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Author Alloy Gutter Categories Gutters Posted on

Are my Gutters Pitched Correctly?

Your gutters serve one purpose and that purpose is to direct water away from your foundation.  They are a vital feature in defending the structural integrity of your house.  So how do you know if your gutters are pitched correctly?  We recommend that you look inside the gutter to see if there is any standing water.  Standing water is a tall tell tale that your gutters need to be re-pitched. Gutters should be pitched toward a downspout for the water to flow properly.  You will want at least a quarter inch of a slope for every 10 feet. Long runs of gutters are intentionally high in the middle so water flows toward downspouts at each end.  If a gutter has too much slope, it will flood the downspouts, and there's a very good possibility that the gutter will overflow at the low end leading to the foundation to erode by the downspouts. If you are experiencing standing water or are noticing that your gutters are constantly overflowing causing your foundation to wash away, give the guys at Alloy Gutter a call right away.  We will be more than happy to come out and take care of the problem for you.
Author Alloy Gutter Categories Alloy Gutter Posted on

What to Look for When you Need to Hire a Gutter Installer

New Residential House; Architectural Asphalt Shingle Roof, Vinyl Siding When hiring a Gutter company there are many different things that you should look for and consider.  Before you decide to go with any company please ask yourself these questions. How long have they been in business?  If a company is relatively new there may or may not be enough information to have you feel comfortable enough to hire them. How is the company’s reputation?  Ask around.  Do your research online.  How does the company stack up against other companies? Ask neighbors and friends for their opinions. Do you always talk to a real person when calling the company during business hours? Is there someone available during business hours to answer any questions you have?  Are they courteous and knowledgeable? Are they insured? This may be the most important question to ask the company before you hire them.  You do not want to risk having an uninsured company working on your home and having something going wrong.  You do not want to risk an uninsured company coming onto your property and getting hurt and you having to cover the medical bills. Make sure their coverage includes both liability and workers compensation.  Get a copy of their insurance to put your mind at ease. Are they licensed in the state that you live in? You will also want to make sure they are licensed in the state they are working in. Each states requirements for licensing is different, and frequently any protections the customer may have by hiring a licensed contractor is lost if the work is not being done in the state that issued the license. Do they offer a warranty for their work? A good reputable company will offer some sort of warranty for their work.  Get a copy of the proposed contract and make sure it defines what the warranty will be and for how long. You do not want to hire a company that will put you and your house at risk. So ask those questions. Make sure you do your research.
Author Alloy Gutter Categories Gutters Posted on

Why Is It Important To Keep Your Gutters Clean?

Clean gutters are your number one defense against many problems that could arise with clogged gutters.  Your gutters have one job and that is to control the water around your home.  If leaves and twigs prevent your gutters from doing their job you could wind up paying for some serious repairs. GutterCleaning Some issues that can arise from clogged gutters: Cracked Foundations – This is the number one reason to keep those gutters clean!  If excess water is constantly coming in contact with your foundation wall this can weaken the foundation and lead to cracks.  This can lead to severe cracks in the winter from the constant freezing and thawing. Rotten Fascia Board – When your gutters are clogged with debris water will start backing up against your fascia board around the house causing it to rot.  The rotting will only continue to get worse if the gutters are not cleaned properly. Icy Driveway and Sidewalks – If this water is not being directed to the proper areas because of the clog, you will end up water depositing on nearby sidewalks and your driveway.  During the winter months this can cause some slippery conditions and a major liability issue for not only yourself but your visitors as well. While these are only a few problems that can arise there are many others you should be aware of such as leaky basements, washed out landscapes and an increase of insects.  If you are comfortable cleaning your gutters yourself we stress the importance of safety first.  Watch out for electrical lines, bees’ nests and proper ladder placement.  If not, give the professionals at Alloy Gutter a call to take care of your clogged gutters right away.
Author Alloy Gutter Categories Gutters Posted on

What Size Are Your Gutters?

Alloy Gutter Company offers 2 different sizes of gutters.  We have 5 and 6 inch gutters. These gutters come in 2 styles; we offer K-Style and Half Round.  5” K-style Gutters are commonly used for residential houses, while 6” is commonly used for commercial buildings.  This is not always the case however, if your house gets quite a lot of rainfall we would recommend a 6” gutter to collect all that rain.  To determine the size of the gutter you will need to measure from the back to the front of the gutter mouth or opening, as shown in the diagram below. Pictured below are the different types of gutters we offer.  Both styles come in either 5” or 6”, whichever suits your needs.
Author Alloy Gutter Categories Gutters Posted on

Gutters – An Unlikely Tourist Attraction

Do you like straying off the beaten path when traveling?  Do you enjoy seeing and hearing what artists, sculptors and designers do to create unusual building facades? If you seek a unique travel experience, be sure to check out the “singing drain pipes” of Dresden. Located in Dresden, Germany, is a series of courtyards known as Kunsthofpassage.  An art experiment known as the Ginkgo project resulted in 5 unique building facades. The most photographed one is The Courtyard of the Elements. This bright turquoise building is covered in a unique configuration of gutter pipes and funnels. In addition, this gutter system plays music when it rains! Alloy Gutter Company doesn't offer musical gutters. However, we may have you “singing in the rain” after installing your gutter system. If you want to hear drainpipe music you must travel to Germany. However, if you want the best gutter system available you can find it right here at Alloy Gutter Company!
Author Alloy Gutter Categories Gutters Posted on

