3 Important Projects Concerning Your Gutters
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The Role of Your Home's Gutters and Leaders
One of the most overlooked areas of any home is the rain gutters and leaders. When you think about it, this vital part of the house is perfectly positioned to be “out of site and out of mind”. At Above All Gutter Vac, we talk with our great customers every day. It’s interesting that unless there is a need for immediate repair, gutters are often an after thought. We see gutter installation added to other projects. Homeowners figure, “I’m getting my roof done. Might as well do the gutters too.” or “While doing the siding, soffits, and facia, let’s add the seamless gutters and leaders to the project”
As a gutter company, there may be some bias, but we know the importance of your gutters and leaders parts. Making them a stand alone priority in the plan to properly care for your home is a very smart way to avoid future problems. We will cover 3 important projects that every homeowner should consider, but first, let’s discuss the role of your gutters and leaders.
The primary function of your home’s gutter system is to control the flow of rainwater down your roof and away from the foundation of the home. Virtually every part of the United States deals with different levels of precipitation. Here in Georgia, we get an interesting combination. At certain times of the year, we get cold rain, sometimes mixed with sleet and snow. Other times, torrential downpours hit the region accompanied by heavy winds.
From light misty rains to powerful storms, gutters and leaders are the unsung heroes, catching rainwater but also debris from the surrounding foliage. The combination of water and debris are the reasons that regular gutter cleaning, proper gutter installation, and even the consideration of gutter protection. These 3 projects should be part of every game plan for a well maintained gutter system.
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The Dangers of Ignoring Your Gutters
Water is a wonderful resource. It is a part of a system in place to sustain all forms of life. We also know, however, that when water is not directed properly, it can be very damaging. We can’t control water in all circumstances, but we definitely can with the right gutter system in place.
Ignoring your gutters can have costly consequences. When your gutters and downspouts do their job, the chances of water intruding into to home lessen considerably. Water that settles near the foundation can compromise the integrity of the home. All too often, a basement starts to see cracking and the entrance of moisture. Depending on the severity, damage can range from waterlogged carpets, rotted wood and flooring, and the introduction of mold and mildew.
Your home is made of wood, which is not a situation to “just add water.”. The roof, soffit, facia, and siding can all be be subject to significant damage if your gutter installation company does a poor job or debris like leaves and sticks are not removed. Standing water causes damage, which is why ignoring your gutters can be very costly.
Unfortunately, we came across a home in Woodstock that was fairly new, but the gutter system had been neglected for years. Water had overflowed from the gutter onto the roof shingles. What was once an unseen and growing problem appeared one rainy morning in the form of a leak in the ceiling. After a costly lesson, the homeowners had us clean the system and install gutter guards.
Above All Gutter Vac Services is a gutter company located in Northwest Georgia. We hope that as you consider your next remodeling projects, that this article can provide insight into 3 steps to properly caring for your gutters.
Want a great Gutter Company that installs Gutter Guards? Need Gutter Cleaning? We are here to help!
Project #1 | Regular Gutter Cleaning 2x Per Year
As debris from the surrounding environment falls onto your roof, your gutters become a catch all for leaves, sticks, and dirt. Wildlife may even settle in and make a nest. Accumulation over time will lead to clogged gutters and downspouts. Buildup in this area of the home is a recipe for damage. The National Center for Healthy Housing recommends gutter cleaning twice per year.
Most homeowners understand that regular gutter cleaning is important, but who wants to climb a ladder and risk life and limb? According to the World Health Organization, the U.S. sees 164,000 visits to the emergency room every single year. Yikes! Finding a good gutter company to handle your gutter cleaning can save you more than money. It can save your life!
Aside from staying out of a body cast, here are a few reasons for gutter cleaning.
Rust Prevention
Metal rusts prematurely and shortens your system’s life span without regular gutter cleaning.
Roof Warranty
Allowing debris to pile up on your roof will often void your roofs warranty. Roof repair is very expensive!
Basement flooding
Lack of gutter maintenance is the number one cause of basement flooding and foundation erosion.
Pest Control
Unclean gutters will provide an environment that insects such as ants and cockroaches thrive in with direct access to your overhangs and attic.
Affordable Cost
Gutter cleaning is often less than the homeowner’s cable bill and only needs to be done 2x per year.
Unnecessary damage
As the weight of your gutter increases with the debris, damage to the surrounding home is inevitable.
Gutter Cleaning the Right Way | Gutter Vac
Call us crazy, but at Above All, gutter cleaning is a passion of ours. This is from over 2 decades of seeing the benefits of a debris-free half round gutters or leaf guards and galvanized steel gutter system in homes all across North Georgia. First and foremost, we are a gutter company.
Unlike many competitors, we have invested in an industrial grade gutter vacuum system. That’s right, when you hire us for your gutter cleaning, there are no leaf blowers scattering dirt and sludge across you property. All debris is removed and your downspouts flushed. This system makes everything cleaner, faster, and even more affordable.
