Gutter News & Information

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.

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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.

Source: http://www.sxc.hu

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?

Some of the simplest — yet most wondrous — parts of nature are the leaves that decorate our trees. They augment the beauty of spring and provide vibrant color during the autumn months. Yes, leaves are beautiful … until they fall into our gutters, that is. Then they become troublesome rubbish.
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Image: gutterworks.com

Everyone wants leafless gutters, but accomplishing that goal can be difficult. Unless you enjoy teetering on a ladder and scraping wet, soggy debris out of your gutters a few times a year, consider one of these seven alternatives for achieving leafless gutters:

If you’ve ever lived in a snowy climate, it’s a familiar sight: some old pantyhose, filled with salt, tossed onto the roof across big chunks of ice.  It’s a time-honored technique for clearing up ice dams used anywhere they get more than a dusting of the white stuff…but does it work?

The basic theory seems sound: as snow falls on a roof, it melts and refreezes, especially if your attic space is improperly ventilated and heat builds up.  Water freezes into chunks near your gutters called “ice dams.”  Water collects behind these dams and finds its own level…generally by leaking through your roof, causing water damage, or breaking through your roof, and ruining your weekend.

Earlier this year, USA Today reported a rising number of injuries to homeowners who are opting to save money by doing work on their homes instead of hiring contractors.  While saving money is a worthwhile goal, homeowners should avoid taking unnecessary risks to their health.

From the USA Today article: “Arlo Weltge, an emergency room physician in Houston and spokesman for the emergency-physicians organization, says he sees injured do-it-yourselfers in the emergency room ‘all the time.’ He says he has even seen someone die from a brain injury after falling off a ladder while cleaning the gutter.”