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Ask the Engineer About Gutter Guards for Pine Needles

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One of the largest challenges for all gutter guards and gutter screens. There are approximately 35 types of pine trees in North America with pine needles ranging from as short as about 5/8 of an inch to as long as three or four inches. In fact gutter screens don’t stand a chance as the tiny needles easily penetrate them and go into the gutter. I once had a homeowner determined to build a screen to keep his pine needles from getting into his gutter. He took the finest mesh screen he could find and made three layers of it. When I looked at the screen I was amazed that long pine needles with three in a pod actually managed to penetrate the screen and clog his gutters. I even wondered if the product I recommended would fill the bill. Read on. Similar to gutter screens are foam gutter inserts. It also is a mesh and I imagine you already know what happens to them. Once found a screen with louvered slots that did keep out pine needles. The pine needles accumulated on the top of the gutter screen in sufficient quantity to keep the rain water from getting into the gutter.

I was so amazed that I even doubted the product I recommended since I only had two years of experience with it. Read on. Then there are the micro mesh filters. Some of the manufacturers are truthful and acknowledge that debris will accumulate on the top of the micro filter. They recommend using a specially designed brush with a telescopic pole to clean the filters. I must admit I’ve used brushes to clean the best gutter cover I recommend, but it’s easy for me to see where the accumulation of debris is and it’s easy to see that I’ve removed it. How can I possibly see on top of the gutter to see where the debris has clogged the micro mesh? And if I just brush every foot of gutter, how do I know that enough of the debris has been removed? Can you think of some questions about how to maintain the micro mesh product? Maybe they have all the answers but I haven’t seen them published yet. What about exposed fascia and what is protecting it? What is going to remind me to brush them? Just too many unknowns!From an engineering point of view, let’s investigate the topper type or solid helmet of leaf guards. They break down into four types:

  1. Single fin which serves as one long louver guiding the water into the gutter. If there are pine needles laying on the tops of the gutter guards or gutter covers many of the pine needles usually line themselves up horizontally to the roof edge. I guess we could figure out why this is so but as it rains they usually adhere to the surface of the leaf guard just as the rain does. Being that there is only one long fin collecting the rain water, any length of pine needle in sufficient quantity can easily get into the gutter and clog it. Just Google “Niagara rain gutter cover leaf guards and gutter guards” to see the basic design that is common to about twenty different gutter cover products.

  2. The second type is the single fin with a trough;only difference is that it has a trough located below the gutter lip to screen out debris. But, since this trough is below the gutter lip, then how is this trough cleaned? The problem is that the openings in the trough are often large enough to let many large pine needles pass into the gutter. If you Google “Carecheap Vinyl Gutter covers” you’ll see an improvement on the trough type of gutter cover.

  3. Single fin with screen on the top hybrid. This hybrid mixes two designs with the same result. The screens clog yielding the same product as described in number one above. So far we do not have the best gutter cover.

  4. Vertically louvered gutter guards with two rows of louvers instead of one long fin. You could describe it as two longitudinal fins interrupted every three-fourths of an inch to reject any debris longer than three-fourths of an inch. For that size debris to get in, it has to hit the louver exactly at the right position. With 22 years of experience this design has proven to keep gutters inside clean and cheap flowing. And the two customers I recommended this design to who had screen type of devices have never called to claim failure of the product. If you Google “Waterloov gutter guards” you’ll see what they look like.

You should be wondering if the louvered collectors clog with pine needles, Yes they do and it is very easy to see from the ground even on higher gutters–where this is happening. And guess what? A ten year old can remove the accumulated debris with a telescopic pole and brush. And what happens if the homeowner ignores his gutter for a few years and the louvers of the gutter guards clog? Answer: Instead of taking only five minutes to brush them it may take ten or fifteen minutes to restore them to their original condition.

In summary, the best gutter guard for pine needles limits the size and quantity of debris entering the gutter as you would have with two rows of louvers with maximum length of each louver being three-fourths of an inch in length.

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Gutter Cleaning Products and Methods

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Gutter cleaning can be a hazardous and unpleasant chore for any homeowner and those who are unfortunate enough to live underneath large trees or even worse a pine tree will know all about this job. Professional companies can be chosen to carry out the work but the price can often be excessive and with Health and Safety rules frequently changing those prices charged are unlikely to decrease. Those who are brave enough to climb the ladder are the lucky ones, not everyone is capable of such endeavors, fortunately there are a few alternative methods and products for cleaning out gutters:

1) The Gutter Vacuum is perfect for those who cannot or will not climb the ladder. It is made from aluminium and is very lightweight, it makes no mess and can be used to clear out guttering over conservatories and narrow sideways. This product can also be fitted with a C.C.T.V. camera system so you can the gutter as you make your way around the property – a perfect tool for both homeowner and D.I.Y.

