Are Gutters and Eavestrough Necessary for your Home

If you own a house, then the first question that comes to your mind is “if the gutter is necessary?”. Gutters are home to various flora and faunas, they not only attract nesting birds but are prone to clogging. Further, their capacity to hold water is limited and it can eventually wear off from your roof or tilt. The most debated type of gutter is the rain gutter. In case you have a sloping roof, you can omit gutters from your modern home. But installing a gutter and eavestrough is essential and beneficial in many ways. It is best if you weigh all the pros and cons before installing a gutter or an eavestrough at your home. This article deals with reasons to install gutters on your new house.

PREVENT EROSION

Those homes that are built to code are situated on a slight slope to help guide runoff away from the foundation. When rain flows off your roof without taking the gutter system, it leads to erosion. Heavy rainfall can cause massive erosion by washing soil off each time it rains. This will further cause your landscape to wear down, by directing the flow towards your house rather than away from it. Erosion also hampers the foundation by causing it to settle which leads to uneven floors, cracked walls, and chimneys as a result.

PROTECT GARDEN

If you are a garden person then you are to surely benefit from the gutter system. Many homeowners who enjoy gardening tend to plant flowers and shrubs right next to their house. This not only creates a pleasing aesthetic sense but it also acts as a windbreaker. However, if you do not have a gutter, soil erosion will take place and it will wash your garden off completely. Even when there is minimum erosion, it can create puddles of water which will drown your plants and ruin the whole garden set up. Melting snow will also drip down and freeze overnight into solid sheets of ice that could kill evergreen shrubs.

PREVENT BASEMENT FLOODING

Rainwater is heavy and when it is saturated, it is heavier. So when this water flows from your roof and pools around the house, it causes tremendous pressure on your foundation. The pressure over time may cause the basement walls to crack. Even a tiny crack in the foundation walls can make water sweep in your basement. Water may or may not be substantial but it is enough to promote mold growth causing serious physical and health hazard.

PROTECT THE SIDING

Rainwater carries a lot of undue particles such as leaves, dirt, asphalt shingles etc. Over time this makes your house looks unkempt and affects your curb appeal negatively. Further, it can lead your sidings to rot, especially if they are made up of wood. Rotten sidings don’t look pleasingly aesthetic and invite pest into your house. This will shake the structural integrity of your house and will cost you a bomb.

Hence, you must understand all the improvements that your house needs. Try to get in touch with a professional gutter installation company who has an experienced team to help you with your gutter installation.

5 Tips for Cleaning your Eavestrough

Summertime is always the best time of what it might be, It is the time when everyone is free, happy, danceful, the sun is shining and birds are chirping but with all this beauty and joy, when you look at your eavestrough you are disgusted. You know why because spring happened. Also, do you know what to do? Take a day off from work and find ways to maintain and clean your gutter and save your roof from harmful elements of nature. So here are a few tips to help you out to maintain your eavestroughs on your own:

CLEAN IT YOURSELF

As trees shed their leaves to welcome the new leaves. The old leaves fall and clutter in the eavestroughs. Therefore you must always make sure that every week you grab a pair of gloves, eyewear and erect your ladder to clean your eavestrough. All such natural harmful elements should be cleaned in order to clear your long-term headache. Also, in case you do not want to clear it yourself. Remember you can always contact a good home contractor who can help you do this job carefully.

REPAIR YOUR EAVESTROUGH

Many times, little debris and other toxic material can make your eavestrough saggy, it may pull out and fall. Sometimes it may also have some leakage problem or become rusty and experience leak. You must contact an experienced home contractor and try to solve this problem at once. For leaks, you can patch it up with the help of plastic roof cement. For rust, you can scrape it and clean the area with a paint thinner. Doing all this will not just clean your eavestrough but also extend the longevity of your eavestrough.

ATTACH ADDITIONS TO EXTEND FLOW

Some eavestrough is short and cannot properly downpour the water in the required outlet. , In such times the solution is to add extensions to extend flow. In order to see if your downspout is clear force the water up to clear the obstruction. You can also use a plumber’s snake to remove any sorts of blockage. One of the worst things that can happen to your home is to have a puddle of water seep into your groundwork so make sure to position downspouts away from your foundation.

SAFETY FIRST

Always learn to stay one step ahead of the game. Plan and process things accordingly. If you are yourself trying to clean the eavestrough then always remember to wear safety gear, use a robust ladder and be aware of your surroundings. There are several roofing accidents that happen daily. So you don’t want yourself to imagine what could have happened if you did things differently. It is now or never. So make you’re in present you gear yourself up. If all this information is a lot to process then make sure to hire a sturdy home contractor, who knows how to take care when things go wrong.

