The GutterBrush Blog

We do not know anybody who likes cleaning rain gutters on their property. It’s time consuming and often, frankly, completely nasty, especially if you do not keep up with it on a somewhat regular basis. If you are like many homeowners and think “I’ll take care of that next weekend”, you could end up with massive clogs in your gutters and downspouts…clogs which will cost hundreds of dollars to repair because you have to call a gutter professional to come out, take down your downspouts, clean them out and put them all back together. Instead of spending all of that time and money, why not just install a gutter brush?

The original gutterbrush simple gutter guard will save you time and you won’t have to worry about costly clogs in your downspouts. The product looks like a giant pipe cleaning brush and it sits in your rain gutter channel and acts as a barrier for leaves, twigs, seedpods and other debris while still letting water pass through freely and out the downspout.

Installation is simple and fast. The most difficult part is climbing the ladder up to your roof to set the original gutterbrush down inside of it. But that’s it…you’re done! More importantly they are easy to clean if you ever need to do so. All you have to do is climb back up that pesky ladder; pull the brushes out, remove the debris and put them right back into place.

Why spend a bunch of money if you don’t have to? Why spend a bunch of time cleaning something if you don’t have to? The original GutterBrush is very affordable and you can install it yourself in about an hour and a half and it lasts all year (studies have proven they can also keep your gutters from freezing in the winter). Sounds like a win-win situation to me.

Don’t be fooled by imitations that are manufactured outside of the USA using sub standard materials. Insist on the original GutterBrush SImple Gutter Guard!

visit www.gutterbrush.com for more information about this great product.

GutterBrush Guys, Ltd. began offering their simple, affordable, and effective gutter protection system back in 2004 and continues to grow at a very strong yet responsible pace. GutterBrush Guys Ltd. continues to increase our customer base, retail network, and e-commerce presence. Gutterbrush Guys, Ltd. are now focusing on giving, roofers, contractors, painters, and any home service professional the most complete and comprehensive opportunity available for a very competitively priced and profitable professional grade gutter protection system.

Visit www.gutterbrush.com for complete gutter protection information, installation instructions, and an informative installation video for the gutter, roofing, and general contractor or home services professional.  GutterBrush Guys, ltd. also encourages you to visit the web presence of the other gutter protection and leaf guard products available on the market today because they are certain that not a single one provides the same level of detail and information that they dodetail. The GutterBrush Guys, Ltd. present the quality, simplicity, and affordable nature of their product in a transparent way so you can see the value of the opprotunity they are presenting to you. They also spell out their warranty, have detailed installation instructions, as well as an abundance of information covering important safety issues surrounding working with gutter protection.

The GutterBrush Guys, Ltd. also are very happy to offer qualified partners a unique and very effective demo unit that clearly shows the consumer the simplicity, effectiveness, and professional grade quality of GutterBrush simple gutter guard.  The GutterBrush Guys, Ltd. have a solid track record of offering a superior gutter protection product and completely believe that current economic challenges makes their product a welcome and profitable addition to any home service professional’s product/service offerings.

Gutter Brush Guys, Ltd. would like to extend an invitation to any home services professional currently offering roofing and/or gutter protection systems to visit the GutterBrush web site at www.gutterbrush.com and consider becoming an authorized GutterBrush partner and/or installer.

Learn more about GutterBrush simple gutter guard and all things gutter related at www.gutterbrush.com

All of us here at GutterBrush are always on the lookout for simple,  effective and affordable ways to help people protect their property. Here is a common scam that police are always warning homeowners about this time of year. The scam artists in this ruse target homeowners by pretending to be out-of-work handymen. they approach homeowners and offer to do work around their property, usually cleaning gutters or paving driveways. The suspects claim they are out-of-work because of the bad economy, but say they still have their equipment and can offer the homeowner a good deal. The scam artists then tell the victim they need cash up front to purchase supplies. After pretending to start the work, the suspects then take off with the money. Always beware of paying for any home improvement job up front. Also, ask for insurance certification from the contractor as well as contact information you can verify. We hope this helps you avoid becoming a victim of this common scam.

So you think a few leaves and twigs in your gutters are harmless? Think again. Regular gutter cleaning is arguably the single most important key to avoiding major and expensive home repairs.

Gutters perform one duty: controlling the water around your home. If debris keeps gutters from doing their job, you can wind up with some serious problems. By following these simple gutter cleaning tips, you can help avoid major and expensive home repairs.

