The GutterBrush Blog

So… You have procrastinated cleaning out your gutters, but still want to get it done before Winter.  Better hurry, you only have 5 days left before Winter officially arrives!

While you are up there taking care of this dreaded but necessary chore, why not spread some holiday cheer and highlight your freshly cleaned gutters with Christmas lights for all to enjoy!?

Christmas-Lights-Hanging-On-Colonial-Style-Home-Gutters

If you really want to have a rewarding gutter cleaning experience you could also install GutterBrush Simple Gutter Guard while you are up there and make regular gutter cleaning a thing of the past.

Here are some helpful tips we found for hanging Christmas lights from your gutters.

1.  Measure the length of the gutter where you want to decorate by running a tape measure along the wall below. Add the distance from the gutter to the power outlet so you know what length extension cord to use.

2.  Purchase gutter hangers in the Christmas section of your local department or hardware store. They are small and plastic. One side has a oblong hook to clip onto the gutter and the other side has a hook or clip for the wire of the Christmas lights.

3. Test the lights. Before you plug them in, visually inspect your light strings, looking for broken or missing bulbs and worn or defective wires. If you discover faulty wires, replace the strings entirely. If bulbs are broken or missing, replace the bulbs.

4.  Set up a ladder.  If your home’s gutters are low, you may be able to use a stepladder; otherwise, plan to use an extension ladder. Place it firmly on flat ground and lean it against the gutter, or better yet, use a ladder stand off / stabilizer like Ladder-Max to make your experience on a ladder as safe and secure as possible.  If you must lean the ladder against the gutter, place a short piece of 2 by 4 inside the gutter to reinforce it.

5.  Hang the lights along the gutters.  Your objective is to hang lights as easily and safely as possible without damaging your home’s trim or walls.  Attach the wire of the string of lights to the clip side of the hanger.  Hangers should be placed approximately every 12 – 18 inches.

6.  Plug in the lights and start belting out Christmas Carols to celebrate a job well done!

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!
GutterBrush Guys Ltd.

www.GutterBrush.com

888-397-9433

They sure do look nice but they are also the primary reason a house should have clean gutters and gutter protection.

Falling leaves and other rotting debris can get stuck in the gutters of a house that are unprotected. This may not seem like a big deal since from the ground a person cannot see the leaves and rot in the gutters, but rot and leaves in gutter can create big problems including significant water damage and landscaping destruction. Gutters are on the house to help with drainage and gutter protection such as gutterbrush makes this an easier job. When the gutters on a roof are filled up with, leaves, debris and rot they no longer can work properly. Once a gutter that is not protected with gutter brush simple gutter guard  is clogged there is no longer any room for water to flow down through the gutters from the roof down the downspout and out to the ground. When the water backs up in the gutters it can spill over in places that can cause water damage to the house and landscaping. Many basements will become flooded because there is not proper drainage from the roof because the gutters are clogged and remain unprotected. The water needs a place to go and if it is not draining in the right place it can cause a lot of water problems. GutterBrush can solve this problem simply and effectively.

Rot and leaf guards

A great way to protect roof gutters from falling leaves and water damage is by using  the gutter brush simple gutterguard. However, there are many companies that make  leaf guards for roof gutters so please shop around for the one that will work best for you. But be sure to choose one that can be used on your particular size of gutter. Water must be able to pass through the guard, but leaves and other debris should not be able to get through to clog the gutters. Gutterguards like gutterbrush simple gutter guard are easily installed and  fit the size of the gutter perfectly.

Cleaning roof gutters

One very simple, but time consuming way to protect a home from clogged gutters is for a person to clean out the gutters. A person can hire someone to clean their gutters or do it themselves. It is kind of a messy job but does not require a lot of tools to complete. A person will need a ladder, gloves, a garbage bag, and a small tool (such as a trowel) to get the leaves and rot out of the gutter. Since the leaves fall from the trees in the fall, it would be smart to clean out the gutters after the leaves have all fallen from the trees and then install gutter protection so you are ready for the rainy season and falling leaves in the future. That way the person does not have to clean out the gutters more than once. However, in some parts of the country the first snow may fall before a person is able to clean out their gutters. If there is not a day during the fall that a person can clean out their gutters they should try to do it as early in the spring as possible to avoid drainage problems.

Lose the trees to solve the clogged gutter problem?

