats up the roof or melts the areas around the roof vents.
The degree of ice damming on the roof will be determined by the style of roof, color, orientation, and other variables warming the roof. Shed roofs will possess the most efficient cold roof system, but most roofs will need some sort of deicing to prevent excessive ice damming issues.
-
Additional Resources
The Hazards of Ice in Your Gutters
Formation of Ice Dams
This Post Is From GutterRoof.com’s Gutter Protection Article Section
It’s that time of year again with plenty of snow and ice in the northern climates. It is also this time of year that home owners have to deal with the formation of ice dams and the damage and hazards that ice dams create.
Ice dams are caused by snow melting down the roof and flowing over the eave and on to the gutter. The lack of heat under the eave, and the cold metal of the gutter, refreezes the snow melt. The ice builds up in layers until it becomes a dam, trapping water on the warm part of the roof that doesn’t freeze.
Ice melts from the bottom and the water is hidden under a snow pack under the roof. Awareness of the problem occurs too late when ice gets under the roof shingles, creates an opening, and causes leaks in the ceiling. Ice dams cause damaged soffit and fascia, sagging gutters, torn shingles, and peeling paint from wood or fiber cement siding.
Falling icicles is an issue as well. A block of falling ice can do considerable damage to objects or people below.
Walk ways become hazardous with snow melt coming off of the ice dam and refreezing on the side walk or driveway.
The effects of ice damming can be minimized by use of snow guards, proper roof ventilation, addition of attic insulation, and some sort of deicing in the gutters and on the roof.
-
Additional Resources
The Hazards of Ice in the Gutters
The Failure of the Cold Roof Concept
This Post Is From GutterRoof.com’s Gutter Protection Article Section
It’s that time of year again with plenty of snow and ice in the northern climates. It is also this time of year that home owners have to deal with the formation of ice dams and the damage and hazards that ice dams create.
Ice dams are caused by snow melting down the roof and flowing over the eave and on to the gutter. The lack of heat under the eave, and the cold metal of the gutter, refreezes the snow melt. The ice builds up in layers until it becomes a dam, trapping water on the warm part of the roof that doesn’t freeze.
Ice melts from the bottom and the water is hidden under a snow pack under the roof. Awareness of the problem occurs too late when ice gets under the roof shingles, creates an opening, and causes leaks in the ceiling. Ice dams cause damaged soffit and fascia, sagging gutters, torn shingles, and peeling paint from wood or fiber cement siding.
Falling icicles is an issue as well. A block of falling ice can do considerable damage to objects or people below.
Walk ways become hazardous with snow melt coming off of the ice dam and refreezing on the side walk or driveway.
The effects of ice damming can be minimized by use of snow guards, proper roof ventilation, addition of attic insulation, and some sort of deicing in the gutters and on the roof.
-
Additional Resources
The Hazards of Ice in the Gutters
The Failure of the Cold Roof Concept
This Post Is From GutterRoof.com’s Gutter Protection Article Section
It’s that time of year again with plenty of snow and ice in the northern climates. It is also this time of year that home owners have to deal with the formation of ice dams and the damage and hazards that ice dams create.
Ice dams are caused by snow melting down the roof and flowing over the eave and on to the gutter. The lack of heat under the eave, and the cold metal of the gutter, refreezes the snow melt. The ice builds up in layers until it becomes a dam, trapping water on the warm part of the roof that doesn’t freeze.
Ice melts from the bottom and the water is hidden under a snow pack under the roof. Awareness of the problem occurs too late when ice gets under the roof shingles, creates an opening, and causes leaks in the ceiling. Ice dams cause damaged soffit and fascia, sagging gutters, torn shingles, and peeling paint from wood or fiber cement siding.
Falling icicles is an issue as well. A block of falling ice can do considerable damage to objects or people below.
Walk ways become hazardous with snow melt coming off of the ice dam and refreezing on the side walk or driveway.
The effects of ice damming can be minimized by use of snow guards, proper roof ventilation, addition of attic insulation, and some sort of deicing in the gutters and on the roof.
-
Additional Resources
The Hazards of Ice in the Gutters
The Failure of the Cold Roof Concept
This Post Is From GutterRoof.com’s Gutter Protection Article Section
If the gutter is lined up with the roof line, then water tends to flow over the gutter end cap and through the process of water surface tension follow down the gutters, to the fascia, soffit, and down the siding of the home. Water damage is very common in this area.
Gutters should extend past the roof line a couple of inches to catch the rain water coming off the edge of the roof instead of trickling down the side of your home. More often than not, the gutters are not positioned properly at the ends of the run.
This problem needs to be taken into account when installing gutter guards because, the problem if unattended, will become much worse. Here are some solutions:
• Position the gutters to go past the roof line if the gutters are being replaced.
• You can extend the section of gutter by adding a outside miter that will wrap around the edge of the roof and is more likely to catch the dripping from the sides of the roof edge.
• The edge of the first row of roof shingles can be shimmed slightly to direct the flow of water away from the edge and on to the gutters.
• A diverter can be put up on the roof to direct the flow of water back on to the gutters.
If you see that you have this issue with your gutters, be sure to ask your gutter cover contractor how their installation will deal with the overflowing water at these points.
Additional Resources
The Perfect Gutter Cover
Trouble in the Roof Valleys
This Post Is From GutterRoof.com’s Gutter Protection Article Section
If the gutter is lined up with the roof line, then water tends to flow over the gutter end cap and through the process of water surface tension follow down the gutters, to the fascia, soffit, and down the siding of the home. Water damage is very common in this area.
Gutters should extend past the roof line a couple of inches to catch the rain water coming off the edge of the roof instead of trickling down the side of your home. More often than not, the gutters are not positioned properly at the ends of the run.
This problem needs to be taken into account when installing gutter guards because, the problem if unattended, will become much worse. Here are some solutions:
• Position the gutters to go past the roof line if the gutters are being replaced.
• You can extend the section of gutter by adding a outside miter that will wrap around the edge of the roof and is more likely to catch the dripping from the sides of the roof edge.
• The edge of the first row of roof shingles can be shimmed slightly to direct the flow of water away from the edge and on to the gutters.
• A diverter can be put up on the roof to direct the flow of water back on to the gutters.
If you see that you have this issue with your gutters, be sure to ask your gutter cover contractor how their installation will deal with the overflowing water at these points.
Additional Resources
The Perfect Gutter Cover
Trouble in the Roof Valleys
This Post Is From GutterRoof.com’s Gutter Protection Article Section
Decide what is important to you for your water management system and research it properly. Research the installing company carefully. Spend what you need to get the system that fits your criteria and do it as soon as possible to avoid further damage to your home.
Homeowners make three big mistakes when purchasing home improvement products.
• Wrong Product: Home owner doesn’t get enough information to distinguish between various products and relies on lowest price. Consequently, the product doesn’t live up to their expectations.
• Wrong Company: Home owner purchases a quality product and it is negated by improper installation or failure to stand behind the product. Consequently, the product fails to live up to their expectations.
• Not Do Anything: Home owner doesn’t get enough information to feel comfortable about buying anything. Consequently, the problem gets much worse and more expensive to fix.
Do your research.
This is the age of information. The internet has made it possible to efficiently research any product or company before a consumer spends a dime. The key here is to determine what you are looking for and to take the time to do the research. It’s okay and very common to find new criteria during the course of your research. We often make new decisions based off of new information. Here are some very basic guidelines to look for in an effective gutter protection system.
The home’s water management system, in this case, gutters, downspouts, and gutter protection must channel all of the water off the roof, into the gutters, and away from the home. This must be accomplished without clogging. The system needs to be durable so that it doesn’t need to be replaced every couple of years. It shouldn’t require maintenance on the part of the homeowner, as it is in many cases, purchased primarily to keep the homeowner off of the ladder. It should not devalue your home by creating an eyesore on your roof. The product should be installed by true factory trained and certified installers. The system should be backed up by a no nonsense guaranty without any fine print.
If you can find a system that encompasses all of these criteria, then you will have purchased an effective system.
This Post Is From GutterRoof.com’s Gutter Protection Article Section
6” gutters and 3” x 4” down spouts are not a permanent solution, but may minimize issues caused by clogged gutters. The proper choice of gutter protection will permanently solve the problem in most cases.
We know that in order to protect your home, you need to have free flowing gutters. Based on what we know it is not a good idea for either you or somebody else to clean the gutters. So what are the options?
6” Oversized Gutters
Larger gutters are popular down south where the rain is excessive. For the rest of the nation it’s overkill. However, in areas where a large expanse of roof drains into a small gutter, it is a good idea. In severe situations where the gutter is 2 feet or less, a scupper would be a better fix for the problem. A scupper is essentially a large square bucket that holds a large volume of water due to its depth.
Oversized down spouts
Adding 3” x 4” oversize downspouts make more sense in any part of the country. In excessive rain areas, it helps the already stressed gutters handle draining water out of the system quicker.
It serves the same purpose in the northern climates with an added benefit of minimizing ice formation in the gutter. It takes longer for ice to build up in the larger 3×4 down spouts to work its way up to the gutters and then overflow. However, you will still have the issue of ice build up due to snow accumulating in the gutters and the layering of refreezing ice melt coming off of the roof.
Gutter Protection
Larger gutters and down spouts may help issues with water overflow, but they will not eliminate the problem. Moderate amount of trees can still clog the larger gutters and down spouts. In most cases you need to cover the gutters to complete the water management system. Please read the additional articles to help you choose the system that best suits your needs.