• Leaking Gutters: Clogged gutters are the number one cause of basement water problems. When gutters are clogged, roof water overflows and accumulates around the foundation. If this happens, basement leaks may be moments away.
• Cracked Foundations: Clogged gutters can cause excess water against the foundation wall to weaken the footing and lead to foundation wall cracks. This is particularly true in the colder months when built-up water at the foundation freezes and causes a condition known as “frost-heave” which can cause severe cracks to foundation walls.
• Rotten Wood: Water backing up from clogged gutters will cause moisture damage to the wood fascia around the house. The rotted area will quickly get worse if the leak is not eliminated by cleaning the gutters.
• Leaking Roofs: In winter, ice dams can form on top of clogged gutters. Snow then builds up across the top of the clogged gutter and freezes. During the next thaw, water running off the roof is blocked by the frozen snow and backs up into the house. This can lead to major wall and ceiling damage.
• Slippery Sidewalks: Overflowing gutters can deposit water on walks and driveways where it can freeze and cause a tripping hazard. Avoid this problem by keeping gutters clean and the spouts extended away from any traffic areas.
• Cracked Driveways: Misdirected and clogged gutter spouts often cause driveways and walks to sag and crack.
• Washed Out Landscaping: Any newly installed plants, grass or trees can be killed by excess water from clogged gutters. Overflowing gutters can cause severe erosion and put an early end to young plantings.
• Wood Destroying Insects: Bugs love moisture. Keeping gutters free of clogs and keeping the soil dry around the foundation perimeter can force bugs to go elsewhere for a tasty snack of dampened two-by-four.

If you think your gutters need a good cleaning, here are some important tips to follow:

Safety First: If you are not comfortable with heights or don’t use tall ladders regularly, cleaning gutters is not a job for you. Consider hiring a handyman to help. If you decide to do the gutter cleaning job yourself, watch out for hidden hazards like electric lines and bee’s nests.

Clean Gutters: Using a ladder, work gloves and a hose, clear the gutters beginning at one end and moving to the other. Always work from the ladder and not from the roof, where you could fall off. If you find any loose gutter sections, tighten them up as you go along. It may help to have a supply of long lag bolts to use when replacing loose or missing gutter spikes. Lag bolts won’t pull out like spikes, so you usually don’t have to do this more than once.

Spray Spouts: When you get to the end of the gutter where the spout is, spray the hose down the gutter spout to make sure it’s clear. If the spout is clogged, water will back up and cause problems. Clearing clogged spouts can be a chore. Try removing the debris from both ends and flushing out the rest with a hose. If this doesn’t work you may need to take the spout apart to clear it. Once the spouts are clear, make sure the discharge end is extended at least 4 to 6 feet away from the house to avoid problems.

Install Gutter Guards: Once the gutter system is cleaned and properly adjusted, consider installing gutter guards such as GutterBrush to avoid a repeat performance in the future.

There are many types of gutter guards available. Filter types work very well. Screens can be effective in the short run but eventually allow debris to get through. Clogs will reoccur and can be even harder to clear since the screens will need to be removed first. Leaf blocking guards, which look like a metal louver that is installed above the gutter, are a more costly but more effective option at keeping leaves off gutters. The louvers allow water to leak into the gutter while washing leaves over the side.

No matter what gutter product you choose, it is important that you check gutters periodically as well as be mindful of signs of clogging like over-flowing in a rainstorm.  Maintaining a clean gutter is the single most effective way to avoid a whole host of serious and expensive problems.

Even though great strides have been made in achieving equality in both the workplace and household, women are usually still the ones who do the household chores and the home cleaning tasks. However, when it comes to cleaning clogged gutters, most women are not looking to engage in this task and often frown at the idea of getting their hands covered in the dark, smelly muck in the gutters. Even independent minded women who do not usually ask favors from men, wouldn’t have the interest of performing a cleaning task which may leave their hands smelling unpleasant for weeks. However, GutterBrush gutter guard has delighted many women since its introduction to the market seven years ago. Aside from being an effective gutter guard against leaves and falling debris that can cause clogs and water overflow in gutters, there are at least three reasons why this simple gutter protection system has attracted the interest and gained the favor of female customers.

First, it is the easy installment feature of GutterBrush that curries favor with the ladies. Many women are not very interested in technical features and thus, they tend to get easily bored with most talk about complex gutter protection systems that require professional installation or routine maintenance. GutterBrush harnesses  a simple design of repelling/blocking debris while allowing water to flow right on through. GutterBrush is so simple, there is not even a need for a sales representative to explain how the product works and how the product is installed. It can be done simply and easily.

The second reason is that GutterBrush greatly reduces any gutter maintenance needed to keep them working properly.  Any product that does not require daily or weekly cleaning is likely to be appealing to everyone. Thus, a gutter protection product such as GutterBrush that barely needs maintenance once or twice a year is certainly an irresistible product to the do it yourself homeowner and this obviously includes a large population of women who fit that bill.

The third reason this product is so very appealing is the price. Both men and women are probably very interested in economical products and services in these challenging times and Gutterbrush fits the bill on both counts. Other systems can cost thousands of dollars to purchase and then have installed where GutterBrush can be purchased and installed for only a few hundred dollars for the average sized home. The bottom line is that everyone can benefit from GutterBrush due to its being simple, affordable and effective.