2) The Guttering Cleaner is a cordless tool that has fixed bristles that rotate at high speed blowing out leaves and other debris, its a tool targeted primarily to the U.S market.

3) The Wand is a simple hose attachment and is best suited for clearing out sludge such as decayed moss rather then freshly dropped leaves or pine needles. This is more of a D.I.Y. accessory than a professional tool.

4) Once the guttering is cleared out future blockages can be prevented by installing a good quality and sturdy gutter guard. These products have gone through a re invention in recent years and several high quality products are now on sale that put the flimsy mesh type guards of yesteryear to shame.

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Gutter Cleaning in Sacramento

Gutter Cleaning and Maintenance Tips

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Gutters are usually the part of a home that the majority of homeowners forget or take for granted – which can lead to serious problems as gutters perform extremely necessary functions in safe guarding the home. Your gutters keep extra rainwater away from your rooftop and catch leaves, dirt etc that might otherwise clog your gardens. Don’t think that gutters will clean out on their own because they won’t, no matter how powerful the rains are.

Here are some vital gutter maintenance tips you can utilise to make sure that your gutters keep doing their job for years to come:

The optimum way to maintain your gutters is to clean it regularly. If your gutters catch debris, branches etc then make sure you’re cleaning them several times a year. Perform visual checkups at the end of every season, especially autumn and winter. If there are any issues, you can readily spot and fix them immediately.

It is certain that you will have to clean them out at some point in time. Without washing, things can start to clog of your gutters, slowly blocking it up. Anything from leaves, seeds, dust, dirt, and anything that flies by could possibly get caught inside your gutter system if you are not utilizing rain gutter guards or covers. A blocked gutter system can cause a plethora of issues so if you don’t feel you’re up to the task then getting a regular handyman to do the job for you could be worth its weight in gold in the future – remember an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure!

One of the major problems of rainwater overflowing the gutters is when it flows into the cracks around the house. Remember – rain gets everywhere and it can damage the wood in your own home too. You can even end up getting wood that rots and leaks throughout the house. Don’t wait until you notice issues.

It’s not just wood rotting wood that can lead to a huge amount of problems, rusting gutters can be another nightmare too. Rust will eat away at the metal; over time, it will cause holes, which will make your gutters useless in keeping water and rubbish away. As soon as you see any damage, perform repairs immediately. For example, you can apply an anti-rust paint to prevent the rust from spreading.

After a bad storm, inspect your gutters for any signs of damage. If there are loose portions, fix them into place. Don’t wait until the damage gets worse before repairing your gutters. By then, it may be too late to salvage what you have and you will spend more money on repairs.

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Cleaning Gutters With a Gutter Cleaning Tool

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House cleaning is a must in order to maintain a healthy household. However, cleaning the outside is just as important as cleaning the inside. Unfortunately, some outer parts of the house that require regular cleaning can not only get difficult but require special tools as well. Don’t you just wish you could wave your magic wand and everything would be clean? Well, speed cleaning doesn’t have to be wishful thinking. Neither does cleaning your gutter effectively and without exerting yourself.

One of the parts of the house that requires special attention and tools is the roof gutter. Once leaves and dirt settle inside it, cleaning it to your satisfaction is close to impossible.

If you live in an area where the trees shed their leaves each autumn, then you are probably familiar with the problem of dead leaves clogging up your gutter. This problem can lead to serious damage right down to the down spout, not to mention the water damage the side of your house can receive if the gutter overflows.

Several gutter cleaning tools are now being sold to help house owners prevent more serious problems with their gutter. You will find tools that look like thongs that help you pick out leaves even in those hard to reach areas in your gutter. You can also use the gutter cleaning tool as a hose extension. It has a rotary nozzle to work for your convenience. Some products even have additional features such as a plunger.

Manufacturers have made these products so easy to use that everyone can do this with breeze, maybe even your teenagers! They would not have to worry about climbing high ladders just to clean the gutter themselves. These gutter cleaning tools are usually made with adjustable poles so that the gutter can be reached even by those vertically challenged. Gone are the days when you have to do dangerous climbing on the roof and clean with your bare hands, putting your health and probably our life in jeopardy.

Gutter cleaning tools are an easy and safe way to clean your gutter and to maybe even get your teenagers involved in house cleaning!

