Arlington, Virginia Gutter Pros - Resources

FALL MEANS GUTTER CLEANING!

11/2/2021

Fall is a special time of year and means a lot to our community. A return to school, Halloween and Veteran's Day, a changing of the seasons and a few short weeks to Thanksgiving.

Fall is also special because its time to clean your gutters! We recommend cleaning at least twice each year, and late Fall is typically the most important cleaning. As leaves and debris fall from nearby trees, much of this material winds up in our gutters.

Deciduous trees, and Evergreens alike both shed leaves and needles during this time - so a thorough cleaning is really required wherever you live. Each tree type poses its own issue. Large leaves quickly fill gutters, and can start to clog downspouts. As pine needles fall on roofs and into gutters, they quickly wind up in downspouts and can exacerbate existing minor clogs.

These issues become increasingly problematic as Fall storms set in and dump water on your roof. Then comes the freeze. As cold Winter temperatures turn water to ice - standing water begins to pose an increasing threat to your gutters.

If standing water freezes, it can cause damage to gutters, burst downspouts, and in some cases, entirely rip gutter from your home.

Avoid all of this by completing a Fall cleaning. And avoid the headaches by letting our team help. And while we're at it, happy Fall. Enjoy the season!

SIX REASONS NOT TO CLEAN YOUR OWN GUTTERS

10/6/2021

Don't buy the hype: gutter maintenance and cleaning is not rocket science, and just about any savvy homeowner can safely and effectively complete this task. However, there are a few things to consider when contemplating whether or not to leave this job to the pros. This post contains a few things to consider when scheduling a gutter related project.

1. Your Time is Valuable. Gutter cleaning (and maintenance tasks) are not fast. We're not talking about mowing the lawn here. Gutter cleaning requires prep, supplies and tools, and a few hours of your time. Plus, it's one of those fun projects that can quickly turn into an all-day affair if you identify an issue. While most homeowners can clean their own gutters, how many own all of the right tools? Do you have a gutter spoon? Is your ladder tall (and sturdy) enough? Are you prepared to deal with an issue? Would you rather spend the time doing something else? Most would. Give us a call and we'll take care of this sometimes unpredictable and less than enjoyable activity.

2. Avoid Damage to Gutters. It may come as a surprise, but gutters can be fragile. Even placing a ladder against them can cause damage - and when you climb that ladder you could seriously dent or bend your gutter system. We can help you avoid this. Our team is well versed in correct ladder placement to avoid damage and quickly complete cleaning and maintenance tasks.

3. Eliminate Risk of Injury. Each year, hundreds of thousands of American are injured in ladder-related accidents. An injury sustained while cleaning your gutters could result from a faulty or poorly anchored ladder, or a number of other factors. This equates to wasted time and productivity for you and your loved ones. If you do tackle the project on your own, we highly recommend enlisting someone's help to hold your ladder as you work. Falls happen fast, and to experienced homeowners. Please be safe and don't let this be you. Avoid the risk of injury all together by letting our gutter pros do the work for you.

4. Insects. Gutters which haven't been cleaned in a while could provide a home to insects, animals, or any other number of living creatures. While we're less concerned with bird nests or a few stashed acorns; wasps, hornets, or burrowing insects can be challenging to remove, and downright nasty to deal with. Leave this to us.

5. Maintenance Issues. One of the benefits of professional cleaning and maintenance is our experienced eyes. As we clean, we inspect your gutters, hardware, mounting brackets, and components to ensure your gutters are in the best shape possible. We may see indicators of issues that average homeowners might look past - missing until its too late. In this sense, cleaning also serves as a "check up" for your gutters. One step in ensuring they live a long life.

6. Our Work is Warrantied. If we clean your gutters, and you have an issue, we'll come out and make it right. If you tackle your project yourself, and find an issue later, you have to pull the ladder back out, troubleshoot the issue yourself, and waste another day. Don't take the chance. Call us out and let us do what we do best.

OLD GUTTERS USED FOR PLANTERS

7/7/2021

Recently, a customer had us out to completely replace their gutters. They asked us what they could do with the excess gutter as they contemplated whether or not to have us take it away.

Here's what they came up with: gutter planters for their garden. We loved this idea. Some plants don't require all that much space, and fit really well into the narrow space of the gutter.

The idea is simple. Grab old gutter sections, seal the ends with metal caps or cut wood (even hot glue and plastic cut from large bottles could work) and situate in a garden or greenhouse. Fill with planting soil and your favorite plants, water, and let the magic happen. Obviously there's some research required to determine what will grow best (as some plants need lots more space) but we thought this was ingenious way to garden and reuse existing materials in the process.