As always, whenever you start a home improvement or maintenance project safety must always be in the forefront of your mind. that’s right, safety first. Always.

Have you already decided to move rather than remodel only to realize, like so many others in the same boat, you are still thinking about remodeling anyway? Why? To make your house more appealing to would-be buyers, cut the time it takes to sell it and maybe even get more cash in hand when you sell is why. While you’re remodeling that other part of the house why not tuck in a new master bedroom suite above the addition? You’ll get all of your money back when you eventually sell your house, right?

Not so fast. While many home-remodeling projects are a great way to add value to your home, not all of them are ironclad cash-back guarantees. Before you invest a significant amount of your precious home equity into remodeling projects, it’s wise to do a little homework on what kind of payback you can expect for various home projects in your area.

A good place to start is the Cost vs. Value report published annually by the National Association of Realtors, or NAR, and Remodeling magazine. The report provides a synopsis of the top projects, the average costs of the projects and their average rate of investment return at resale. It also gives you a city-by-city guide on what various home projects will pay back at resale. Real estate experts caution that these numbers can differ significantly depending on your state, city or even neighborhood. So use these numbers as a starting point, but consider getting the advice of a Realtor and/or remodeling contractor before you commit to a big home project. These experts can familiarize you with remodeling payback figures tailored to your state, city., or town.

The fifth project of five to potentially boost your home’s resale value is an attic bedroom remodel. This entails converting unfinished attic space in a two- or three-bedroom house into a finished bedroom and bathroom with shower. It includes a new shed dormer, new windows and closet space in the eaves.

Average payback: 93.5 percent of cost
Estimated job cost: $39,188
National average resale value: $36,649

Because this is a relatively expensive undertaking, real estate experts suggest you do an attic renovation only if you’re going to live in the house for a while (preferably five to 10 years) and enjoy the reclaimed space yourself. Over the long haul, this project adds significant value to your home because it creates brand-new living space and isn’t just a cosmetic improvement. Keep in mind, though, that attic remodels don’t make sense in every neighborhood and part of the country. For example, in Florida, most of the attics aren’t big enough to stand up in, so remodeling them wouldn’t make sense at all. Plus there’s the heat issue — these rooms would be sweltering hot and very expensive to cool.

This is a good example of a remodeling project that would be wise to discuss in advance with a Realtor who’s familiar not just with housing in your area, but in your specific neighborhood. Good Realtors are always happy to spend time talking with you about the wisest renovation projects for your home — even if you’re not planning to sell your home anytime soon.

Other top resale projects from the Cost vs. Value report ranked by percentage of cost recouped at resale, include:

• an upscale bathroom remodel: 93.2 percent.
• a major kitchen remodel: mid-range, 91 percent; upscale: 84.8 percent.
• a deck addition: 90.3 percent.
• basement remodeling: 90.1 percent.
• window replacement: 89.6 percent.
• a bathroom addition: mid-range: 86.4 per cent, upscale 85.8 percent.
• roofing replacement: 84.7 percent.
• a family room addition: 83 percent.
• a master suite addition: mid-range 82.4 per cent; upscale 80.1 percent.
• a home-office remodel: 72.8 percent.

While a good return on your investment is important in every remodeling project, experts say that the most important factor in your decision should still be whether the project improves the way you live in your home now. The fact of remodeling is that you never get your money back instantly. If you’re undertaking a project because you’re going to stay in your home awhile, and it will enhance your lifestyle, then great — do it. It’s tough to put a price on the happiness many young families get from fixing up their house and truly enjoying it for the next 20 years.

Have you already decided to move rather than remodel only to realize, like so many others in the same boat, you are still thinking about remodeling anyway? Why? To make your house more appealing to would-be buyers, cut the time it takes to sell it and maybe even get more cash in hand when you sell is why. While you’re remodeling that other part of the house why not tuck in a new master bedroom suite above the addition? You’ll get all of your money back when you eventually sell your house, right?

Not so fast. While many home-remodeling projects are a great way to add value to your home, not all of them are ironclad cash-back guarantees. Before you invest a significant amount of your precious home equity into remodeling projects, it’s wise to do a little homework on what kind of payback you can expect for various home projects in your area.

A good place to start is the Cost vs. Value report published annually by the National Association of Realtors, or NAR, and Remodeling magazine. The report provides a synopsis of the top projects, the average costs of the projects and their average rate of investment return at resale. It also gives you a city-by-city guide on what various home projects will pay back at resale. Real estate experts caution that these numbers can differ significantly depending on your state, city or even neighborhood. So use these numbers as a starting point, but consider getting the advice of a Realtor and/or remodeling contractor before you commit to a big home project. These experts can familiarize you with remodeling payback figures tailored to your state, city., or town.