This Post Is From GutterRoof.com’s Gutter Protection Article Section
When you look at the various metal dome cover gutter protection systems, they all look very similar. But there are subtle differences that make a big difference in effectiveness. Gutter Cap’s design has earned a proven performance record since the patent was first granted in 1993. Over the years, we have learned from our own experiences and from the mistakes of our competition to make improvements in our system.
We knew that even though a squared-off nose configuration was less expensive and easier to make, a fully rounded nose configuration will get more water into the gutter without rain flyover.
Most of the gutter protection systems have the nose aligned with the inside lip of the gutter. Unfortunately, debris bounces on the gutter lip and into the trough. If the nose is aligned past the outside lip of the gutter, then there is the issue of inconsequential drips after a rain. So we chose the best of both worlds and aligned the nose flush with the outside lip of the gutter. Consequently, we minimized incidental debris bouncing on the gutter lip and getting into the gutter, and drips after the rain stops.
High profile systems use brackets for installation. The use of brackets raises the gutter protection up from the gutter making it more noticeable on the roof line. We had a difficult experience with designs using clumsy brackets because it was hard to get proper nose placement when you are making adjustments every 5 feet. So we opted for a low profile design that attaches to the lip of the gutter and follows the contour of the roof. Low profile systems are easy to mount, blend in better with the roof line, and can be mounted to more roofs than systems using brackets. Adjustments can be made every 18 inches so it is easy to follow a run of gutters that has been distorted by normal house settling.
Low profile systems do have some drawbacks. A low profile system requires slots to allow incidental debris that might get blown into the trough to get flushed out. There are several systems with slots 2” or less. These systems work well in area of light debris, but fail miserably in areas with moderate to high volume of debris. Most of these small slot systems have disclaimers in their warranties requiring that the homeowner flush out the trough. Flushing out the trough is not acceptable because it requires maintenance that the homeowner was trying to avoid. A serious issue is that flushing out the trough requires balancing on a ladder to get to the second story gutters. This is a problem for homeowners who want to avoid injuries associated with getting up on a ladder.
Our first system had 5 inch slots, but we had some issues in areas of the country with long pine needles. We found that a 7 inch slot was optimal for handling the longest of pine needles.
.019 gauge aluminum panels are a standard of many gutter protection systems. But we had too many problems with panels collapsing under heavy snow loads during the winter, or warping in the hot summer sun. This posed a dilemma. If you use too heavy of a gauge, the panels won’t lay flat and debris can get in under the panels and clog the gutter. We solved the issue by using a .025 aluminum alloy comprised of 10 different elements. Alloys are very strong yet thin enough to lie properly during installation.
We wanted to improve the curb side appearance of the gutter protection. We found the answer with two no-fade finishes; Kynar on the Gutter Cap Premium panel and roof granules finish on the Gutter Cap Stone Coat panel. Both products, especially the Gutter Cap Stone Coat, blend in well with many types of asphalt shingles. The Kynar finish also allows the option to blend in with shake, slate, and half barrel shingles. The homeowners can decide between either finish, both of which will hold their colors for several years.
A great quality product can be negated by a poor installation. We didn’t feel comfortable with installers learning on the customer’s home. We have some proprietary installation techniques that can be only taught in a classroom setting. So we invested in an installation training center at our Chicago facility. Here we have classroom training with three rooms of practical application, with each room getting increasingly harder. Installers have to demonstrate proficiency in a room before moving on to the next room. The factory certification installation training prepares installers for every roof scenario that they would encounter.
Most warranties are designed to protect the manufacturer by use of fine print negating all that was promised in the regular print. Our warranty is very simple and straight forward.
This Post Is From GutterCap.com’s Gutter Protection Article Section
Ice in your gutters can cause a great deal of damage to your roof, gutters and down spouts, and soffit and fascia. In addition, icicles and melting ice coming off the gutters pose a hazard by falling ice and ice melt refreezing on walkways.
There are some solutions that are available, but only a few of them work effectively.
If you can find a way to get the rainwater off of your roof, into your gutters, down the down spouts and onto the grade of the lawn, your home would last forever. What we are talking about here is the home’s water management system, which typically consists of the gutter system and some sort of leaf protection to prevent clogs in the system. In the northern parts of the US this system works well for nine months out of the year. Why? Because frozen water doesn’t flow during the three months of winter.
Ice causes all sorts of problems to your home because when water freezes, it expands and pushes apart various structures. Here are some common areas that are prone to ice damage:
Gutters: Moisture gets in between the gutters and the fascia and separates the gutters from the fascia. The weight of the ice in the gutters and gravity finish the destruction by causing the gutters to fall. The gutters are so distorted by the damage incurred by falling that they can’t be reattached.
Soffit and Fascia: Soffit and fascia are made of thin coil stock. Their purpose is to seal up the wood and prevent having to paint. The thickness of these materials is purely cosmetic and they are not made to support the structure of the home. Subsequently they cannot manage a large weight of ice along side or on top of them. Moisture gets behind the fascia and the freezing water expands, separating the trim from the fascia board. After the thaw, the fascia board can rot out as well. Water sometimes collects dangerously on top of the soffit, freezing and forming huge blocks of ice, and causing the thin soffit panels to collapse. Can you imagine if they were to fall on someone!
Roof: The most common cause of roof damage is ice damming under the first row of shingles coming up from the gutters. Ice forms in the gutters in two ways; it works its way up a narrow downspout, or from snow accumulation in the gutters and subsequent layering of ice melt coming off the roof. Eventually the ice overflows in the gutter. Ice gets an anchor point in the gutter and it literally pries up the first row of shingles where the roof is most vulnerable. After the thaw, it is not uncommon to have broken shingles and leaks in the roof at these critical spots. Roof leaks can cause additional damage in the interior of the home.
Icicles hanging from the Gutters: This situation is a hazard for the people walking below. You have the issue of ice falling on someone. Or much worse, ice melt falls on to walkways and then refreezes. This creates a hazard for people trying to navigate the walkways. A spill on the ice can lead to an expensive hospital bill and an inordinate amount of time spent recovering from the injuries. There is always the potential for a law suit from a neighbor or visitor getting hurt on your property. You may or may not be covered in these instances by your homeowner’s insurance.
There are many solutions available to deal with icing in the gutters. You need to research them carefully as many do not live up to their promises, and some are very dangerous. But there are a few that work quite effectively.
Additional Resources
Inspectapedia: Building & Environmental Inspection, Testing, Diagnosis, Repair, & Problem Prevention Advice
This Post Is From GutterRoof.com’s Gutter Protection Article Section
Cleaning gutters involves getting up on a ladder to heights of 20 feet or more. Falls from heights may result in expensive medical bills, unpaid time off from work, and potential fatalities. Over time the act of cleaning the gutters causes damage to the roof and gutters, which causes premature replacement expenses. A fall from a roof while cleaning gutters may cause an unwanted lawsuit from an uninsured contractor.
At this point in time, many homeowners are still doing it the old fashion way. They are either cleaning the gutters themselves or hire a service. This is better than having clogged gutters, but there are still some issues.
Have you ever walked on the roof? The roof granules are scraped off by your feet. In fact, it’s very hard to walk on the roof without scraping the granules off the shingles. The roof granules serve two purposes; slow the flow of water coming off the roof and protect the life of the shingle. Hence it’s not a good idea to damage the shingles. An average gutter needs to be cleaned a minimum of four times a year. Even if you’re very careful, you’re going to be doing significant damage to your roof.
Then there is the issue of the gutters. Commonly gutters get dented by ladders, and hangars (the support system supporting the gutters on the roof) get pulled off. Sometimes people accidentally step on the gutters while cleaning. In short, the life of your roof and gutters are minimized by frequent cleaning.
For the “Do it yourself” home owner, gutter cleaning is not a pleasant experience. A clogged gutter is typically a smelly, wet mess. There’s usually a mess on the ground to clean up as well. On top of it, many an unwary homeowner has found a hornet’s nest in or around the gutter. Where do you run in a situation like that?
As we get older, and even those in great shape, we lose our sense of balance. This is very dangerous when you are 20 feet or higher. If you fall, what are the chances of getting seriously hurt?
Some people hire a service. These companies charge by the foot. That translates into them making money by doing as much footage as they can per day. Do you think that they are going to be careful with your roof and gutters? Or do you think they will go as fast as they can? After all, the condition of your roof is not a concern to them. It can always be blamed on the roofer or quality of shingle.
A new roof is expensive, therefore cleaning your gutters whether it is you or a service can be potentially more expensive due to damage done to the roof and gutters.
Another concern is insurance. Many contractors that said they have insurance, in reality don’t or have allowed it to lapse. There have been instances of contractors purchasing the insurance once so that they have a document to show the customer and hope that they don’t check the expiration date. Insurance can be as high as 25% of the labor cost. Do you think the guy who is charging $1.00 of foot to clean your gutters is going to allocate 25 cents of it for liability insurance? Most will not be able to afford that expense because it would erode their bottom line to the extent that they couldn’t make a living. Guess who’s responsible if they get hurt?
Any feelings that these uninsured gutter cleaners may have for you and your family goes out the door when there is a potential of getting a large volume of cash to provide for the injured and their family. Personal Injury Lawyers are very aggressive and make a lot of money. PI lawyers work on commission. They are very skilled at finding ways of extracting the money from you.
This Post Is From GutterRoof.com’s Gutter Protection Article Section
When considering installing a gutter guard, the inspection of the roof is a necessary component. If the shingles are brittle or curling, or if the homeowner knows that their 15 Year shingles are now 20 years old, then the roof should be replaced first. This is an important consideration to avoid a removal and reinstallation of gutter guards in the near future.