Tips for Choosing the Right Gutter Color for your Home

Let’s first start off with asking yourself if you can see the gutters from the curb.  If you are unable to see the gutters, the color may not matter to you.  If this is a situation your best option is to go with a basic color like white.  This may save you a little money and that’s always a plus. Another question to ask is whether or not you have any restrictions based on where you live.  Are you in a subdivision or belong to a homeowner’s association that restricts the color options?  These municipalities may have set rules regarding what exterior colors are allowed on your home.  You definitely don’t want to spend money on something you may have to remove at a later time. If you have no restrictions you may consider matching the color of your roof, the home’s exteriors walls or even the trim.  The goal of matching the roof is to draw attention away from the gutters.  Matching the roof color will make the gutters seem like they are an extension of the roof itself.  Some people choose to match their home’s exterior walls or trim.  Picking a color that accents your home could add to the overall visual appearance. Keep in mind that you can always paint your gutters at a later date if need be.  Alloy Gutter offers over 30 different color options for you to choose from.  Our gutter colors range from your standard colors to special order colors.  Give us a call and we would be more than happy to assist you with selecting a color.
Author Alloy Gutter Categories Ice Dams Posted on

The Most Common Locations for Ice Dams

Here at Alloy Gutter we get many calls during the winter regarding Ice Dams.  What is an ice damn?  An ice dam is a ridge of ice that forms at the edge of a roof and prevents melting snow (water) from draining off the roof.  The water that backs up behind the dam can leak into a home and cause damage to walls, ceilings, insulation, and other areas.  Ice dams form when melting snow on a roof runs off and refreezes at the edge of a roof.  This happens because of poor roof insulation.  Ice dams do not mean there is something wrong with your gutters or that your gutters are leaking. The most common area of an ice dam is your eaves.  This occurs because of the condition stated above. The corners of your gutters (Miters) are also a very common area for an ice dam to form.  We here at Alloy Gutter Company get many calls stating that their gutters are leaking at the corners, however the gutters are fine, it’s the water finding the lowest location to drain and the water is running over the frozen gutter causing the dam and homeowners to think that the gutters are leaking. If you are experiencing ice dams on a regular basis there are some things you can do to prevent them.   You can give Alloy Gutter and get your roof raked.  You could also purchase heat tape and have us install that for you.  Before you give us a call to install the heat tape make sure you have a licensed electrician install a plug for the heat to connect to.
Author Alloy Gutter Categories Spring Posted on

Spring Forward

This is the time of year that we begin to notice that the days are getting longer. The sun is up higher in the sky and we start to see things we may have missed during the dreary winter months. I recently glanced up at the corner ceiling and noticed the return of the cobweb. I was actually happy to see this annual spring visitor returning; ANYTHING that signals the end of winter is a welcome sight! Now is the time I begin to make a list of outdoor projects.  My annual spring to do list usually starts with “no spend or very little spend” items. Projects that don’t require lots of dollars can make a huge difference on the appearance and function of your home’s exterior. Spring To-Do List:
  • Clean out the garage (before you go out and repurchase things you already own)
  • Wash the windows (nothing lets in more sunlight than clean shiny windows)
  • Wash the patio furniture (setting it back outside again will put a smile on your face)
  • Hose off the front porch (playing with water is always a fun thing)
  • Clean out the flowerbeds (get ready for the flowers before you bring them home)
  • Clean out the gutters (make sure they are in good repair and ready for spring rains)
Most of us don’t enjoy cleaning out the gutters. It’s a hassle getting out the ladder and for someone who dislikes heights it’s a scary job. Three years ago I had Alloy Gutter Company put leaf protection on my gutters. I only wish I had done this sooner. I took this job off my list when Alloy Gutter Company came out and cleaned my gutters, inspected them and installed leaf protection. Let Alloy Gutter Company shorten your list...for a price that is far less than most people think…get off that ladder and enjoy the sunshine with both feet on the ground!
Author Alloy Gutter Categories Gutters Posted on

It’s All About That Pitch – Not Level

On rare occasions, someone with “eagle eyes” notices that their gutters are not perfectly level. They tell us that their gutters were hung with a slight incline and ask to have the problem corrected.  They are not aware that gutters are pitched for a reason. Alloy Gutter Company wants you to be happy with the aesthetics of your gutters but the most important thing is how well the gutters function. Gutters are meant to drain water away from your home’s foundation. In order for this to happen, the water has to flow toward the outlet hole and then flow down into the downspout. For proper drainage the gutters need to be pitched correctly. Make sure you call the gutter experts to get the job done right. Alloy Gutter has over thirty five years of experience installing gutters. We will make sure your gutters are installed with just the right amount of pitch – not level.
Author Alloy Gutter Categories Gutters Posted on

Does My House Need Gutters?

Occasionally, I get a phone call asking if all houses need gutters.  If a house has never had gutters are they really necessary?  How come the builder didn’t include gutters when the house was built? These inquiries are usually from someone contemplating the purchase of a home that has no gutters. The answer to their question is, “Alloy Gutter Company recommends that all homes have a properly functioning gutter system.” Gutters are a necessity for several reasons:
  • They discharge water away from the home’s foundation walls. Without proper drainage, the home’s foundation will be exposed to all the water runoff from the roof. Nobody wants a wet basement.
  • On homes that have a wide roof overhang, many people feel that gutters are not necessary because the roof water runoff is away from the foundation. However, when it rains it creates a waterfall effect along the roofline. Nobody wants a waterfall on their porch when leaving or entering their house during rainy weather.
  • Without gutters your foundation plantings take a beating. The waterfall effect will erode the soil and create a muddy mess.
How come the house never had gutters? Most likely it was simply a way to cut costs. However, why risk a wet/musty basement, a waterfall on your porch and damaged landscaping? Give Alloy Gutter Company a call and we will provide you with a quote for new gutters. Often, for less money than you think.  As a bonus, once we install your new gutter system, all of your showers will now be taken inside the house!
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