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Clear Flowing Rain Gutters Maintain the Value of Your Home
Clogged gutters need never be a problem for the homeowner or business owner, if a gutter guard is installed on the gutter system. Gutter cleaning can be a chore and a yearly inconvenience, and if it is not performed correctly, it can result in damages to the gutter, downspouts or even the soffits of the roof if the water doesn’t flow efficiently.
Water often will build up in a clogged gutter, causing moisture problems with the roof edges and the soffits. When the problem is not remedied, the result may be rotted wood and decay of roof edges. Additionally, insects may infest these moist areas, causing problems with carpenter ants, termites and a variety of other wood dwelling insects. Mold and mildew may also become a problem.
Installing a gutter guard over the gutter system keeps leaves, twigs and other debris from preventing water flow to the downspouts. Water will drain through the gutter guard into the gutter and downspout, leaving the leaves and twigs on top, to be brushed off.
Cleaning rain gutters every year is not only tedious, but can be dangerous because it requires climbing a ladder and scooping out the buildup inside the gutter. If not done correctly, it can result in gutter damage. For many, climbing ladders is no longer safe, even after years of Do-it-Yourself home maintenance.
Gutter cleaning can be left to the experts, and there are many companies that will be glad to come and clean your gutters, for a price. The money you save by not paying someone to clean gutters could pay for the gutter guards that will best fit your system. Every system can accommodate gutter guards, no matter how old or from what materials they are made.
Not all gutter guards are priced the same, however, and it really pays to get gutter guards that are effective and affordable. Design and materials are important, as are installation costs. Many gutter guards systems are overpriced, but do the same exact job as the lower priced system.
Though we may be a little biased 
we know that you will find GutterBrush Gutter Guard’s simple design, price, do it yourself installation and effectiveness to meet your needs. We guarantee it.
Take Gutter Cleaning Off Your To Do List
Cleaning out gutters every year is not on most homeowner’s top ten list of favorite things to do. So end the mess and the hard work and save money with GutterBrush.
GutterBrush is a simple solution to help prevent gutter clogs and reduce the time spent cleaning gutters. Essentially it is a cylinder shaped brush that fills your gutters keeping leaves, pine needles and other debris from clogging your gutters while allowing water to flow through. GutterBrush helps protect your home from damage and extends the life of your gutters.
Now most gutter guard systems such as gutter screens or covers are expensive. They often require modification to your gutters and roof and they tend to be difficult to install.
GutterBrush is affordable and easy to install; saving you time and money. GutterBrush costs significantly less than the competition and is one of the best rain gutter protection systems on the market today. No tools other than a ladder are required. Just clean out your gutters and then slide sections of GutterBrush into your existing gutters.
Proudly made in the USA, GutterBrush is available in 18 and 36 inch lengths in various diameters to fit from small to extra-large gutters. GutterBrush will work with any type of roof surface. To determine what size GutterBrush you will need measure the width of your gutter opening from the back of the gutter to the front of the lip. Then measure the total length of all your home’s gutters.
GutterBrush is backed by a 1 year satisfaction guarantee and a 25 year warranty against manufacturer defects or deterioration.
Put GutterBrush to work in your gutters and take gutter cleaning off your to do list. For more information about GutterBrush ask one of our employees or visit http://www.GutterBrush.com.
View More Videos that Answer Common Questions about GutterBrush.
Gutter Guard Face-Off: GutterBrush vs. The Competition
So how does GutterBrush stack up against the competition? While you may assume that we’re a bit biased since this is the GutterBrush blog…that doesn’t mean we aren’t carefully examining and considering the strengths and weaknesses of our own product as well as our competitors’ products.
What did we find after examining our product as well as the other ones out on the market? Why read a lengthy review when you can watch a helpful video! (You can check out even more helpful videos here)
On The Air: The GutterBrush Guys Chat With Mr. Fix-It On WGN Chicago
The word is out: GutterBrush is a no-brainer solution to keeping your gutters clear of leaves, debris, and basically everything except rain water. Our friends over at the radio station WGN in Chicago had us on to talk about why GutterBrush is the best solution for your gutters. Did you know all GutterBrush components are made in the USA? Not everyone can make that claim.
Click here to listen to the WGN interview (.mp3)
How To Treat Poison Ivy
It’s summertime and that means more time outdoors. My wife recently developed a pretty painful and itchy case of poison ivy over the last few days and we’ve been trying to figure out the best way to treat it. We’ve come across some pretty helpful tips and wanted to share.
STEP 1
Stay outside. If you know you’ve been exposed, avoid going indoors so you can prevent the spreading of urushiol
STEP 2
Clean your skin immediately. If you do this within 10 minutes, you may be able to get the urushiol off before it penetrates your skin. Clean the skin with rubbing alcohol first, then rinse thoroughly with cold water.