Gutter covers have to be taken off before a roof is replaced. In order to not void the warranty, you must have the installing company do the removal and reinstallation. Most companies will not be comfortable with warranting other company’s reinstallation of their gutter guards. It is not uncommon for a roofing contractor to volunteer with the best of intentions to remove and reinstall the gutter protection for free. Then when the systems fails and the homeowner calls the original installing company, they find out that the system was reinstalled improperly. In some cases, the system was damaged and unusable due to improper removal and reinstallation.
There usually is a charge for this service. The removal and reinstallation involves the crew to come out twice, once for the removal and again for the reinstallation. The installing company incurs set up fees twice for each service.
Sometimes material has to be replaced. Gutter covers don’t always go back on properly, once they are removed. Sometimes, the color of the roof is changed, so the color of the gutter protection is changed as well requiring all of the panels to be replaced.
There is usually a nominal fee for the removal and reinstallation. A gutter cover contractor has already made a profit on the original installation and usually just covers the cost on materials and labor. Some gutter cover contractors that also do roofing will perform the service at no charge as long as you purchase your new roof from them in the future. This is a good situation if you really need gutter protection, and your roof still has a few years of life left to it.
You can avoid an unpleasant surprise in the future if you consider the condition of your roof before purchasing a gutter protector. You need to plan out what is going to happen when you eventually replace your roof to avoid extra expense or loss of warranty.
This Post Is From GutterRoof.com’s Gutter Protection Article Section
What Are the Advantages and Disadvantages of Available Water Management Systems?
Some systems make your gutters less effective by lowering the volume of water that gutters can handle. In addition, these systems get clogged as well.
Volume Stealers:
There are some systems that are placed into the gutter. They can be made of sponge-like material, bristle brush (similar to bottle cleaners), or a thick mesh. They are designed to take up space to keep debris out of the gutters but let the water in.
In essence, these systems pre-clog your gutters. A one foot section of 5” gutter handles 1.75 gallons of water. If you take up 50% to 80% of the volume of the gutter, then you are limiting the volume of water that your gutters can handle. What happens in a down pour? Your 5” gutter is now a 2.5” or with some systems, 1”. Would you install a 1” gutter on your home? Of course not, a 1” gutter would only be practical if you lived in the desert.
The other problem is that debris will sit on top of these systems and mesh together. When that happens, water isn’t going to go into your gutter anyway. Some of these systems advertise that they come out for easy cleaning. This requires the use of a ladder and defeats the purpose for those homeowners who purchased it to stay off the ladder.
Your ultimate goal is to get more water into your gutters. It isn’t going to happen with these products.
Vertical-Hole Systems collect debris on top and then water flows over your gutters. Many of these systems add more maintenance that what you would have had with just clogged gutters. Some of these systems are so flimsy that they blow off or worse cause damage to your roof.
Vertical Hole Products:
Vertical-Hole Systems are any type of gutter protection that has vertical holes for the water to drain through on the cover. These products are made of vinyl, wire, and aluminum.
In essence, they are all mesh systems. When you think mesh, think of debris meshing together. That is exactly what is going to happen. Debris will sit on top of these systems, get wet, and then stick to the holes in the mesh. And it doesn’t matter how fine the mesh is. Look at the thin mesh on the lint trap of your dryer. Does the debris collect there?
Anyone who has put down mulch in the garden will know that the organic material eventually knits together. That is the same process that will happen on the mesh systems.
When the debris meshes together, then it will be worse than having no gutter protection. The water will overflow at these points.
These systems are high maintenance. Cleaning these systems involves getting up on a ladder, removing the mesh, cleaning out the small debris in the gutter, hosing off the mesh panels, and then reinstalling them.
Some of the flimsier systems cause additional problems. Heat and cold will cause the panels to contract and expand. Some panels bow up while others will bow down. Debris can easily get into the gutters at this point. Commonly, the panels will blow off. Much worse, sometimes, debris will form a dam behind a bowed up panel, trapping water which causes damage to the roof.
Many consumers that have purchased mesh systems have given up on them. On a bright point, they didn’t have to spend much to find out they didn’t work.
Dome Systems are the most widely accepted product, but many of them don’t work well due to design flaws. There are subtle differences that make a big difference in efficiency. Very few systems have all of the proper components.
Dome Systems:
Lets’ define the dome system.
Dome systems have been around since the turn of the 20th century and have been extensively promoted since 1970. There is considerable consumer awareness that they are the most effective systems available.
These systems use water surface tension to rinse off the debris and allows the water to continue on through the gutter system. Water molecules stick together. An easy experiment illustrating this is to take a water glass, turn it on its side, and turn on the faucet. The water will navigate the rounded contour of the glass and fall off on the bottom. Now let’s examine the components of a dome system and we can put this process all together.
The components of a dome system include:
• Cover: Strip of metal or plastic going from the gutter to the roof creating a dome, hence the name dome system.
• Nose: This is the rounded projection hanging over the lip of the gutter.
• Trough: Water goes into the gutter after debris falls off the cover.
• Lip: System attaches at this point.
• End Cap: Strip of metal attached to the end of the gutter that closes off the system to birds and squirrels.
Dome systems work in the following manner:
• The majority of the debris is blown off the cover.
• The remainder is rinsed off the cover.
• The debris falls off and the water follows the rounded nose into the gutter and away from the home.
At first glance, many of these systems look similar. But not all dome systems are equal. There are only a few that contain the proper design components to not clog and maximize the amount of water getting into the gutter. There are subtle differences that make a big difference in effectiveness. If you know the efficiencies of each component then you will be able to determine what makes a good system versus researching every product on the market.
A comparison of individual components can be done very easily.
Nose Design affects how much water gets into the gutter.
The most common design is the squared off nose. It is a very easy and inexpensive feature to manufacture, which is why it is so popular. But it has some issues. In the water surface tension experiment, it was noted that water follows a rounded contour. What happens when you put a squared off bend in the contour. It’s almost like a little ski jump. Here is a picture of Niagara Falls. There is an arrow pointing to the spray that is coming off of the squared off nose of the falls. You can see with a squared off nose, that not all of the water is going to go in the gutter. The excess is going to spill over the ground next to the foundation.
Here is an example of the rounded nose. There is a picture of a dam that has a round nose. Notice how the water adheres tightly to the falls before dropping into the lower section of the river. Can you see how a rounded nose would get more rainwater into the gutters?
Nose Positioning will determine how much debris or rain water will get in the gutter.
The positioning of the nose in relation to the lip of the gutters is critical as well. The lip is located on the top outer section of the gutter. The majority of the dome systems position the nose of the cover equal to the inside lip of the gutter. This is done to minimize rainwater flying over the nose of the gutter. This is called a nose back design. This design does minimize fly off, but it presents some issues. Sometimes, debris will bounce on the lip of the gutter. When that happens, there is a 50% chance of the debris going into the gutter. Those are not very good odds. Most systems can handle some incidental debris, but only a small percentage of debris before it becomes a problem. These systems commonly fill up with debris in the trough portion of the gutter cover and then clog. When they clog, then they fail, and no water gets into the gutters.
There are systems in which overcompensate by positioning the nose past the outside lip of the gutter. Now debris will not bounce on the lip of the gutter into the trough. This feature does have its disadvantages. There is a greater chance of rainwater flyover, especially if the system is a square nose design. Then there is the issue of drips after the rain stops. With a small volume of water flowing on the cover, it breaks into little rivulets and numerous drips descend from the nose of the cover which falls to the ground. Have you ever unloaded groceries in the pouring rain? You open up the garage door and open the trunk of your car. What do you feel on the back of your neck? It’s kind of irritating isn’t it?
A few systems have improved on their systems and incorporate the best of both worlds by positioning the nose flush with the outside lip of the gutter. Debris doesn’t bounce on the nose, and drips don’t fall from the nose (especially if it is rounded). It’s amazing that a very simple adjustment makes a big difference in not clogging and getting more water into the gutter.
Low profile mounts need to have enough room in the trough to channel out incidental debris. High profile mounts don’t have slots so they are not affected by debris hanging up in the slots.
On the flipside, it’s easier for birds to get in and build nests in high profile mounts which then lead to clogs. Low profile mounts don’t have this issue due to slots in their trough that prevent birds from getting in.
There is a good reason why it’s important to minimize incidental debris from getting into the trough of the cover. This is more of an issue with the low profile mounted systems which attach to the lip of the gutter versus high profile mounted systems which attach to a bracket instead. There is always going to be some incidental debris that gets into the trough of the gutter protection carried by the flow of water or by debris that get blown in by strong winds and vertical rain. It is important to be able to channel the incidental debris through the trough and into the gutters where it can be flushed out. Low profile mount systems have slots in the trough to keep out birds and other pests, but allow the water to get through. Systems that have 2 inches or less size slots in their trough commonly fail. Debris gets hung up in the slots and the system fails. Incredibly, almost all of the low profile mount systems have small slots and therefore don’t work well. There are a few low profile systems that have very large slots that are big enough to handle the debris. These slots are big enough to allow incidental debris to get through while keeping out birds and squirrels. When a large slot system is paired with a nose flush design, then it works very well.
A high profile mount uses clumsy brackets that make it difficult to mount properly. High profile mounts are more visible than low profile mounts.