Happy gardening!

NOTES FROM THE FIELD: RODENT GUARDS

11/12/2020

Our team was pleased to find the following during a recent service visit. This homeowner had done everything right:
-Well cleaned, serviced gutters,
-Downspout extensions to move water away from the foundation,
-Splash guards (the green panel) to move water into the lawn and away from the foundation, and;
-Rodent guards (the white grate) to keep rodents and pests out

Our team disassembled these components, checked them for cleanliness and any obstructions, and put them back together. Great work homeowner!

June 17th, 2020

6/17/2020

During a recent inspection, we found the following. The homeowner said we could share this picture for everyone's benefit.

Dented gutters (and downspouts especially) can be problematic. Even minor dents can constrict water flow in a downspout and cause issues during heavy rains.

But a much bigger issue is this: Dented downspouts constrict space inside, making it easier for debris to form an obstruction and backup your downspout. Add a few wet leaves or twigs, and we have problems. Add pine needles and smaller debris on top, and you've got a clog. And clogs lead to bad things.

Replacing dented sections is relatively inexpensive, and can be done during your annual cleaning or service. Again, this is an inexpensive fix which can save you money and headaches down the road. Call us now, and we'll get it done.

a winter warning

12/4/2019

Many of us associate winter icicles with a special time of year, and a cozy, magical "snuggle in your warm home" with cocoa kind of feeling.

We feel similarly, but also weary about icicles - given the potential damage they can do to your gutters.

Icicles form (as you know) when water, rain, or melting snow drips down, and freezes before falling to the surface below. Think stalactites from caves and caverns.

The issue with huge sheets of long icicles is threefold:
-From a safety perspective, these icicles could fall on people, animals, or vehicles below.
-Icicles add a tremendous amount of weight to whatever they're attached to. Generally, they like to grow on your gutter, or from piles of compacted snow just above your gutter. Should this packed snow and ice become dislodged, it could cause serious damage.
-Generally, if icicles are forming, there is a good chance your gutters are also full of ice. This can cause a number of issues - similar to those stated above.

So what can you do? The best bet is to ensure you complete your Fall gutter cleaning, so there isn't any way water can become stuck in your gutters.

Next, As the rain comes, ensure water is properly flowing out. When it snows, watch your gutters for signs of issue. And while it's personal preference consider knocking large ice formations off your gutters (in a safe manner) to relieve weight and pressure on your roof).

In all things, be safe, and enjoy the season - then have us out afterwards to complete a Spring cleaning and inspection - to make sure your gutters are ready for the next big thing!

tools of the trade: the gutter spoon

6/20/2019

You've heard it before; the right tool makes almost any job easier. The gutter spoon is no exception, and is our favorite tool.

Gutter spoons are specifically designed for this task. The simple scraping tool fits into the bottom of a gutter, and can be pulled or pushed through any muck and mire to dislodge stuck matter.

Best of all, the spoon can be affixed to an extension pole which makes working from a ladder safer, and easier.

Once material is scooped out, it can be placed in an accompanying bucket, or thrown safely to the ground. Get yours today, or call our team to assist you; as we bring all the right tools to your job.

SPRAY PAINT RACK BUILT FROM OLD GUTTER

3/20/2019

Here's another use for old gutter section that we love. This is a spray paint storage rack built from old gutter.

The homeowner took used gutter, cleaned it, added end caps, and has attached via two slats of wood to a wall (presumably in the garage) to house spray paint.

This is a fantastic idea, and use of old materials, and we salute you! Well done!Here's another use for old gutter section that we love. This is a spray paint storage rack built from old gutter.

The homeowner took used gutter, cleaned it, added end caps, and has attached via two slats of wood to a wall (presumably in the garage) to house spray paint.

This is a fantastic idea, and use of old materials, and we salute you! Well done!

January 01st, 2019

1/1/2019

Surprisingly, plant growth in gutters is far more common than you might think. Recently our team headed out for a routine cleaning, and found extensive plant growth in a section of gutter.

From what our team could tell, the gutter had a small amount of decomposed plant matter at the base, and had consistent water all season long.

This formed enough of a foundation for plant growth - and with the addition of seeds (likely blowing through the wind) the gutter had a new tenant. The weeds we removed weren't huge, but big enough to cause future problems as they continued to grow. In one other section of the house, we found ivy-like weeds growing up into and around gutters. Our team removed these in order to minimize the chances of future issues.

One more reason to check these things regularly - weeds and growth can quickly clog or damage gutters. Don't let this be you!

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