Posts Tagged ‘gutter protection’

This has nothing to do with questionable investments by banks.

April 27th, 2010

GutterBrush can prevent this from happening.

GutterBrush can prevent this from happening.

Excessive amounts of water overflowing from your gutter system could cause a number of serious problems around your home, some of which could cause you hundreds if not thousands of dollars to repair. But there are just some things that no gutter protection system, even GutterBrush, can solve. One of those situations is a heavy deluge of rain that courses down a roof’s slope and into the gutter with such force that it can not be properly channeled into the gutter and out the downspout. However, leaking or overflowing gutters should never be ignored and a properly installed and clean gutter system should function to move water safely down the gutter and out the downspout in every other type of rain. If they leak or overflow during normal conditions perhaps we can help you to maximize the effectiveness of your gutters and gutter protection system during normal rainfall conditions.

First, if your house is fairly long where the gutters are continuous along the entire length and the only downspouts are on both ends this could cause some over flowing and leaking to occur. Most homeowners prefer this gutter/downspout configuration for aesthetic reasons because a downspout does not have to be installed right in the middle of the house which is usually right near the entrance to the house. However, often times only having a downspout at the end of the gutter system leads to the inability for the gutter system to handle the volume of rain that is falling. An effective solution to this problem is to have the one end raised just as high as you can so that the flow will be sufficient for the water to exit the preferred main exit end before ever running over. You can also investigate the installation of a large gutter on your home’s exterior to accommodate larger volumes of water flow.

Second, make sure your gutters are not leaking as this can lead to the misidentification of the problem you face. To quickly and effectively repair a leaky gutter, first remove debris and wash out the gutters with water. Second, apply a silicone gutter seam sealant to gutter seams, exposed nail/screw heads, and minor holes as needed. Third, you should absolutely replace any section of gutter that is pitted or rusted through. Fourth, make sure that all gutter sections are secured properly to the fascia boards and replace any rotted fascia boards as needed. Fifth, install drip flashing around all roof edges. Finally, fill the gutters with water using a garden hose to check for leaks and proper drainage. Next time it rains watch the gutters for leaks and overflows. If water still overflows the gutters, then you may need to adjust the slope towards the downspouts and or add additional downspouts as previously mentioned. In addition, you might consider installing larger downspouts that will help prevent gutter overflow but these should be coupled with the installation of downspout extensions to divert water away from the house structure in order to avoid costly water damage to your property.

Moisture is the enemy! We must contain the enemy to the outside!

April 13th, 2010

We have seen a significant increase in finished basements being used as living rooms and bedrooms especially as families become more extended due in part to the current financial situation. Therefore, using this usually reserved storage space for living areas can result in problems that can be both annoying and uncomfortable humidity, but can also cause significant health problems for those who live and spend time in them. Mildew and mold can easily occur and flourish in damp areas as well as in carpets and upholstery. Completing a basement before taking the actual water issues, if any, present can easily lead to the creation of health problems and/or substantial damage to the building itself. Well then, where does the water come from?

If the area near the foundation is not level or slopes toward the house, it is most likely that the water will be directed towards the foundation and into the basement. Often the earthen floor next to the house’s foundation is filled without proper compaction and/or drainage plans. To correct this one needs to grade the earth around the house away from the foundation wall, not less than one inch per foot for at least six feet.

Gutters and downspouts are also very important to keeping water out of the basement living space. These systems keep the water from running down the side of the house and pooling around the foundation followed by seeping into the basement. It is important to keep the downspouts emptying far enough away from the home so that this water penetration is less likely to occur.  There are other components to keeping the basement dry but they fall outside of the scope of this author’s technical and practical skillset. However, you can find this information quite easily on the world wide web.  Stay dry this spring and keep your property protected as well!

Is Your State Economy Getting Worse?

February 22nd, 2010

According to recent survey results gleaned from the National Governors Association the already fragile conditions of states’ economies are set to further weaken. Vermont Governor Jim Douglas suggests that,“The situation is fairly poor for a lot of states around the country. In fact, most states. What we’re finding out from a fiscal standpoint is that the worst is yet to come”. “Economists have declared the national recession over. But for those who are still unemployed, for those who have lost their homes, it’s clear that as a nation we have a long way to go.”

This recent survey suggests that the states have $18.8 billion of budget gaps yet to be closed in fiscal 2010. This comes after they have already imposed measures to eliminate budget imbalances totaling $87 billion in the fiscal year, which for most started during the summer of 2009. All the while the budgets currently being drafted for fiscal 2011, states foresee shortfalls of $53.6 billion and for fiscal 2012 $61.6 billion while at the same time states’ revenues have plummeted for four quarters in a row.

What is most interesting in these in these most challenging times is that all states except for one, Vermont, are required to balance their budgets, so during the recession they have drastically cut spending on basic programs, laid off workers and boosted revenue through raising taxes and fees.

Brown and Coakley are in a close race and don’t agree on much but they likely agree that ice dams are harmful.

January 18th, 2010

Ice dams, which form on eaves and overhangs and create rather large icicles, are a common sight this year because of all the snow that has fallen in the area. Ice dams form as warm air from a home’s attic escapes through the roof and melts the bottom layer of snow. As the water runs down the roof and reaches the overhang, it refreezes because there is no heat. Ice then collects and backs up underneath the shingles and, in some cases, into the siding. Some homeowners are already dealing with the effects of ice dams, from water leaking through their roofs, to large, dangerous icicles hanging down from eaves. Ice dams do not have much at all to do with gutters or gutter protection systems. But as soon as the  ice dams start, that creates a big problem and homeowners should not try knocking them off or chipping at them. Such attempts can lead to roof damage or damage to eaves, gutters and edging, not to mention personal injury if someone were to fall from a roof or ladder.

Homeowners can help prevent ice dams by quickly removing snow from the lower section of the roof after each snowfall to keep the ice from building up. This allows for any snow melt to flow down the shingles and into the gutters. One strategy is to use a snow rake when the snow is dry and light. Simply rake back the snow five to six feet up your roof, that’s all you have to do and most of the time, this is enough to solve the problem. Heavier snow requires more sophisticated options and as always the GutterBrush Guys, LLC  never want you to do anything that will put you at risk and potentially result in a very costly accident.

In order to address ice dam issues long term a homeowner should photograph the ice dams that have formed on their house and use those as a guide next spring or summer for a contractor to seal areas of the attic where warm air may be escaping. As counter intuitive as it may seem Summer is the best time to deal with ice dams and the roof malfunctions that cause them.

Even Scott Brown and Martha Coakley can agree on the importance of stopping ice dams from occurring on any roof!

Roof with ice dam schematice for your consideration

Roof with ice dam schematic for your consideration