Mounting systems for gutter protection can have an impact on efficiency and esthetics. There are two mounting systems, low profile mount and high profile mount. High profile mount systems were designed to get around the issue of debris hanging up in slots in the trough of the cover. They don’t have slots. There are gaps in the panels from two to five feet depending on the placement of brackets. They are a mixed blessing. The issue with the slot size is reconciled, but other issues arise because of the use of clumsy brackets. Many of these bracket systems incorporate plastic into the design with metal. Plastic and metal expand and contract at different temperatures. Consequently, the bracket becomes contorted and warps the panel cover. The hot sun may warp the panel in the middle of the bracket placement due to expansion. Sometimes a heavy load of snow and ice will collapse the panels. The absence of slots in these systems sometimes allows for birds to get in and build nests if the panels become distorted. Birds don’t need a big opening. If you look at most bird houses, the openings are very small.
Brackets are difficult to install due to the settling of a home. Houses move up and down and from side to side over time. If you were to align yourself parallel to your gutters you can see that it’s not a perfectly straight run, (unless it’s new construction). It’s hard to get proper nose positioning when you are making adjustments every few feet. If the installer is working in inhospitable climate conditions, proper placement may be non-existent. The resultant effect may be a nose back placement and you know what’s going to happen then.
Then there are the issues with aesthetics. The low profile mount systems are popular because they are easy to mount going from the lip of the gutter and following naturally up the contour of the roof. Low profile mounting systems can be installed on almost any roof, inclusive of re-roofs. For curb appeal they tend to be less visible. If they are paired with large slots, then they rarely clog.
High profile mounting systems are raised up and it’s difficult to follow the contour of the roof. They cannot be easily installed in many situations. Because the system is raised up, they are more visible from the street.
There is definitely a trade-off with bracket systems. If they are installed properly, (training and certification is critical with these systems), then they will work well. However, they make be a less attractive option for some homeowners.
Vinyl Dome Systems are not durable, take away from the curb appeal of the home, and generally clog in a short time.
Dome covers can be made from various materials including vinyl, aluminum, and aluminum alloys. Ever wonder what happens with your recycled plastic? Some systems use regrind-plastic in their construction. On the “green end” of things, it’s wonderful. On the practical end it’s disastrous. Have you ever seen plastic toys in the sandbox, or discarded milk jugs along the road? The plastic gets bleached out and it is cracked. What is going to happen with a low grade plastic that is exposed to the harsh elements on your roof? It’s going to degrade isn’t it?
Another issue is that installing end caps on these systems is optional. Hence birds and squirrels make nests in the gutter protection. But even if end caps are used, there is still a problem. Squirrels chew through plastic. Then they build homes in the gutter protection. Much worse, birds get in to the openings and the problem is magnified. To summarize it, vinyl is not an acceptable material for gutter protection.
Metal Dome Systems are very durable if made from an aluminum alloy.
Aluminum is an excellent product, lightweight and very strong. Where it runs into a problem with gutter protection is when the manufacturer uses “Oh Too Thin” gauge (.019 gauge or less) aluminum to cut corners. Remember, gutter protection is exposed to the harsh conditions on the roof. A thin panel will warp in the hot sun, and collapse with heavy snow loads. This situation is magnified with bracket systems with brackets every few feet. If the panel is distorted it may leave an opening big enough for birds to get in and build nests. A nest will then cause a clog.
On the flipside, if you use too thick of a gauge of aluminum, the panels won’t lay flat. There will be raised edges at the overlaps where debris could potentially get in the gutters. Upper end systems use an aluminum alloy. Although a little more expensive, aluminum alloy panels are very durable. These systems allow for strength, yet you can use a thinner gauge to allow the panels to lay flat. In this case, the benefit far outweighs the expense.
All in One Dome Systems require replacing the gutters and down spouts, are very expensive, and have numerous issues.
There are systems that are sold only as complete water management systems (gutters, downspouts, and gutter protection). They are extruded on site either as one extrusion, or two, comprising gutters and gutter protection. In either case, it is necessary to replace the gutters and downspouts. If your gutters and downspouts are in good condition, this adds excess expense and is frivolous. After all, would you replace your floor every time you replaced your carpeting? If you do need new gutters and down spouts then it might make sense.
Due to excellent marketing, these products are very popular. But they have several drawbacks.
When you pitch a conventional gutter to drain properly to the down spout, the metal is flexible enough to bend. When you have a gutter protection built into the system, then it loses flexibility and becomes rigid. Instead, you have to tilt it to achieve proper pitch. Unfortunately, you cause a wide gap from the roof to the gutter at the down spout end. This gap is very visible and unsightly. Water falls off the roof on this end and cascades on to the flat gutter protection. The water overshoots at this end and doesn’t end up in the gutter. This is counter productive to having gutter protection in the first place. You wanted to get more water into the gutters and away from the home. It’s not going to happen with this system.
These systems are typically baked enamel paint finish and the color bleaches out making them unsightly.
In northern climates, icing is a big issue. Icicles form sooner on all gutter protection than without gutter protection. Icicling is worse on fascia mount systems. The All in One Systems give the ice a boost up to get under the first row of shingles which is your first line of defense on your roof. If this section of your roof is compromised then water can get into your attic, ceiling, and other areas of your home.
These systems tend to be very expensive. However, they are sold ethically, and the manufacturer does an honest job of laying out the drawbacks of their system in their warranty.
Some finishes on metal dome systems look better than others.
The purpose of gutter protection is to protect the investment of your home. You want to take great care to not put something on your home that will spoil the curb appeal, and ultimately lower your home value. Gutter protection should be matched to the color of your roof to blend in with the roof line. The appearance of your home is better if the gutter protection is invisible.
Vinyl covers come in four colors, white, beige, blue, and grey, shades of which are unlikely to match your roof. Color or shade wouldn’t matter anyhow. The color is going to bleach out and the product is going to crack.
The majority of the metal dome systems have a baked enamel finish guaranteed not to blister, crack, or peel. This is a characteristic of all baked enamels, such as the finish on your car. If you were to park your car in the sun for a couple of years, would it be the same color it was when it was purchased? Of course not, typically, baked enamel gutter protections sitting up on a hot roof, will look two-tone after a couple of years.
Do you remember the old fashion aluminum siding. It faded or chalked. The fading and chalking is caused by the baked enamel finish separating and the effervescence coming through. The same thing happens with the baked enamel finish on gutter covers. This is not a good pairing. When dirt and tree resin accumulate on top of the gutter protection, a crust forms. The crusty and clogged gutter diminishes the appearance of your home.
Upper end systems incorporate a no fade-no chalk finish into the paint. A key ingredient is Kynar. Kynar paint is used on metal roofs and road signs, or other applications to where routine painting would not be desired or practical. Systems using Kynar in their finish hold the curb appeal much longer than the baked enamel ones.
The latest innovation in gutter protection is the incorporation of roofing granules into the finish. For homes with asphalt shingled roofs this is the ultimate ability to blend in with the roof line. In essence, these systems become the first line of shingles on your roof. They don’t take away from the curb appeal from your home and are literally invisible.
There is another benefit to roof granule finished products. Granules are added to shingles to slow down the flow of water on your roof. These systems achieve the same purpose and they can hold water much better than any system to date.
You don’t want installers learning on your home. Insist on true factory trained installers.
Despite gutter protection being a mature industry, very few manufacturers offer true factory certification. The majority of installers are learning on your home!
Have you ever purchased a grill or bike? You take the box home and you open it up to find directions and several thousand pieces. It’s kind of intimidating isn’t it? Well imagine someone arriving at your door step. The installer unloads the product glances at the directions, and says, “Well here goes nothing.” It’s not a good scenario. Later, you inspect the job. He wasn’t very good at the end of the house where he started, but he was okay by the time he got to the end of the job. Who wants an installer learning on their home?
The most thorough training is done in a factory setting. The better manufacturers will have class room training with practical application for every type of roof scenario. Installers have the opportunity to practice on roof mockups and keep practicing until they get it perfect. You can’t do this on someone’s home, because you would add excess holes to home’s structures. The other issue is that there are numerous types of roofs, and each one requires different mounting procedures. Therefore, a seasoned installer that has learned on the job may still be going through the learning curve on new roof applications.
Most warranties don’t guarantee anything!
The biggest myth is that warranties are for the consumer. In actuality, warranties are meant to protect the manufacturer or dealer. On the surface in the regular print, it appears that the document is laying out what is covered in case something fails. In the fine print, it usually states that the manufacturer is not guaranteeing anything.
What is the purpose of fine print? It is meant to convey the bad news with out being readily apparent. The irony is, the better the product, the less the need for a strong warranty. However, since the manufacturer is so confident of the material and performance, the best products carry the better warranties and are commonly devoid of fine print.
Most companies have their warranties on hand when presenting their products. Most of them would prefer the consumer doesn’t see the warranty until after the final payment. Hence, you should scrutinize the warranty to ensure that the product is going to do what you want it to do. Amazingly many companies are honest when it comes to the warranty and inform the homeowner of the weaknesses and drawbacks of their products. Consequently, in order to see the true picture, read the warranty first before purchasing the product. Get your concerns reconciled in writing. Don’t take verbal promises. Otherwise you won’t have any recourse if you have issues down the road.
You need to check out the stability of the company warranting the work and the product. 96% of all home improvement companies go out of business within the first five years. If the company is not well established, then there is a high probability of the warranty meaning nothing. Some companies will close shop every couple of years and set up under another name to avoid the commitments and promises that they made to their former customers.
Don’t install gutter protection if you will be replacing your roof soon. Removal and re-installation of gutter protection must be done by the installing company to avoid voiding the warranty and is expensive.