We promise to leave the work area cleaner than when we arrived. Our goal is to be the gutter company you call and refer to friends and family for many years to come. Recently a homeowner in Marietta paid us a huge compliment on Social Media!
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Project #2 | Quality Seamless Gutter Installation
From the ground and to the untrained eye, a gutter and downspout may appear to be perfectly fine. Gutter Installation, however, is more of a calculated science than some people think. Remember, gutters direct the flow of water. There are many factors that come into play for a project to be successful. Unfortunately, when a gutter company does not doe a good job, the consequences of that don’t show up for years.
For starters, the pitch of the roof plays an important role in gutter installation. If a roof is steep, water will flow at a higher velocity. Like any container, if water travels into the gutter and is unable to exit at the same pace, overflow may happen. Excessive water that makes its way over the lip of the gutter can fall near the home causing damage to the foundation. Liquid that splashes back onto the roof, soffit, facia, or siding will also cause water damage. Poor water flow has been known to shorten the life of a roof, which is very costly.
We recommend going with a company that insists upon proper seamless gutter installation. At Above All, we would love to be the company that you choose. The quality of materials is so important. Gutters and downspouts (leaders) are made of aluminum and we absolutely recommend going seamless. Seamless gutters are a single piece of gutter that we cut from a single coil. Think of seams as places of weakness. Anywhere water can escape, it will try to do so. This is why using multiple pieces of gutter is an inferior strategy.
Gutter installation is also an art fastening the material at the correct angles. As we explained earlier regarding the pitch of the roof, the downward flow of water requires the right calculation. If the ascent to the downspout is either too steep or too slow, overflow will occur.
We were recently at a beautiful home in Canton to replace a section of gutter that had gotten damaged in a storm. We did not do the original gutter installation, but the homeowner expressed concern over other parts of the house where it seemed that during heavy storms, rain water would overflow.
Our team found one part had the gutter tilted away from the home. In another case, the angle heading toward the downspout was almost non-existent. This caused water to build up, which the previous gutter installation company could have avoided..
Thankfully, as a top gutter company with some of the best craftsmen in all of Georgia, we made some adjustments and helped to avoid considerable damage to surrounding wood and shingles. Needless to say, the homeowner was very happy and we were glad to help!
Quality gutter installation comes with attention to detail, the right materials, and a commitment to a standard of excellence.
Project #3 | Gutter Guards Installation
Ok, it’s time to have the talk about protection. Installing Gutter Guards is the ultimate step in making this part of your home worry free. At Above All, we are not only specialists in cleaning and installation, but also offer perforated aluminum gutter protection. We have gone to great lengths to research and test available systems for our customers.
There are many products out there, but our focus has been to seek out options that are both effective and affordable. We are excited to say that perforated aluminum gutter guards are a great choice for our customers. Look out for inferior materials like vinyl and other metals. Your gutters are aluminum so it only makes sense that your gutter toppers would be the same. Not every gutter company uses the right material.
Just like with gutter installation, adding gutter guards should be done with care. That’s why choosing a gutter company like ours is ideal. We do the job right the first time, every time!
When you choose Above All Gutter Vac Services, you don’t have to worry about cleaning your system first. It’s all included. Don’t settle for a gutter company that just wants to fasten the gutter guards and leave. We take the special care upfront to ensure long term success.
Recently, a homeowner in Kennesaw had gotten 3 estimates and was surprised that we included the following with Gutter Guards installation.
- Complete gutter cleaning with downspouts
- Seal and adjust gutters wherever needed
- Installation of Gutter Guards
- Ongoing gutter monitoring
- Gutters performance money back guarantee
How Gutter Guards actually work
When installed correctly, gutter guards allow for the flow of water to effectively enter the system while dirt and other debris safely passes over without build up on top.
Like with gutter installation, proper fastening is key. The right design (which we will recommend) will be able to accommodate all types of trees that may surround your home. By eliminating unwanted blockages to your system, you avoid costly repairs that can range in the thousands to tens of thousands of dollars.
Gutter Guards make this important part of your home nearly maintenance free! Protect your gutters and your home with quality gutter guard installation.
We are North Georgia's Gutter Company!
Above All Gutter Vac Services is a gutter company servicing Bartow County, Cherokee County, Cobb County, and the Greater North Atlanta region.
Our highly trained and professional staff specializes in the following home services:
- Gutter Cleaning
- Seamless Gutter Installation
- Gutter Guards
- Gutter Repair Services
When you choose us as your gutter company, all work is backed by the industry’s best guarantee. We will ensure that you are 100% satisfied. Don’t just take our word for it. Check out the reviews from the amazing customers we have proudly served over the past several decades. Many started with regular gutter cleaning or gutter installation and have now trusted us to install top of the line gutter guards.
We pride ourselves on being the best in both price and service!