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Gutters Tips

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Rain gutter guards and gutter guard systems can make your life a whole lot easier. When you have rain gutters, you already know the pain of taking care of them. It is unavoidable that you will have to wash them out at a certain point. Without cleaning, things can start to gather inside of your gutters, slowly clogging it up. Paying anyone to cleanse your gutters often may cost lots of money. After you stop paying this person, the clogging difficulties will start up once again.

Anything from leaves, seeds, dust, dirt, and anything that flies by could possibly get caught inside your gutter system if you are not utilizing rain gutter guards or covers. A clogged gutter system can cause problems you haven’t even imagined. Instead of heading towards the downspouts, water overflows the gutters and flows into cracks around the house. Rain gets everywhere. It can damage the wood in your own home too. You can even end up getting wood that rots and leaks throughout the house.

Don’t wait until you notice problems arising before fixing the gutters. These problems can require sometime to show themselves. Cleaning your gutters several times annually will most likely be enough. Sometimes it may be more just depending on the amount of leaves flying around. This issue might be avoided entirely if you use some leaf guards or gutter guards.

Installing gutter guards assists in maintaining this backup from providing you difficulty with gutters. Protection from clogging has been used for plenty of years. It is obvious that protection for these gutters work. Covers and gutter guard systems complete the job. They are just what they sound like. They are like big metal screens that filter out debris. The screens don’t mean you won’t need to clean out gutters entirely, however they make the problem easier.

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Top Benefits of Gutter Cleaning

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The gutter is the part of a building’s roofing structure that is responsible for collecting rain water, and disposing of such water is a way that does not lead to a damage of the building. Without gutters, buildings would have shorter lives, as rain water falling upon them (and without ‘anywhere else to go’) would end up soaking into them, with the long term effect of induced structural weakness. This is not a theoretical situation. Some daring souls have actually been known to opt to do away with gutters in their buildings, perhaps as a part of their project cost-cutting measures. The results are inevitably disastrous: even in the parts of the world that are not given to much rain. What tends to happen, when a house lacks a gutter is that (as alluded earlier) rainwater falling on it seeps into it, often leading to what is typically referred to as the ‘rotting of the house.’

It normally starts off as an aesthetic problem, (thanks to the unseemly appearance that such seeped rainwater inevitably has). Unless checked, with the installation of some gutter, the problem often evolves into a structural problem, one that has been known to cause otherwise structurally sound buildings to collapse.

Yet just having a gutter on a building’s roof is not adequate insurance against the problems associated with the lack of such a gutter. As it turns out, gutters are prone to get clogged – with dirt that gets washed down alongside the rainwater that such gutter is supposed to provide a drainage to. Small bits of cement and sand falling off the building’s structure end up in the gutter, clogging it too. At the end of the day, then, the gutter has to be cleaned, to get rid of this accumulated ‘dirt.’ Otherwise, one risks ending up with a gutter that can’t serve its primary role, of being a rainwater drainage structure.

From the above, it is obvious that the benefits of regular gutter cleaning can never be over-emphasized. Without such regular gutter cleaning, we are likely to end up with a situation where rainwater, finding obstacles in its path, overflows and ends up ruining the walls of the building (initially defacing them, and in the long run potentially causing structural weaknesses). And this not to say anything of the fact that such overflowing water (as a result of un-cleaned, and therefore clogged gutters) can wreck havoc on the occupants of the building in question, as it is likely to manifest as leaks in the walls! At the very least, such leaking water could make the building extremely cold to the occupants. At worst, it could lead to damages in property inside the building, or God forbid, short circuits in the building’s electrical wiring, potentially leading to fire accidents.

Put another way then, the benefits of regular gutter cleaning include an increment in the life of the building in question, while potentially also making it a more comfortable place to live or work in.

If gutter cleaning feels like too much work, you will be glad to learn that there are number of companies that have come up, with such gutter cleaning as their core business. You just have to show them your building, pay them a small fee, and leave it to them to thoroughly clean your gutters: with all the attendant benefits attached to regular and thorough gutter cleaning.

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How To Know If You Need To Replace Your Guttering System

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If your gutters are sagging, cracked or pulled away from the fascia board, then you need to replace your guttering system. A specialist can check your gutters for these problems and tell you if they need to be replaced. Most homeowners don’t check their gutters but some will pay a handyman to clean them out periodically.

If you notice any cracks in your walls, stains from water on the ceiling, a wet basement or cracked foundation, then you definitely need new gutters. Most People don’t realize that their gutters need to be protected with gutter guards to keep them from clogging up. It filters out the debris and twigs and keeps the snow and ice from forming.