If your roof is in need of repair, you should always get the roof done first. Otherwise, you may pay a hefty fee to have your gutter protection taken off and reinstalled. This situation is very expensive because the installer has to take the product off. The installer has to wait for the roof to be installed, and then come back and reinstall the product. There are set-up costs and guess who’s paying for them? On top of it, material doesn’t always come off and go back on without having to replace some panels. If you change the color of your roof, then you may have to change the color of the panel and end up repurchasing the whole system.
Unless the roofer was the original installing company, don’t allow them to touch the gutter protection. You will void your warranty! The dismantling of the system may ruin the panels to the extent that they can’t be reinstalled properly. Unless the reinstallation is done by true factory certified installers, very rarely, if ever, is the product reinstalled properly. Many an unwary homeowner has had to pay for new gutter protection because the product was ruined or reinstalled incorrectly.
Icicles are an issue with all gutter protection.
Unless the gutter cover is heated as well, you will have issues with icicles depending on the orientation of your home and your roof configuration.
Icicles form two ways in your gutters. The ice builds up in your down spouts and works it way up and overflows the gutter. Snow builds up in the gutters. Ice-melt from the roof accumulates on top of the snow until it overflows the gutter.
Most gutter protection is designed to keep out leaf debris. Some claim that they minimize icing. This is not true unless there is an electrical heating system incorporated into the gutter cover.
You will see icicles sooner with all gutter protection. Instead of the ice building up in the gutter and eventually overflowing, it will be sitting on the gutter cover where it will almost immediately form icicles.
With systems that cover the first row of shingles, this is good news as it will minimize damage done under your first row of shingles. With fascia mounted products it will be disastrous.
The bad news is that you will either need to knock off the icicles or invest in a heated gutter cover. Heated gutter covers can be added to the existing gutter protection. Or if there isn’t a tree issue, they can be installed in the gutters to protect against ice issues. In a heated system, you want to look for the following components:
• Self regulating, heavily insulated, heat cables that don’t get above 90 degrees Fahrenheit
• A heat dispersing panel to go over the cable to spread the heat out to melt large amounts of snow or ice.
• The system should be always hardwired into its own separate circuit in the breaker box with a 20 or 30 amp GFI breakers with EP (equipment protection) components. Plug-in systems are dangerous and you may not be able to use that outlet for other things such as Christmas lights.
• The system doesn’t need to be on when it is bitterly cold or if moisture isn’t present. These systems pull the same amount of electricity equivalent to a hair dryer operating all day and all night. Install a temperature / moisture sensor. It will save you a great deal of energy costs and give a better performance.
Do your research carefully. There are many sites that can give you good information about products and installing companies.
This is the age of information. The internet is excellent for checking out products and companies. You should at the very least check out all contractors on The Better Business Bureau site. This is accessible at www.bbb.org. Access the advanced business reliability search by phone number. It is the easiest way. A reliable company will have a website with the BBB logo on it for instant reliability report. You will have the best luck with companies like this.
You can also Google search a company. But you have to sift through a lot of fluff and advertisements to find the reliability information.
There are also consumer sites such as www.pissedconsumer.com where you can search by the product. This will give you a great deal of feed back from experienced consumers.
This Post Is From GutterRoof.com’s Gutter Protection Article Section
- Rotted Wood:
Rain water can flow to and behind numerous structures in the home. Treated wood is resistant to insects, but is vulnerable to wood rot under certain conditions. Wooden components of the house become rotted by retaining moisture, becoming warm, and then growing fungus. Other problems are introduced with the rotted wood.
We have known for quite some time the destructive force of falling water. One of the early attempts to protect our homes was extending the roof past the main portion of the home (eaves) to provide some protection from the sun and precipitation. The eaves system failed to provide enough protection from the rain. Rainwater can travel along the eaves through the process of water surface tension to other vulnerable structures of the home.
Then along came the eaves-trough or gutters, which was designed to get the water off of the roof, through the gutters, and away from the home. Gutters helped to protect the structures by not allowing water to flow on to these areas. Unfortunately, gutters commonly fail by clogging, and damage results.
Going back to the analogy of the bowl of water filled to the brim, when an ice cube is dropped into the bowl, water goes everywhere. This is what is happening with your gutters whether they are partially or fully clogged in a downpour. Water ends up going behind the fascia, soffit, on window and door frames, and siding. If the structures don’t get a chance to dry off, then the wood will start to rot. Warmth and moisture are two ingredients to breed fungal spores. Fungus has very strong enzymes that can break down treated wood very quickly.
April showers may bring Mayflowers, but they bring wood rot issues as well. Compounding the issue is increased volume of debris dropped from vegetation during the rainy seasons. Adding to this situation is spring going into the summer creating the warmth that fungus needs to grow.
Fall brings just the inverse. Again there is increased leaf debris in the gutters. The water flows behind structures and doesn’t get a chance to dry out. Winter follows, and protective aluminum wrapping in such areas as soffit and fascia are pried apart by the expanding ice, exposing the wood for the next cycle of destruction.
Rotted wood can compromise the structure of your home, take away from the aesthetics, and is very expensive to fix. In turn, wood rot attracts the next wave of destruction; uninvited guests.
Insect Infestation:Standing water and rotted wood provide food, drink, and homes for insects. They are the next wave of destruction to your home.
Gutter installations are one of the fastest growing home improvement segments in the South. For many years, gutters were considered unnecessary due to the lack of foundations in residential buildings. However, there has been growing consumer awareness of the correlation of termite and carpenter ant infestation and moisture next to the home.
Early colonists tended to settle near sources of water and food. It’s no different with insects. On top of it, moisture not only provides drinking water, but food as well. Insects cannot attack treated wood until it gets water logged and begins to rot.
Flying insects such as mosquitoes are attracted to standing water for another reason and that is reproduction. Mosquitoes only need a thimble full of water to reproduce and usually don’t go more than 200 feet from their breeding grounds. Standing water, whether in the gutters, on the roof, or next to the foundation, provides a safe haven for these pests.
- Mold:
The downside of tighter built homes is the potential for mold to grow. Mold needs darkness, moisture, and warmth. Mold spores are toxic. The solution involves removal and replacement of infected structures by abatement crews. This is a costly process and is not covered under conventional homeowner’s insurance.
With the improvement in building technology, there has been a negative impact. Homes are much tighter than they used to be, which has been a boom for mold. Mold needs to have a dark, warm, and moist environment to grow. Our new homes no longer have the gaps that let in excessive light and cold. If water gets into the home, then mold can grow.
Mold gets into the home quite often through the gutters growing onto the fascia board ending up in the attic. Cracks in the foundation allow an entry point for mold to get into the home.
Most people have heard of “Sick House” syndrome. Certain types of mold give off micro toxins in their spores. These toxins can be lethal to small children and older adults. The symptoms include nasal stuffiness, wheezing, shortness of breath, and headaches.
Mold cannot be killed due to the releasing of spores. It would be the equivalent of spraying poison gas. The structures containing the mold have to be physically removed by abatement crews. Any time that you involve abatement crews (typically involved with removing hazardous materials such as asbestos and lead), you can be assured that it is going to be an expensive project. For example, when the hurricanes hit Florida, there was a condominium building in which each owner had to contribute over $75,000 for mold removal.
Insurance companies are well aware of the issues of mold, and now require a separate policy to cover mold. In some communities, such as Toronto, there is no such coverage available.
- Cracked Foundation:
Seepage and Cracked Foundations are expensive to fix and can cause excessive damage especially if the basement is finished.
Standing water next to the home is one of the biggest causes of cracks in the foundation. Standing water occurs because as homes settle, they sink creating a reverse grade going back to the home. The eaves provide some protection by deflecting the water away from the foundation. Some water will fall next to the foundation no matter what is done, but you want to take steps to minimize water collecting at this point. Extenders on down spouts should extend 4-6 feet to allow the grade of the home to finish draining the water away. Some homes have drain tiles (black plastic corrugated tubing attached to the down spout) which drains to a safe portion of the lawn with adequate grade or directly into a sewer.
When the gutters are clogged, the water overflows the gutters and drops directly next to the foundation. This will be readily seen by debris hanging on to the gutters and splash back next to the foundation. Commonly, a divot or trough may be cut into the lawn next to the foundation. This makes the standing water issue greater as it creates a pond or creek.
Your foundation is made of concrete which is very porous. Just like a sponge, it sucks up the water. During a freeze, the water in the concrete freezes and expands and pushes apart the concrete. That is where the cracks start. Small cracks can be patched usually for $300 per crack. Large ones may require jacking up the house to repair the foundation. This expense can run several thousand dollars.
Landscaping and Walkways:Landscaping and sidewalks can be washed away by rainwater. The damage is very expensive to fix. Dirt and mud can be tracked into the home creating damage on the interior of the home.
The Grand Canyon was carved by running water. The same thing can happen with water cascading off of a second story roof. The run-off not only ruins lawns and landscaping, but it is very unpleasant to step into a hidden marsh in your yard.
In some cases, mud is washed onto walkways and then tracked into the home. Many a carpet has been ruined by kids and pets tracking mud and other debris into the house and then grinding it into the carpet.
In severe cases, the water may wash away the gravel base that is supporting the sidewalk leading to your door and the driveway. If enough of the base is washed away, then considerable damage can occur. Cracked and sunken walkways are usually attributed to inadequate drainage caused by a failed gutter system.
- Ice Damage:
In the northern climates freezing and expanding water pry apart critical structures of the home. The melted water causes more damage when it goes to vulnerable parts of the home.