Trees are beautiful in any yard. They are a great addition to landscaping. But when these beautiful trees hang over a person’s house they can cause more harm than good. Not only could it be dangerous when there is a strong wind but even a soft wind that blows the leaves off of the tree can cause some damage. Leaves from a tree that hangs over a roof can easily get caught in the gutter more than a tree that is across the yard. To alleviate the problem a person can cut down the trees that have a lot of leaves that hang over their house. It is important that a person takes a lot of precaution when cutting down a tree that hangs over their house. A branch could easily fall and damage the house. A person could hire someone who cuts down the trees professionally to do the job. This is probably not the best course of action from an environmental or aesthetic perspective and could be avoided by using a gutter protection system such as gutterbrush. Either way you should think long and hard about how to protect your property form costly water damage due to clogged gutters.

Good luck and remember to put safety first!

I need GutterBrush? Yes you do.

Clogged gutters can cause major problems for your home. As water backs up, it can flow behind the gutters saturating your fascia board and trapping moisture. Over time this moisture will potentially result in rot, mold and mildew. Protect your home with the simple, affordable, and most effective gutter guard available today. Your home is a big investment and we all want to protect our investments so why not take a step towards doing that with GutterBrush? GutterBrush is a no nonsense Gutter Protection System that makes gutter protection technology available to you in a simple and easy form while remaining affordable. Our GutterBrush system is so straightforward, it’s the obvious choice. Save time, money and protect your home and family with the GutterBrush Simple Gutter Guard System.

The GutterBush gutter guard gutter protection system from GutterBrush Guys, Ltd. will help prevent autumn leaves and other seasonal debris from clogging your gutters and potentially damaging your home and landscaping. Our GutterBrush gutter guard is also a great home improvement idea and one you should consider unless you enjoy cleaning clogged gutters and downspouts every year.

The GutterBrush gutter protection system helps carry leaves, seeds, pine needles, and other debris off the roof during rainfall, allowing rain to enter the gutters but preventing leaves and everything else you don’t want in the gutter from entering the gutters. The leaves and debris slide off the cylindrical gutter guard and fall to the ground below keeping your gutters free of leaves, needles, debris and the like.  Another bonus of using GutterBrush is that they can be installed by anyone who is comfortable on a ladder and this usually only takes, on average, about a couple of hours to install 120 linear feet of GutterBrush including cleaning the gutters.

You can’t go wrong with our simple, affordable, and effective GutterBrush gutter guard system for protecting your gutters this fall and your home year round. Please contact us at 888-397-9433 or info@gutterbrush.com with any questions you might have or to get your very own GutterBrush.

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.

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.

Probably not. But there is no mistake about what’s in this gold plated vending machine.  Abu Dhabi’s Emirates Palace Hotel became the first place outside Germany to install “gold to go, the world’s first gold vending machine”. Those in the Gulf region who can clearly afford it can now grab “gold to go”, much like a latte or donuts, from a hotel lobby in the United Arab Emirates. Now when the gold fix strikes all you need to do is find one of these machines and presto, gold! Only one day after its inauguration, the shiny machine attracted many spectators of many different nationalities who had gathered to watch whenever an enthusiast was struck with the urge to splurge on a bar of the precious metal. The gold rates are constantly updated inside the shiny machine — itself gold-plated — in the hotel’s lobby, courtesy of a built-in computer connected to a dealer which sells gold online.

How far we have come from the days of the California gold rush!

We hope you find this spring cleaning checklist helpful.

So to help everyone avoid becoming one of those statistics we wanted to pass along some of the tips presented by the AAOS:

•Warm up for at least 10 minutes with some stretching and light exercise before beginning work in the yard.

•Use a rake that’s comfortable for your height and strength. You can prevent blisters by wearing gloves or using a rake with a padded handle.

•Make sure that hats or scarves don’t block your vision, and watch out for large rocks, low branches, tree stumps or uneven surfaces.

•Vary your movements and alternate your leg and arm positions often. When picking up leaves, bend at the knees, not at the waist.

•Wear shoes or boots with slip-resistant soles.

•Don’t overfill leaf bags, especially if the leaves are wet. You should be able to carry bags comfortably.

•Don’t throw leaves over your shoulder or to the side. That kind of twisting motion places undue stress on your back.

•Inspect ladders for loose screws, hinges or rungs, and make sure it is free of mud, dirt or liquids.

•Make sure all ladder legs rest on a firm, level surface. Don’t use ladders on uneven ground or soft, muddy earth.

•Always face a ladder when climbing and descending.

•Confirm that the ladder is fully open and locked before you climb it.

•Angle ladders about 75 degrees from the ground.

•Don’t sit or stand on the top of the ladder or on its pail shelf.

•Use the right ladder for the job. Step stools or utility ladders are good for working at low or medium heights, while extension ladders should be used outdoors to reach high places.

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.