The snow and ice puts a lot of weight on them which leads to sagging or cracked gutters and it also causes them to pull away from the fascia board. So rather you have a new or old guttering system, they need protection. The gutters on your home are the most important part of its structure keeping water from destruction.

Also, termites play a role in water damage and can destroy a house very quickly. They totally destroy window frames, foundations, any trim on your house and any other wood exterior. Smart homeowners will have their gutters checked yearly with a gutter clean and have their gutters protected by gutter guards and a termite inspection every few years. Termite inspections are reasonably priced and can save you in enormous repairs.

A gentleman in Indiana saw that his window frames were almost gone, so he had his house inspected for termites. There were termites throughout his attic that destroyed most of it and the foundation was wrecked. He had major water damage in his ceiling and floor. He put repairs off, while termites found damp areas to feast on. The repair cost was twenty-five percent of what his house was worth.

Ignoring your guttering system and damp or wet walls, ceilings and basements will cost you your home. That’s a sure sign that you need to replace your guttering system. Homeowners don’t think about something as small as gutters because they’re hard to see. They’re attached to a fascia board behind the overhang so the water can run through them into the downspout on the ground away from your house.

There’s no reason to let something seem so small end up being a big thing when your house depends on them for safety. Gutter guards will protect your gutters keeping your house in tip-top shape and you’ll feel safer and healthier with a nice dry home.

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Gutter Cleaning Tools – How to Make This Task Easier

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Do you ever feel like screaming when it comes time to clean your gutters? Well you are like many other people in the world. Gutter cleaning can be very frustrating and time consuming.

There are many different gutter cleaning tools that can help make your cleaning task much easier. The question is which ones work the best. Well this depends on the individual as well as the gutters. There are many different types of gutters which will take different types of tools.

There is the craftsman wet/dry vacuum, the gutter sense, the gutter master, the gutter robot and many more. Depending on the size of the gutter and the amount of trash that you have to clean, will tell you which tool that will work best for you.

I have found that the gutter robot works best for me. This tool takes most of the work off of me. It is a very great tool for cleaning your gutters properly. This tool also makes it safer to clean your gutters because you have no need to use a ladder. People that are afraid of heights will totally be grateful.

This tool makes it so much quicker and easier to get the massive task of gutter cleaning done.

With this tool you will not have to spend the entire day trying to get your gutters clean. You might be asking what the big deal is about cleaning your gutters. Well that is a good question. Dirty gutters can cause many problems. They can draw many bugs and insects because of the water that gets built up by all the debris. This can cause the gutter to fall as well as water damage to the roof if the water should overflow onto your roof. Gutters that are not cleaned twice a year can also overfill and fall off. This can cause more home repairs to be needed. This can be very costly.

If you do not want extra expenses to occur, then you should make sure that you are cleaning your gutters regularly. This does not have to take up all your spare time if you will get the proper tools to do the job right the first time. So many people try and go the cheap route and make their own tools. This might work, but it will take you more time to clean your gutters out. This can be very dangerous as well. The choice is all yours.

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Gutter Inspection Sacramento (916) 550-4384

Keeping Your Gutters Clean

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Are your gutters full of sludge and leaves? Have you been meaning to get around to them but you just don’t have the time? Are your years reaching to those years where you really don’t want to climb up that ladder? If you said yes to these questions or have other reasons for not having cleaned your gutter you might want to think about hiring a gutter contractor.

When the gutters are full the rain comes down directly off the roof like a waterfall down where your home’s foundation is. This can cause cracking in the foundation and also rotting in it, and in the siding. When this happens you are in an extremely uncomfortable position of looking at a very expensive project that could have been easily avoided.

You can actually get roof rotting problems if you don’t clean your gutters. The rain will have nowhere to go and get backed up on the roof or lower roof and cause dips which accumulate puddles of water. When the puddles of water sit there for a long time they start to make the roof soft and mushy. They can seep in through shingles or other roofing and cause holes for animals to crawl into and nest, or even can cause the entire roof to cave in.

All you have to do is clean the gutters. It is dangerous however to try and clean them yourself. Especially as you get older and you are less likely to bounce back from an accident. It is more common than you think to be injured from falling off a ladder during gutter cleaning. It is even a high cause of death.

A ladder without professional knowledge of gutters, skill or equipment can cause damage to the gutters. Resting a ladder on the gutters can break them, dent them or bend them which you definitely don’t want because it takes away from the look of your home and the functionality of the gutters.