- Don’t scrub or use hot water on your skin. This can draw the urushiol deeper into your pores.
- Don’t use soap until after you’ve rinsed off your skin with just water. Soap can pick up the urushiol and move it around to other parts of your body.
- Don’t go anywhere near urushiol-containing plants that day; the alcohol will make your skin extra vulnerable to it.
- Don’t forget to clean under your fingernails; you may have scratched off some urushiol and could redeposit it on other objects or areas of your skin by accident.
- Since urushiol is an oily resin, it binds to proteins in the skin and, after this process is complete, is nearly impossible to remove.
STEP 3
Recognize the symptoms. If you didn’t get the urushiol off in time, an allergic reaction may follow within 48 hours. First, your skin gets red and itchy. Then a rash follows, usually in a pattern of streaks of patches. Eventually the rash turns into red bumps or large oozing blisters. The rash will appear wherever you came in contact with urushiol, although it may take longer for the rash to appear on parts of your body where your skin is thicker. It doesn’t spread, however, because there’s no urushiol in the blisters. Once the urushiol is gone, the rash will go away.
STEP 4
Stop scratching! Even though the rash is not contagious, it’s best to avoid damaging the skin, or else you run the risk of getting an infection from germs.
STEP 5
Wash clothes and anything else that may have come in contact with a poisonous plant (gardening tools, pets, sports equipment, sheets). Don’t underestimate the power of urushiol; it can remain active for over a year.
STEP 6
Cool off. Take cold baths or showers, apply cold compresses, and/or massage the affected area with an ice cube. The cooling sensation will provide temporary relief.
STEP 7
Dry off. Always let the area air dry – this reduces the itching and oozing of blisters.
STEP 8
Work to soothe the rash. Some of the following products can help soothe the itching and irritation of poison ivy or poison oak:
- Take antihistamines. They can be taken orally or applied topically, or both. Unfortunately, these types of products only treat the itching symptoms but do not help the rash heal more quickly . Antihistamines, generally offer only mild relief from the symptoms of poison ivy, but if taken before bedtime their combination of anti-allergy and drowsiness-inducing effects can help you get some rest.
- Try hydrocortisone cream. However, some people find that hydrocortisone cream makes the symptoms worse in the long run. While the ingredients work for several hours, these creams tend to moisturize the skin at a time when drying provides longer-lasting relief.
- Apply calamine lotion. As the Coasters said in their immortal song Poison Ivy, “You’re gonna need an ocean / of calamine lotion.” Calamine lotion can ease the itching and soothe blistered skin. Apply regularly and liberally.
Do-it-Yourself Projects That Lead to the Most ER Visits
Did you know that one of the most dangerous Do-It-Yourself projects is climbing a ladder? Good thing GutterBrush helps you stay OFF that ladder when it comes to cleaning out your gutters. This year 43 million homeowners will take on 57 million home improvement projects. Of those intrepid folks, one in five will be injured, according to the Home Safety Council. Here are five of the most common do-it-yourself mishaps—and how to avoid them.
Climbing a ladder
Falls from ladders and stools sent over 246,733 Americans to hospital emergency rooms in 2009 (the last year for which full statistics are available) according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission. Experts from the CPSC, HSC and Consumer Reports recommend the following:
- Use the right ladder for the job. Always select a height that doesn’t require you to reach up or out in a way that destabilizes the ladder; keep your belt buckle centered between the rails.
- Set up your ladder on a firm, level surface. With an extension ladder, the base should be one foot away from the wall for every four feet the ladder reaches up.
- Use your stepladder only in the open, A-shaped position and lock the spreaders.
- Don’t step above the labeled maximum height. Beyond that point, the odds of an accident increase significantly.
Mowing the lawn
Lawn mower-related injuries treated in hospital emergency rooms totaled 86,000 in 2009. The most common injuries were caused by debris, such as rocks and branches, being thrown by the mower’s spinning blades. Here’s what to do:
- Send the kids into the house or well away from the area you are mowing.
- Check the lawn for debris (twigs, rocks and other objects).
- Wear sturdy shoes with sure-grip soles, never sneakers, sandals or bare feet.
- Never refuel the mower when it is running or while the engine is hot.
Using power tools
Home power tools resulted in 83,204 emergency room admissions in 2009. The most common injuries involve cuts, especially to the fingers and hands. The Power Tool Institute recommends.
- Don’t wear loose clothing or jewelry that could become entangled in moving parts.
- Unplug the power cord before you change a part or do any trouble-shooting on a tool that is jammed or won’t start.