In the northern climates, ice causes considerable damage. Gutters do fail in this case because frozen water doesn’t flow. Roof damage is very common because of ice build-up. Ice builds up in two ways: Ice will work its way up the down spouts especially if they are narrow 2 x 3 configurations. The ice in the down spout blocks the gutters and overflows in the gutter portion. Snow accumulates in the gutter. Ice melt flows on top and refreezes. The ice will eventually overflow. The gutters form an anchor for the ice to get up under the first row of shingles, which is the first line of defense for the roof. Ice pries up the shingles wrecking them, and water works its way through the roof into the attic and other structures.
Gutters commonly fall off during the winter due to water getting in between the gutters and the fascia. When the water freezes, it pries the gutters away from the home and they fall off.
Sometimes water will get behind the fascia and trickle down on top of the soffit (metal covering of the eaves) and freeze. Repeated layers of ice can actually form a block and then collapse the soffit panels creating a hazard and additional damage to the home.
This Post Is From GutterRoof.com’s Gutter Protection Article Section
A complete water management system will get the water off of your roof, into the gutters and down spouts, and away from your home. The gutter system is only half of the equation because when it clogs it fails. Gutter protection completes the system by keeping the gutters free flowing.
If you could find a way to effectively get the water off of your roof, into your gutters, and away from your home, it would last longer. Rain water flow directed toward the wrong part of your home can do a great deal of damage. After all, note how a small river carved the Grand Canyon.
A large part of the country receives a great deal of rain. It is estimated that 120,000 gallons of water flows across our roofs each year. Knowing that water flowing over areas of the house could do major damage, can you imagine if just 10% of the rainfall or 12,000 gallons didn’t make it into the gutters. Would you want that 12,000 gallons of rain water flowing over vulnerable areas of your home?
Gutters are considered by many to be the water management system for your home. This is true, if the home is in an area with no chance of debris getting into the gutters. Unfortunately, most gutters are going to fail, because along with the areas that get large volume of rain, there are a lot of trees. It’s no accident that if you were to align a map of the US and Canada showing rainfall and trees, they would match up very closely. And with trees comes debris that gets into your gutters and clogs them.
The clogs create a problem by directing the flow of water behind or in front of the fascia board, into the soffit, behind the siding, dropping down to the foundation, or on to the landscaping and walkways before exiting the home. Water has a chance to cause damage along the entire path.
Gutters don’t have to be fully clogged to be an issue. A one foot section of a standard 5”gutter holds 1.75 gallons of water. If there is any debris in the gutter, then the efficiency of the gutter is compromised. During a substantial down pour, water may be overflowing in the wrong places. An example to illustrate this point is as follows:
You have a bowl of water that is filled up even to the brim. If you drop an ice cube into the bowl, what happens? It spills all over, and makes a mess.
This is the same situation that happens with partially clogged gutters. The worst part is that you may not notice the problem because it’s not easily apparent.
Gutter Protection successfully completes the water management system by keeping the gutters free-flowing in areas with trees. There are numerous systems available varying widely in price and effectiveness. Most of them deal with issues with leaves and other organic debris.
In the northern climates, ice protection is needed as well to keep the gutters free flowing. This should be no surprise since frozen water doesn’t flow. But ice does a great deal of damage. Water as it freezes, expands and pries apart components of the home. The resulting melted water flows to the critical areas of the home.
This Post Is From GutterRoof.com’s Gutter Protection Article Section
When you look at the various metal dome cover gutter protection systems, they all look very similar. But there are subtle differences that make a big difference in effectiveness. Gutter Roof’s design has earned a proven performance record since the patent was first granted in 1993. Over the years, we have learned from our own experiences and from the mistakes of our competition to make improvements in our system.
We knew that even though a squared-off nose configuration was less expensive and easier to make, a fully rounded nose configuration will get more water into the gutter without rain flyover.
Most of the gutter protection systems have the nose aligned with the inside lip of the gutter. Unfortunately, debris bounces on the gutter lip and into the trough. If the nose is aligned past the outside lip of the gutter, then there is the issue of inconsequential drips after a rain. So we chose the best of both worlds and aligned the nose flush with the outside lip of the gutter. Consequently, we minimized incidental debris bouncing on the gutter lip and getting into the gutter, and the drips after the rain stops.
High profile systems use brackets for installation. The use of brackets raises the gutter protection up from the gutter making it more noticeable on the roof line. We had a difficult experience with designs using clumsy brackets because it was hard to get proper nose placement when you are making adjustments every 5 feet. So we opted for a low profile design that attaches to the lip of the gutter and follows the contour of the roof. Low profile systems are easy to mount, blend in better with the roof line, and can be mounted to more roofs than systems using brackets. Adjustments can be made every 18 inches so it is easy to follow a run of gutters that has been distorted by normal house settling.
Low profile systems do have some drawbacks. A low profile system requires slots to allow incidental debris that might get blown into the trough to get flushed out. We had seen several systems with slots 2” or less. These systems work well in area of light debris, but fail miserably in areas with a moderate to high volume of debris. Most of these small slot systems have disclaimers in their warranties requiring that the homeowner flush out the trough. Flushing out the trough is not acceptable because it requires maintenance that the homeowner was trying to avoid. A serious issue is that flushing out the trough requires balancing on a ladder to get to the second story gutters. This is a problem for homeowners who want to avoid injuries associated with getting up on a ladder.
Our first system had 5 inch slots, but we had some issues in areas of the country with long pine needles. We found that a 7 inch slot was optimal for handling the longest of pine needles.
.019 gauge aluminum panels are a standard of many gutter protection systems. But we had too many problems with panels collapsing under heavy snow loads during the winter, or warping in the hot summer sun. This posed a dilemma. If you use too heavy of a gauge, the panels won’t lay flat and debris can get in under the panels and clog the gutter. We solved the issue by using a .025 aluminum alloy comprised of 10 different elements. Alloys are very strong yet thin enough to lie properly during installation.
We wanted to improve the curb side appearance of the gutter protection. We found the answer with a roof granule finish. The roof granule finish allows the product to blend in well with many types of asphalt shingles. Another benefit is that the rain water is slowed down by friction of the roof granules. This system holds water better than any other dome system available.
A great quality product can be negated by a poor installation. We didn’t feel comfortable with installers learning on the customer’s home. We have some proprietary installation techniques that can be only taught in a classroom setting. So we invested in an installation training center at our Chicago facility. Here we have classroom training with three rooms of practical application, with each room getting increasingly harder. Installers have to demonstrate proficiency in a room before moving on to the next room. The factory certification installation training prepares installers for every roof scenario that they would encounter.
Most warranties are designed to protect the manufacturer by use of fine print negating all that was promised in the regular print. Our warranty is very simple and devoid of fine print.
This Post Is From GutterRoof.com’s Gutter Protection Article Section
The roof valley is where two sections of the roof come together. A roof valley acts like a funnel channeling large volumes of water at a high velocity. After the installation of gutter protection, water could overshoot the gutters at this point. And even without gutter covers, in a down pour, the gutters may be overwhelmed with rain water and overflow. This is not a good situation as water then flows to vulnerable areas of the home and causes significant damage.
The overflow problem has been an issue for many a gutter guard contractor. The most common fix is to install a diverter on to the roof to channel the flow of water to either side of the valley. Diverters can make the problem worse. Debris gets backed up behind the diverter, and breaks down into an organic muck. This muck will eventually overflow the diverter and clog the gutters and gutter protectors.
The best solution at this point is to install a small wedge of mesh in the valley on top of the gutter cap. The mesh will allow the large volume of fast moving rain water to go into the gutter. The force of the water is strong enough to keep the mesh free of debris so that it can be blown off.
There are some new developments in gutter cover finishes with roof granules being applied to the surface of the gutter guard. The roof granules slow down the flow of water. Roofs with low pitches of 7/12 or less don’t require mesh or a diverter with the roof granule finish.
The roof valleys also funnel debris into the gutters or on to the gutter protection. Excessive debris in the roof valleys are the greatest source of clogs in gutters and gutter guards. The debris is not as likely to be blown off in the roof valleys due to the two sides of the roof acting as a wind break. Debris degrades into an organic muck. It eventually comes down the roof as a mud slide. This problem is made worse with roof designs where several valleys drain into a small section of gutter.
There isn’t a good solution for debris that accumulates in the valley. All gutter protections will have issues from the debris degrading into an organic muck and then clogging the gutter cover. From time to time, the roof valleys should be cleared of debris. This should be done every couple of years with most homes. The frequency of cleaning the roof will be determined by the number and type of trees around the home. Another factor is precipitation. Excessive rain will keep the debris moist and too heavy to be easily blown out of the roof valleys. Excessive debris build-up on roofs is problematic in rain forest areas such as Washington and Oregon.
In the winter time, it’s the accumulated snow that causes issues. Large amounts of snow and ice accumulate in the valley. Eventually, just like in the mountains, a glacier of ice and snow starts moving down hill and damages everything in its path. The glacier terminates at the gutters, where usually huge icicles form. Sometimes the weight of the icicles tears off the gutters and gutter covers.
There is a good solution to this problem with a product called Heater Cap. Heater Cap is mounted on the gutter protectors, in the gutters, down the down spouts, and 4 to 8 feet up and down the roof valleys. If there aren’t gutter covers, the Heater Cap can be installed in the gutters, roof valleys and down spouts. Heating the valleys is important because, a large volume of ice will eventually come down at that point and be much harder to melt. This area needs preventive care to avoid ice accumulating in the roof valley.
