Clean Gutters

As gutters age they can also become ugly. Metal can warp and deform through thermal expansion and contraction and through sagging, especially if the gutter system was improperly installed. Cleaning your gutters doesn't just mean emptying leaves and debris from your gutters. Clean gutter practices also mean hosing down the exterior of your gutters to prevent build up, dirt and "tiger striping."

Also read our article on gutter coatings to learn why the paints on some aluminum gutters will fade or chalk faster than others. And because some gutter installers obtain troughs, downspouts and elbows from different manufacturers, these components may have different coatings and fade at different rates. The result is a "two-tone" effect.

However, a problem seemingly unique to dirty gutters is called "tiger striping." It happens when you've got dark streaks running down the fronts of your gutters—not just dirt that can be wiped away, but streaks that have permanently stained the finish. Definitely not what you want for clean gutters.

But it turns out that industry experts don't agree on the cause—or the cure—of tiger striping. One recent survey reported eight different opinions on why tiger striping occurs.

For one expert, the cause is rainwater and debris dripping down the face of the gutter.
For another, the problem is "excess" water, while yet another cited
morning dews.
One expert blamed the design of seamless gutters (which are made with a top lip where dirt from the roof can accumulate), while another blamed the paints (which are often light colors with high-gloss finishes and include wax to help the metal coil run smoothly through the gutter machine).
Another declared that the culprit is oil which leaches out of asphalt shingles during rainstorms, while a different expert blamed air pollutants including leaves, pine needles, acid rain, pollen, shingle grit, and chimney and
furnace smoke.
Finally, one expert said tiger striping is most likely to occur soon after a
new roof is installed since the roofing process kicks up a lot of carbon dust
and debris.

The remedy? Consider the potential for tiger striping before you order new gutters with a high-gloss white finish, suggests one expert. Periodically clean the dirt off your gutters, in the same way you clean your siding, advises another. And be sure, says a third, to ask your gutter installer or roofing contractor whether they'll come out and clean the gutters if tiger striping should happen. Clean gutters inside and out not only function better, but they make your house look more attractive.

Does Gutter Helmet® Really Work?

Clean Gutters