Gutters can be victimized by Mother Nature in many different ways; everything from rust and corrosion to wind, ice, and snow can cause damage to gutter systems. But there’s one enemy of gutters that really has the potential to wreak havoc: hail.
That’s what Eltham College in Australia found out on Christmas Day, 2011.
theage.com.au
The man with the sunglasses is holding what’s left of the gutters from one of the school buildings at the northern Melbourne college. It’s been over a month since a December 25 hailstorm swept across the Australian state of Victoria on the southern coast of the nation. But the damage was so severe that it forced Eltham to remove the hail-smashed gutters from several of its structures.
Some homeowners swear by salting their gutters: they say that it’s an easy way to break up ice dams in the winter. Other people will tell you that the salt causes unfavorable side effects. If you ask Godzilla, he’ll say that it’s a good way to bring out their flavor. (rimshot)
In all seriousness, there is a big debate about whether salting your gutters is a good idea. So let’s weigh the pros and cons.
You may not be aware of this, but gutter systems have a long and storied history of combining fashion with function. The most obvious example were gargoyles, whose presence on buildings and churches did more than just ward off evil spirits or improve the structures’ appearances; they also strategically hid the drainage downspouts from the naked eye.
Nowadays, people are finding other ways to express their creativity through gutter installation. Here are eight of the best efforts we found.
Did you know that just a few large leaves or as little as 10 pine needles can be enough to block water from flowing through your gutters? Clogged gutters can lead to pooling water, flooding in your yard, and even cracking foundations. That’s why it’s extremely important to ensure that runoff water and snowmelt moves easily throughout your home’s entire guttering system.
So how often should you have your gutters cleaned?
It’s summer, and most teenagers are enjoying their time away from school by sleeping in, goofing off, and just generally lazing around the house and doing nothing. As parents, we know how unfair (not to mention annoying) this is. So it’s well past time to follow that time-honored American tradition of making the kids do chores, especially the ones you don’t want to do, and paying them for it. Consider this before making them an offer:
- How hard is the job, and how long will it take? Is it something they’ll have to do every day, or something that will only be done once?
Generally, it’s nice that your neighbors take an interest in maintaining their homes; cleaning their siding, getting their gutter free of standing water, maintaining their landscaping, that kind of thing. It keeps up property values, it makes a good impression on visitors and prospective homeowners, and it just looks nice. All of this is true … unless you live next to eighty-year-old Kevin Lavelle.
Lavelle, of the town of Stockport in the U.K., was a conscientious handyman, keeping his house exterior clean and neat. But he forgot one rather important aspect of it: wearing pants. Or a shirt. Or anything else.
If you’re concerned about debris clogging up your gutters, then you may want to consider a system of gutter protectors. These are usually gutter covers of some sort that are designed to keep out leaves and needles while allowing water to freely drain into the gutters.
If you’ve already started looking for gutter protectors, you’re probably well aware that there are various brands and types of gutter protectors to choose from. Here are five questions to ask yourself before purchasing one.
Gutters are supposed to be a simple drainage system to keep runoff water from getting into your foundation. However, certain members of the animal kingdom may see gutters as a cozy place to hang their “Home Sweet Home” sign. Here are eight examples of unwanted guests that may be found living in your gutters.
Chipmunks. Sometimes, Alvin and his friends like to cause a little mischief in your gutters. You can try to keep them out by affixing hardware mesh cloth over your gutter downspout openings. Or you can use rat poison to get rid of them for good.
The autumn season is commonly known as “fall” for a reason. That’s because it’s the time when all those beautiful leaves on your stately trees suddenly decide to cascade down onto the surface of your yard. It’s bad enough that you have to spend your time raking, blowing, and gathering leaves throughout the fall. But the fact that many of them get stuck in your gutters and cause rainwater to spill onto the ground is enough to make you yearn for an apartment lifestyle.
How can you get some “leaf relief” for your gutters? Here are four tips:
Ah, yes – “no-clog gutters”: the Holy Grail of home drainage systems. If you could just find those elusive no-clog gutters, then most of your water runoff problems will simply wash away – literally. But is it really possible to have true no-clog gutters on your home?
Image: ghclark.com
Judging by the ads you see on the Internet, no-clog gutters are just a phone call or email away. Many companies and contractors market their products and services with the “no-clog” moniker, and a few even offer some sort of warranty or guarantee. But do they work as well as advertised?