An experienced gutter cap contractor will tell you that roof valleys are the biggest source of service issues with or without gutter covers. Yet there are permanent solutions in many cases. When choosing a gutter cover contractor, ask how they will deal with your roof valley issues.
Additional Resources
What Are the Advantages and Disadvantages of Available Water Management Systems?
This Post Is From GutterRoof.com’s Gutter Protection Article Section
The roof valley is where two sections of the roof come together. A roof valley acts like a funnel channeling large volumes of water at a high velocity. After the installation of gutter protection, water could overshoot the gutters at this point. And even without gutter covers, in a down pour, the gutters may be overwhelmed with rain water and overflow. This is not a good situation as water then flows to vulnerable areas of the home and causes significant damage.
The overflow problem has been an issue for many a gutter guard contractor. The most common fix is to install a diverter on to the roof to channel the flow of water to either side of the valley. Diverters can make the problem worse. Debris gets backed up behind the diverter, and breaks down into an organic muck. This muck will eventually overflow the diverter and clog the gutters and gutter protectors.
The best solution at this point is to install a small wedge of mesh in the valley on top of the gutter cap. The mesh will allow the large volume of fast moving rain water to go into the gutter. The force of the water is strong enough to keep the mesh free of debris so that it can be blown off.
There are some new developments in gutter cover finishes with roof granules being applied to the surface of the gutter guard. The roof granules slow down the flow of water. Roofs with low pitches of 7/12 or less don’t require mesh or a diverter with the roof granule finish.
The roof valleys also funnel debris into the gutters or on to the gutter protection. Excessive debris in the roof valleys are the greatest source of clogs in gutters and gutter guards. The debris is not as likely to be blown off in the roof valleys due to the two sides of the roof acting as a wind break. Debris degrades into an organic muck. It eventually comes down the roof as a mud slide. This problem is made worse with roof designs where several valleys drain into a small section of gutter.
There isn’t a good solution for debris that accumulates in the valley. All gutter protections will have issues from the debris degrading into an organic muck and then clogging the gutter cover. From time to time, the roof valleys should be cleared of debris. This should be done every couple of years with most homes. The frequency of cleaning the roof will be determined by the number and type of trees around the home. Another factor is precipitation. Excessive rain will keep the debris moist and too heavy to be easily blown out of the roof valleys. Excessive debris build-up on roofs is problematic in rain forest areas such as Washington and Oregon.
In the winter time, it’s the accumulated snow that causes issues. Large amounts of snow and ice accumulate in the valley. Eventually, just like in the mountains, a glacier of ice and snow starts moving down hill and damages everything in its path. The glacier terminates at the gutters, where usually huge icicles form. Sometimes the weight of the icicles tears off the gutters and gutter covers.
There is a good solution to this problem with a product called Heater Cap. Heater Cap is mounted on the gutter protectors, in the gutters, down the down spouts, and 4 to 8 feet up and down the roof valleys. If there aren’t gutter covers, the Heater Cap can be installed in the gutters, roof valleys and down spouts. Heating the valleys is important because, a large volume of ice will eventually come down at that point and be much harder to melt. This area needs preventive care to avoid ice accumulating in the roof valley.
An experienced gutter cap contractor will tell you that roof valleys are the biggest source of service issues with or without gutter covers. Yet there are permanent solutions in many cases. When choosing a gutter cover contractor, ask how they will deal with your roof valley issues.
Additional Resources
What Are the Advantages and Disadvantages of Available Water Management Systems?
This Post Is From GutterRoof.com’s Gutter Protection Article Section
The roof valley is where two sections of the roof come together. A roof valley acts like a funnel channeling large volumes of water at a high velocity. After the installation of gutter protection, water could overshoot the gutters at this point. And even without gutter covers, in a down pour, the gutters may be overwhelmed with rain water and overflow. This is not a good situation as water then flows to vulnerable areas of the home and causes significant damage.
The overflow problem has been an issue for many a gutter guard contractor. The most common fix is to install a diverter on to the roof to channel the flow of water to either side of the valley. Diverters can make the problem worse. Debris gets backed up behind the diverter, and breaks down into an organic muck. This muck will eventually overflow the diverter and clog the gutters and gutter protectors.
The best solution at this point is to install a small wedge of mesh in the valley on top of the gutter cap. The mesh will allow the large volume of fast moving rain water to go into the gutter. The force of the water is strong enough to keep the mesh free of debris so that it can be blown off.
There are some new developments in gutter cover finishes with roof granules being applied to the surface of the gutter guard. The roof granules slow down the flow of water. Roofs with low pitches of 7/12 or less don’t require mesh or a diverter with the roof granule finish.
The roof valleys also funnel debris into the gutters or on to the gutter protection. Excessive debris in the roof valleys are the greatest source of clogs in gutters and gutter guards. The debris is not as likely to be blown off in the roof valleys due to the two sides of the roof acting as a wind break. Debris degrades into an organic muck. It eventually comes down the roof as a mud slide. This problem is made worse with roof designs where several valleys drain into a small section of gutter.
There isn’t a good solution for debris that accumulates in the valley. All gutter protections will have issues from the debris degrading into an organic muck and then clogging the gutter cover. From time to time, the roof valleys should be cleared of debris. This should be done every couple of years with most homes. The frequency of cleaning the roof will be determined by the number and type of trees around the home. Another factor is precipitation. Excessive rain will keep the debris moist and too heavy to be easily blown out of the roof valleys. Excessive debris build-up on roofs is problematic in rain forest areas such as Washington and Oregon.
In the winter time, it’s the accumulated snow that causes issues. Large amounts of snow and ice accumulate in the valley. Eventually, just like in the mountains, a glacier of ice and snow starts moving down hill and damages everything in its path. The glacier terminates at the gutters, where usually huge icicles form. Sometimes the weight of the icicles tears off the gutters and gutter covers.
There is a good solution to this problem with a product called Heater Cap. Heater Cap is mounted on the gutter protectors, in the gutters, down the down spouts, and 4 to 8 feet up and down the roof valleys. If there aren’t gutter covers, the Heater Cap can be installed in the gutters, roof valleys and down spouts. Heating the valleys is important because, a large volume of ice will eventually come down at that point and be much harder to melt. This area needs preventive care to avoid ice accumulating in the roof valley.
An experienced gutter cap contractor will tell you that roof valleys are the biggest source of service issues with or without gutter covers. Yet there are permanent solutions in many cases. When choosing a gutter cover contractor, ask how they will deal with your roof valley issues.
Additional Resources
What Are the Advantages and Disadvantages of Available Water Management Systems?
This Post Is From GutterRoof.com’s Gutter Protection Article Section
A small river carved the Grand Canyon. What do you think is going to happen with a small river coming out of your down spout onto the roof? The effects are obvious. Debris, mud, and rust are flushed out from the down spout and stain the roof. The cascading water erodes away the roof granules thereby shortening the life of your roof.
The best resolution to this problem would be to have the upper story downspouts be extended to the ground. The drawbacks are that it is more expensive than draining onto your roof, (which is why the builder did it in the first place). Once on the ground, there may not be a safe area to drain the water without creating a hazard or doing damage to the home and landscape.
Some areas of the upper gutters may not be accessible to drain directly onto the ground. Another solution is to have the upper down spout drain directly into the lower gutter system. These are called “Tie-Ins”. They are noticeable, but you can at match the color of the down spout to your roof to make it less visible.
If you are installing gutter caps then you must deal with the upper down spouts. Otherwise, the volume and velocity of water will cause the rain to overshoot at this point. At the very minimum, they must be tied in directly with the lower gutter system. Typically, a hole is cut in the gutter protection panel for the down spout and the area around the down spout is caulked. In some cases, it may not be a good idea to install gutter covers where a large amount of roof and upper down spouts are draining into a small section of gutter.
Proper drainage is important to extend the life of your home. Proper drainage from the upper section of roof will extend the life and looks of your roof. Your gutter cover’s ability to handle large volumes of fast water will be enhanced by tying in the upper down spouts directly into the lower gutters.
- Additional Resources
How Rainwater Does Damage to Your Home
An Effective Water Management System Will Protect Your Home
This Post Is From GutterRoof.com’s Gutter Protection Article Section
A small river carved the Grand Canyon. What do you think is going to happen with a small river coming out of your down spout onto the roof? The effects are obvious. Debris, mud, and rust are flushed out from the down spout and stain the roof. The cascading water erodes away the roof granules thereby shortening the life of your roof.
The best resolution to this problem would be to have the upper story downspouts be extended to the ground. The drawbacks are that it is more expensive than draining onto your roof, (which is why the builder did it in the first place). Once on the ground, there may not be a safe area to drain the water without creating a hazard or doing damage to the home and landscape.
Some areas of the upper gutters may not be accessible to drain directly onto the ground. Another solution is to have the upper down spout drain directly into the lower gutter system. These are called “Tie-Ins”. They are noticeable, but you can at match the color of the down spout to your roof to make it less visible.
If you are installing gutter caps then you must deal with the upper down spouts. Otherwise, the volume and velocity of water will cause the rain to overshoot at this point. At the very minimum, they must be tied in directly with the lower gutter system. Typically, a hole is cut in the gutter protection panel for the down spout and the area around the down spout is caulked. In some cases, it may not be a good idea to install gutter covers where a large amount of roof and upper down spouts are draining into a small section of gutter.
Proper drainage is important to extend the life of your home. Proper drainage from the upper section of roof will extend the life and looks of your roof. Your gutter cover’s ability to handle large volumes of fast water will be enhanced by tying in the upper down spouts directly into the lower gutters.