- Wear safety glasses with side shields.
Working with paints and other chemicals
Accidents involving paints, solvents, lubricants and cleaning agents caused 53,907 emergency room admissions in 2009. Injuries often include chemical burns and breathing problems. Here’s how to avoid mishaps:
- Store and use pool chemicals according to the manufacturer’s directions.
- Gasoline is dangerous inside a home or garage—vapors can explode with just a tiny spark.
- Keep chemicals and cleansers in their original containers and don’t mix them.
- Wear gloves, goggles and masks if the product’s label says to do so.
Using a chain saw
Chain saw accidents sent 26,593 to the emergency room in 2009. Kickback—where the tip of the saw snaps up and back toward the user—is involved in one in four injuries. Cuts to hands, fingers, legs and feet are typical and usually require multiple stitches. Here’s how to stay safe.
- Wear eye and ear protection, gloves, tight-fitting clothing, cut-resistant leg chaps, boots, and a hard hat with a protective face screen.
- Grip the saw with both hands and keep both feet firmly on the ground.
- Saw only tree limbs you can reach from the ground while holding the saw below your shoulders.
- Avoid sawing with the tip of the chain and bar, where kickback typically occurs.
4 Important Ways To Avoid West Nile Virus
It’s officially mosquito season and you know what that means: doomsday news reports about West Nile virus.
West Nile virus is most commonly associated with the Culex mosquito. Hot, dry weather and stagnant water are the two main ingredients that prized by the Culex. As temperatures rise, we usually begin to see our first human cases in July or August.
“Now is a good time to get out and inspect your yard for items such as old tires and clogged gutters, where stagnant water can accumulate. These are the types of areas that provide the ideal breeding spots for the Culex mosquito,” said Paul Kuehnert, executive director of the Kane County Health Department. “By identifying problem areas now, you will be able to protect yourself later in the summer.”
Last year, five cases were reported in people in Kane County. In 2009, an unusually mild summer with cool temperatures, there were no human cases of West Nile Virus reported in Kane County. There were three cases of the virus reported in 2008. In 2007 there were 13, four in 2006, 17 in 2005, two in 2004, zero in 2003 and nine in 2002.
West Nile virus is transmitted through the bite of a mosquito that has picked up the virus by feeding on an infected bird. Most people with the virus have no clinical symptoms of illness, but some may become ill three to 14 days after the bite of an infected mosquito.
Only about two persons out of 10 who are bitten by an infected mosquito will experience any illness. Illness from West Nile is usually mild and includes fever, headache and body aches, but serious illness, such as encephalitis and meningitis, and death are possible. Persons older than 50 have the highest risk of severe disease.
The best way to prevent West Nile disease or any other mosquito-borne illness is to reduce the number of mosquitoes around your home and to take personal precautions to avoid mosquito bites. Precautions include:
- Avoid being outdoors when mosquitoes are most active, especially between dusk and dawn. Use prevention methods whenever mosquitoes are present.
- When outdoors, wear shoes and socks, long pants and a long-sleeved shirt, and apply insect repellent that includes DEET, picaridin or oil of lemon eucalyptus according to label instructions. Consult a physician before using repellents on infants.
- Make sure doors and windows have tight-fitting screens. Repair or replace screens that have tears or other openings. Try to keep doors and windows shut, especially at night.
- Change water in birdbaths weekly. Properly maintain wading pools and stock ornamental ponds with fish. Cover rain barrels with 16-mesh wire screen. In communities where there are organized mosquito control programs, contact your municipal government to report areas of stagnant water in roadside ditches, flooded yards and similar locations that may produce mosquitoes.
Additional information about West Nile virus can be found on the Kane County Health Department’s website, the Illinois Department of Public Health’s website. People also can call the IDPH West Nile Virus Hotline at 866-369-9710 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Source: Patch
The Secret To Avoiding Dangerous Roof Ice Dams
There’s a little-known feature of GutterBrush that might just save your roof from being damaged during next Winter. What is it, you ask?
GutterBrush has actually been reported as being able to absorb the heat of the sun and actually help melt ice dams before they turn into dangerous problems. So what is an ice dam?
Ice dams are typically the result of improper insulation resulting in a “warm roof.” Snow melts on the roof and water trickles down near the rain gutter/eave area where it freezes again and builds up as a block of ice.
GutterBrush Gutter Guard will have no effect on this process, but when the sun comes out, the black GutterBrush Gutter Guard bristles absorb heat and have been reported to promote quicker melting of any ice build up.
GutterBrush can also be used to protect your rain gutters safely with gutter and roof heating cables.
Plus by using Gutterbrush your gutters wont get clogged with debris that causes unprotected gutters to pool with rain water and freeze.