The fourth project of five to potentially boost your home’s resale value is a mid-range siding replacement. This more modest variation our first ranked project (upscale siding) includes replacing 1,250 square feet of siding with new vinyl siding and trim.

Average payback: 95.5 percent of cost
Estimated job cost: $7,239
National average resale value: $6,914

The value of this project is in its immediate curb appeal: New siding cleans up a house quickly. However, vinyl may not be appropriate and could actually detract from a home’s value in historic neighborhoods or upscale areas where traditional wood siding is still the preferred material.

Have you already decided to move rather than remodel only to realize, like so many others in the same boat, you are still thinking about remodeling anyway? Why? To make your house more appealing to would-be buyers, cut the time it takes to sell it and maybe even get more cash in hand when you sell is why. While you’re remodeling that other part of the house why not tuck in a new master bedroom suite above the addition? You’ll get all of your money back when you eventually sell your house, right?

Not so fast. While many home-remodeling projects are a great way to add value to your home, not all of them are ironclad cash-back guarantees. Before you invest a significant amount of your precious home equity into remodeling projects, it’s wise to do a little homework on what kind of payback you can expect for various home projects in your area.

A good place to start is the Cost vs. Value report published annually by the National Association of Realtors, or NAR, and Remodeling magazine. The report provides a synopsis of the top projects, the average costs of the projects and their average rate of investment return at resale. It also gives you a city-by-city guide on what various home projects will pay back at resale. Real estate experts caution that these numbers can differ significantly depending on your state, city or even neighborhood. So use these numbers as a starting point, but consider getting the advice of a Realtor and/or remodeling contractor before you commit to a big home project. These experts can familiarize you with remodeling payback figures tailored to your state, city., or town.

The third project of five to potentially boost your home’s resale value is a minor kitchen remodel. This consists of giving a functional, but dated, kitchen a makeover. It includes new cabinet doors and drawers (with cabinet boxes left in place), a moderately priced wall oven, cooktop, countertop, sink and faucet and resilient flooring.

Average payback: 98.5 percent of cost
Estimated job cost: $14, 913
National average resale value: $14,691

Along with bathrooms, kitchen updates are almost always among the smartest remodeling projects for resale value. Home buyers seem to gravitate to the kitchen first when they’re looking at a house and even appraisers give extra credit to houses with updated kitchens. However, homeowners can go too far. For example, they might put granite countertops and top-of-the-line stainless-steel appliances in a very modestly priced house. Those improvements aren’t going to help the home’s value in the long run, and the owner definitely isn’t going to get their money back when they sell.

Have you already decided to move rather than remodel only to realize, like so many others in the same boat, you are still thinking about remodeling anyway? Why? To make your house more appealing to would-be buyers, cut the time it takes to sell it and maybe even get more cash in hand when you sell is why. While you’re remodeling that other part of the house why not tuck in a new master bedroom suite above the addition? You’ll get all of your money back when you eventually sell your house, right?

Not so fast. While many home-remodeling projects are a great way to add value to your home, not all of them are ironclad cash-back guarantees. Before you invest a significant amount of your precious home equity into remodeling projects, it’s wise to do a little homework on what kind of payback you can expect for various home projects in your area.

A good place to start is the Cost vs. Value report published annually by the National Association of Realtors, or NAR, and Remodeling magazine. The report provides a synopsis of the top projects, the average costs of the projects and their average rate of investment return at resale. It also gives you a city-by-city guide on what various home projects will pay back at resale. Real estate experts caution that these numbers can differ significantly depending on your state, city or even neighborhood. So use these numbers as a starting point, but consider getting the advice of a Realtor and/or remodeling contractor before you commit to a big home project. These experts can familiarize you with remodeling payback figures tailored to your state, city., or town.

The second project of five to potentially boost your home’s resale value is a midrange bathroom remodel. This includes updating an average 5-by-7 foot bathroom that’s at least 25 years old with moderately priced fixtures, a double-sink vanity, a ceramic-tile floor and vinyl wallpaper.

Average payback: 102.2 percent of cost
Estimated job cost: $10,499
National average resale value: $10,727

Improving an existing, but outdated, bathroom is almost always a good investment because an up-to-date bathroom makes your home look like it’s been kept in good repair, and that’s what all prospective homeowners are looking for.

However, do not try to personalize the bathrooms too much or spend megabucks trying to turn them into ultimate home spas. Your home is a valuable asset, and you want to treat it respectfully whenever you remodel. In other words, think twice about adding a pricey imported soaking tub or three separate shower stalls for your growing family’s convenience. Those renovations might not fit the taste of a buyer 10 years down the road. If that happens, the money you spent on your bathroom renovation is down the toilet, so to speak.