- Additional Resources
How Rainwater Does Damage to Your Home
An Effective Water Management System Will Protect Your Home
This Post Is From GutterRoof.com’s Gutter Protection Article Section
I have yet to find a perfect product, whether it be a car, electronics, or software. There is always some sort of weakness. The same goes for gutter protection. Many companies make promises that are unrealistic, and consequently convey false expectations to the homeowner. All gutter protection products have some limitations. If you want proof, look at the warranties before you purchase. Gutter protectors can be limited in effectiveness by many situations. You can find a great gutter guard, but you have to consider the cumulative effect of several components of each system.
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Design:
Many of the designs do not work properly or very well under medium to heavy debris conditions. The ones that do work may still have issues. Gutter covers commonly have problems with the roof valleys (sections of the roof that come together). Valleys are like a funnel which channels large volumes of rainwater at high velocity. Flyover is very common here. Debris is also funneled through the valleys as well. Sometimes the debris breaks down into slurry and clogs the gutters in the valley. Most gutter protections incorporate a diverter to channel the high velocity water to either side of the valley. These diverters cause more harm than good because debris will collect behind these systems and then overflow in slurry and clog the gutters.
Pine needles are another issue. They are thin enough that they will become encapsulated in the water and flow into the trough of the gutter guard system. Many gutter covers fail because there is not enough room to allow the pine needles to get into the gutters and get flushed out.
In the rainforest section of the northwest, the trees shed an incredible amount of debris. The almost daily rain keeps the debris moist and wet, and consequently, it never get blown off by the wind. The amount of debris over a year sitting up on a roof will make it impossible for the gutter leaf guard to work properly.
In the northern climates, there is no guarantee that the gutters will be free flowing. Why? Because frozen water doesn’t flow. The gutters will be clogged with ice and other debris during the winter.
Solution: Look for a product that has been available for several years. Most likely the bugs have been worked out in the design and in the installation methods for the various conditions across the country.
There are some companies that acquire a seal of approval on their product as a marketing strategy. This is no guarantee of an effectively designed gutter cover. The seal of approval is awarded by the gutter protection manufacturer paying several thousands dollars every year to the approving company.
Only products that can disperse the heat effectively across the panel and are hard wired into the home will prevent ice build up in the gutters. Products that don’t have an effective heating system will not stop ice build up. For more information on heated gutter systems go to heatercap.
Skill of Installation:
The more effective gutter caps require installation training to properly mount the system to the gutters and roof. Most contractors won’t even look at training manuals. Their training is done on your home. Some contractors do onsite training and they may learn a few basic techniques on simple roof styles. Unfortunately, there are several different roof styles on homes. If a contractor hasn’t ever installed your roof scenario, they are learning on your roof. You can purchase an effective gutter cover only to have the effectiveness negated by an improper installation.
Solution: There are products that are installed by true factory certified installers. True factory certification involves installers traveling to a formal training facility and practicing gutter guard installation on various roof scenarios. The installation learning curve is greatly diminished or eliminated.
After Installation Service:
Rain water fly off may be an issue. Sometimes adjustments have to be made to the valley system to control the volume of water flowing over the gutter leaf guard. In areas where there is a down spout from an upper run of gutters to the lower section of roof, water may fly over the gutter protection due to the volume and velocity. Commonly, the upper down spouts need to be directly tied into the lower gutter.
Solution: Get it in writing that the contractor, not the manufacturer, will take care of service issues related to performance and labor. A reputable contractor will have a company guarantee directly on the contract. Talk to recent customers about their after installation experiences.
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Accountability and Integrity of Contractor:
There are many contractors that do a great job of installing gutter covers very quickly, but then promptly ignore the customer afterwards. Typically, the product was priced so low that they can’t afford to service their work. They hope that the homeowner will stop calling and give up. Or they tell the homeowner, “You get what you pay for. You knew it was a cheap product.”
Solution: Research the gutter guard contractor on the internet. Use search engines and input the contractor’s name. If there are consumer complaints, sometimes they will turn up. The Better Business Bureau is a great source as well. Avoid other contractor service listings, as they may be biased, especially if the contractor is paying to be on their listing.
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Financial Health of Contractor:
Contractors can promise you the world, but if they are out of business, so are their guarantees. Low cost contractors go out of business several times and reopen under new names. Their commitments disappear along with their past business name.
Solution: Look to see how long they have been in business. Have they had other companies or been in business under different names. Search engines are a great source, along with the Better Business Bureau.
Warranty:
Solution: Read the copy of the warranty up front. A contractor should be able to supply you with one to read before you purchase the product. If you have apprehensions call former customers to see how the warranty service was handled. Find out what their policy is with warranty issues. Contractors that prefer you call them before the manufacturer are more likely to give you quicker and better service. Also, ensure that after installation you receive a warranty, send in the warranty registration, and hang on to your copy. Keep copies of work orders and paid receipts in case your warranty registration was lost in the mail.
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Additional Resources
The Hazards of Ice in Your Gutters
What is Important in a Water Management System
This Post Is From GutterRoof.com’s Gutter Protection Article Section
Curb appeal of the home is important not only for resale value, but for the emotional attachment that one has for where they reside. “After all, home is where the heart is.”
There are many gutter protection products available which stick out or are not esthetically pleasing.
Gutter protection can be almost invisible and still work properly on the home. Here are some key factors to consider when purchasing gutter covers to maintain the curb appeal of your home.
Look for low profile systems that mount directly to the lip of the gutter and attach under the second row of shingles. This arrangement allows the gutter cap to follow the contour of the roof and blend in with the roof line. Some systems will mount on the lip of the gutter but attach under the first row of shingles. With first row shingle mount gutter protectors, gutters need to be lowered and more of the product is visible from the ground. The tight fit under the first row of shingles doesn’t allow for expansion and contraction and after a year or so, the panels ripple and look very unsightly.
Gutter protectors using brackets, or high profile systems, raise the panels up higher, and are limited in the ability to follow the contour of the roof
The color is critical for curb appeal. Homeowners should choose a color that best matches the color of the roof. Many homeowners make the mistake of matching it to the color of the gutters not realizing how much it contrasts with the roof with a two-tone saddle shoe look. The effect is not very appealing. If you match your gutter guard to the color of the roof, it should blend in with the roof line and appear almost invisible.
But the proper color is not enough. A long term issue is the quality of the finish. Most metal dome systems use a baked enamel finish. These systems claim in their warranties that the product won’t blister, peel, or chip. This is true of all baked enamel finishes. This is also the same finish that is on your car. But if you leave your car out in the sun for a couple of years, is it going to be the same shade of color that it was when you first purchased it, of course not. Many people wax their cars to protect the finish. Who wants to get up on a ladder to wax the gutter covers!
On top of it, dirt and tree resin tends to stick to a baked enamel finish. Within a couple of years, a crust forms on top of the gutter protector. Hence baked enamel finishes will blend in for a couple of years and then appear unsightly on the home.
Systems that have a pebbled surface are more likely to have issue with accumulated dirt and tree resin.
There is a solution. There are a few systems that offer a no-fade finish to their products. The finish is called Kynar-500 and incorporates fluorine into the finish. Fluorine is chemically inert and doesn’t react with UV sunlight, acid rain, or pollution. Kynar finishes are used on high end metal roofs in situations to where concern is keeping in the color of the roof. Kynar-500 is also very slick and dirt and tree resin are likely to be rinsed off by regular rain fall. Systems using this finish will keep their curb appeal for several years and are not very visible on the home. In most cases, you wouldn’t notice the system unless it was pointed out to you.
A recent finish is the incorporation of roof granules into the finish. While there may be natural fading, as there would be with roof shingles, the effect is not noticeable. These systems become the first row of shingles and blend in well with the roof line.
Homeowners don’t have to sacrifice the effectiveness of their gutter cover for esthetics. Low profile mounts that attach under the second row of shingles and use either a Kynar or roof granule finish will be almost invisible on your home. Your gutter protection can work great and not be noticeable.
Additional Resources
Kynar 500
Metro Roofing
Allmet Roofing Systems
Gerard Roofing
This Post Is From GutterRoof.com’s Gutter Protection Article Section
Give Them Help With Gutter Caps
Your roofing gutters exist to protect your yard from damaging run off after a rain. They are like little aqueducts that direct rainwater to a pre-determined area, instead of simply allowing the rainwater to flow off the roof into your yard. If you like having a healthy, vibrant garden and lawn, having roofing gutters is a good idea – which is probably why they come standard in most houses. But your roofing gutters need protection, too. Left to fend for themselves, they will undoubtedly become clogged with dirt, dust, debris, and leaves that the rainwater takes with it. You can spend hours cleaning your gutters after every storm if you want, but it’s dirty, dangerous work. You’ll probably ruin your clothes, and – even worse – you might take a nasty spill from the ladder and break a few bones. Instead of all that, save on hospital and cleaning bills and simply installing some gutter caps on your roofing gutters.
Gutter caps act as shields for your gutters, allowing rainwater to flow in while keeping the debris out. With caps installed, your roofing gutters are free to do what they’re intended to do: direct the flow of water and prevent it from simply flooding your yard. The dirt and debris get in the way of that task, and the gutter caps protect your roofing gutters from the obstructions.
Your roof requires roofing gutters. That fact isn’t denied, and they appear in all houses. Your roofing gutters also require gutter caps, and if you install them on your house you will enjoy improved longevity, reduced repair costs, as well as a better return on your investment.
This Post Is From GutterRoof.com’s Gutter Protection Article Section