Summer Storm Damage: What To Look For And How To Fix It
Storms are a natural part of summer. After a storm has passed and it is safe to go outside, take stock of your home and repair any minor damage caused by the storm. Repairing minor problems quickly can help ensure they don’t evolve into major headaches.
The home improvement and maintenance experts at Lowe’s offer some guidelines for assessing and dealing with storm damage:
Checking the roof
Your roof and gutters will often take the brunt of a storm’s power. After a storm, check out roof shingles by walking slowly around your home and inspecting from the ground. Use a good pair of binoculars to look for lifting or missing shingles around the edges, valleys, plumbing and furnace vent pipes and the chimney.
You can also inspect your roof from inside the attic. Discoloration of the decking or plywood surface of the roof could signal problems. And if you can see light coming in around plumbing vents or the chimney, it means the flashing needs to be repaired or replaced.
Roof repairs can be difficult and dangerous for homeowners, even if you’re an adept do-it-yourselfer. So be careful when climbing on your roof to inspect damage, especially after a storm when damage is unknown. Ask for professional help at your local home improvement store if you have any doubt about your abilities. You can also visit www.Lowes.com/roofing for more information about patching or replacing your roof.
Maintaining your gutters
Clogged gutters and downspouts can keep water from being carried away from your roof. Follow this gutter health checklist for obvious signs of failing gutters:
- Gutter hanging off the roof
- Downspout disconnected from the gutter or house
- Missing gutters
- Water in the basement or elsewhere inside the house
- Leaking or dripping gutter seams
- Overflowing gutters
Gutter damage usually takes one of three forms – holes, cracks or sags. You can easily repair minor sags or pin-sized holes yourself. If careful inspection reveals a pinhole, use an abrasive pad to clean the area. Then, cut a piece of material – the same kind as the gutters – that is 1 inch larger than the hole on all sides. Using a stiff brush, spread a bit of gutter repair compound on the area around the hole and place your patch over the top. Cover the patch with another layer of compound to ensure a good seal.
To repair minor sags, simply add a new hanging bracket to the sagging area or replace an existing one if it’s old or damaged. Screw in the bracket until the gutter is back in proper alignment. Be sure to use hanging brackets that are designed for your type of gutter system.
Cracks or more serious gutter damage may require professional help.
Read more of this terrific article over at the Bonners Ferry Herald.
6 Key Things To Know Before Painting
Using good painting techniques is key to achieving professional-looking results. Another tip is to use enough paint. Get into the habit of going to the paint can often. Let the paint do the work, and you’ll save time and get the finish you want.
Using a Brush
- Hold a brush near the base of the handle.
- Dip half the bristles into the paint and tap on the lip of the can. Don’t wipe it on the side.
- Paint with enough pressure to bend the bristles slightly — don’t bear hard on the brush.
Using a Roller
- Roll the roller slowly into the paint in the tray. Then, roll it back and forth until roller cover is evenly coated with paint.
- Roll onto the tray’s ridges to remove excess paint.
- For smooth surfaces: Cover about a two-foot-square using the N pattern shown. Cross roll to spread the paint. Finish, with light roller strokes in one direction, at a right angle to the cross roll.
Painting Double-Hung Windows
- For double-hung windows move each sash to the center of its track and paint the inside sash, starting with the crossbars. Then, paint the frame. Don’t paint the top edge of the inside sash; you’ll use it to move the sash. Next, paint the top half of the outside sash, starting with the crossbar, then the frame.
- Close the sashes to within several inches of the closed position. Paint the rest of the outer sash and the top edge of the inner sash. Paint the window casing, then the sill.
- Paint the check rails. Move both sashes down as far as they will go, then paint the upper rails. Once the paint is thoroughly dry, move both sashes up and paint the lower rails of the window.
Casement or Awning Windows
- Open the windows and paint the top, side and bottom edges.
- Finish with the crossbars, frame, casings and the sills.
Paneled Doors
- First remove all hardware or cover it with masking tape. If paint does get on metal parts, wipe it up immediately with a soft cloth.
- Start by painting the panels, working from top to bottom. For each panel, paint panel molding first, then the interior, using up and down strokes with your brush.
- Next, paint the rest of the door, finishing with the outer edges. If the door swings out, paint the hinged edge. If the door swings in, paint the lock-side edge.
Flush Doors
- Paint the edges first.
- Then fill in the center area, working from top to bottom.
- Finish with the frame and jamb.
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- Crack. Depression. Pot Holes? All of the above.
- The first rubber roof, installed on a home in Wisconsin in 1980, is still holding strong today!
- This has nothing to do with questionable investments by banks.
- The answer will have you scratching your head.