Professionals can come and help you by using their equipment which includes safety equipment. Since they do this task professionally and often, they can do it more quickly and with better accuracy. They will be better off doing it than you because they are trained at doing it and know how to do it the most efficiently and safely because they do it all the time.

It’s better to hire someone to come help you rather than try to do it yourself just to save a few bucks. You will be better off not putting yourself in such a dangerous position to maybe wreck what you have already. All you have to do is schedule a routine maintenance with your local contractor and they will be able to help you keep your home in the best shape it has potential to have.

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5 Tips For Cleaning Roof and Gutters So That You Never Have to Worry About Water Damage

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1. Water Blast & Wash Your Roof

Black fungus, mould, lichens, algae and moss damage your roof. To effectively get rid of these pervasive destructive organisms, first spray a cleaning solution made up of an environmentally friendly cleaning soap mixed in water at low pressure. Let it sit on the roof for about 15 minutes.

Pressure wash the roof using fresh clean water keeping water pressure at less than 2000 psi. Keep the spray angle at 45 degrees, and work along the roof surface moving the nozzle evenly maintaining a distance of about 8 to 10 inches from the roof surface. This should provide effective cleaning of all black fungus, mold, lichens, algae and moss, making your roof clean and sparkling.

2. Understand Your Roof Gutters

Gutters are U shaped and can be of many shapes and sizes. They can be made of steel, vinyl or aluminum. Gutters from the good old days can even be of wood or cooper. Different methods are used to install gutters. You must know how your gutters are installed if you want to maintain them for proper functioning. Usually they are mounted in four different ways.

(A) Using inside hangers – These hangers fit on the inside of the gutter are fixed to the fascia with nails or screws going through the straps and the gutter face touching the fascia.

(B) Using outside hangers – The hangers are mounted directly onto the fascia with the gutter sitting inside the hangers.

(C) Using spikes and ferrules – Here ferrules are placed in the gutter for maintaining correct gutter width with spikes going through the gutter walls and the ferrule into the fascia.

(D) Using strap hangers – With the gutter sitting in the straps, the straps themselves are nailed or screwed to the roof sheathing below the shingles

When you know your gutters thoroughly you will be able to maintain and repair them as and when required without which the gutters may get welled up and overflow from the sides, leak, sag, bend out of alignment, or need replacement and your house may suffer from water damage to the fascia, basement, and other parts of the house.

Some times merely bending the hangers to some extent may bring the gutter in proper alignment or you may need to replace broken/irreparable hangers or may need to fix additional hangers for getting a properly functioning gutter to prevent water damage.

3. Fix Gutter Shields To Prevent Gutter Clogging

Gutter shields are inexpensive plastic or metal screens that act as guards to prevent leaves, buds, pine needles and other debris from getting into the roof gutters and clogging them.

However in some cases they may trap leaves on the topside of the screen mesh and reduce water flow into the gutter. Gutter guards that completely cover the gutter allowing water flowing down the roof to roll into the gutter and let leaves and debris tumble over the top to fall to the ground are slightly more expensive. You can also place appropriate screens inside the gutter to prevent any debris that manages to get in from flowing down and blocking the drain spout.

4. Clean Accumulated Gutter Debris From Time To Time

Do this at least twice a year i.e. in spring and fall on a good dry day. Place a ladder of sufficient height against the wall and ensure that it is properly balanced and will not slide to the left or right as you climb up and work.

Then get on top and collect dry twigs, leaves from the gutter and drop them onto the ground. You can also use a gutter scoop or a garden trowel. Alternatively, you can use a handheld electric blower to blow off dry leaves and twigs. Some blowers come with attachments for this purpose. You may need to get down several times and move the ladder around the exterior of your house to complete the job. However, you will be rewarded for all your efforts with a clean, cheap flowing gutter.

5. Clear Down Pipe Blockage

Your gutter may well up and water may spill over the sides if your down pipe is blocked with leaves and debris. The best way is to work from the bottom of the down pipe by using water pressure to unblock it.

You can do this by running up a garden hose into the down pipe from the bottom and pack a rag around the hose and open the water full blast. This should loosen the blockage, which can then flow out. If it does not work try a plumbers snake or just take down the down pipe and clean by poking a broom handle from the bottom. A cheap flowing gutter is the key to years of water damage cheap living.

If all the above sounds like hard work then simply hire a professional company to do all the hard work for you. That way at least your gutter and roof cleaning jobs will get done plus they’ll probably save you time and money in the long run.

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