Eavestrough is the guard of your rooftop. It works as a shield and protects it from various problems. So this summer make sure to take better care of your abode. While taking care of your garden and garage, you must also take care of your eavestrough. Implement the right measure and you are good to go.

 

Fix Gutter Slopes and other Gutter Problems

Do you want to protect your home from water damage? Then make sure to pay proper heed to the gutter. The gutter is your first line of defense. Even the smallest problem in your gutter can create havoc in your house. So always make sure to clean it and to also have regular check-ups. This will keep your gutter healthy. Often times, when you forget to get it repaired or hold timely inspection, the gutter can cause various problems which can further lead you through a frustrating road. However, being proactive could solve many of these problems. The most common problems that can be found when you deal with the gutter are as follows:

LEAKS

This can take place anytime, and anywhere. The leaks can be treated easily if identified in time. But why do leaks happen in the first place? There are various reasons behind it. Such as loose fasteners are one of the causes when they fastened to a roof with hangers and screws, they can pop out anytime. Cracks and holes are another reason for such leaks. Mostly, such situations are found in a metal gutter.

GUTTER JOINT SEPARATION

Caulk and glue are not very strong adhesives to join two gutters together. You will need to use rivets for separated gutter sections. However, the most common cause for such separation is due to clogs and debris that gets accumulated in the joints. The joints are vulnerable to the weight of water and clogs in the system.

IMPROPER SLOPE

House owners hardly pay attention to the sloping of a gutter. If one hires a professional they will always tell you the importance of an angled slope. A slope is the most important part of the gutter, if not angled properly it can cause myriad of problems like it will pool in the system and water will spill over the sides. You can always try to fix the problem yourself, but it will be better if you consult a professional for the same.

BAD DOWNSPOUT DRAINING

Sloping is important but the location of downspouts are equally important. If they are too close to home, it can result in pooling around the house. Make sure to always direct them away from the house. Closeness will only lead to the creation of puddles.

NATURAL ELEMENTS GROWING IN YOUR GUTTER

If your gutter gets enough sunlight along with rain, be sure to find a garden growing in your gutter. You will find wild plants, seeds, birds dropping and debris that will lead to clogging your gutter. It can also create extra pressure which will weigh down your gutter and cause joints to separate. It is therefore essential to have a routine inspection of your gutter.

ICE DAMS

Those homeowners who live in cold climate areas are to face the problem of ice. When water melts and reaches the gutter and then freezes, it creates an Ice dam. It again weighs down the gutter and pulls it away from the house. The hardware of your gutter begins to wear down which could destroy the attic sometimes, so make sure to insulate the attic too if a similar situation arises.

CLOGGED GUTTER

Apart from leaks, Clogging is another problem that can be found in the gutter. Due to wind and rain, often the gutter gets clogged by debris, insects, leaves, pine needles, and other plant life. When water gets clogged, the gutter has to bear additional weight which may result in cracks, separation of joints, gardens growing in the gutter, and a number of other problems.

Always try to keep your home protected with the help of a properly designed and well-built gutter system. Also by being more proactive and by conducting an inspection regularly, you can save your house from being flooded. If you do not have the time to do it yourself please feel free to call gutter protection companies that will help clean and protect your gutter.

 

Top 5 Questions to Ask Before Hiring a Siding Repair Contractor

Are you concerned about the safety of your home and family? If so, you must consider repairing those loose, cracked, faded, or damaged home siding. Residential sliding is extremely important to keep your family protected, reduce your utility bills, and improve the curb appeal of your home. Most of the sidings are built for winds up to 110 mph; however, to ensure that wind doesn’t rip it off you need siding that is strong, sturdy, and properly installed. Since installing siding on your home can be expensive and time-consuming, it’s important that you get it right the first time.

As such, in order to ensure the best results, you will want to do your research to hire the best residential siding contractor for the job. Whether you need siding repair or re-installation, make sure you hire the right contractor for the job. Here in this post, we have provided a list of 5 must-ask questions to find a qualified and reliable contractor for the job.

 

  1.    Are you licensed and insured?

The siding contractor you hire must be properly licensed and registered to perform the work. Though not every state requires contractors to obtain a license, but make sure to know the rules in your area to prevent obstacles in your remodeling project. Moreover, make sure to verify the contractor’s insurance coverage to protect you from liability in the event of an accident. A responsible siding installation company will make sure that their workers are protected by worker’s compensation insurance.

  1. How many years of experience you have?

Ideally, you should look for a siding repair contractor who has maintained business in your area for several years. Ask the contractor for a business card or letterhead with a local, physical address. The number of years in the business is a good indication to determine their reliability and know-how of the job.

  1. Is it possible to add more insulation during siding replacement?

When the old vinyl siding is replaced, ask the contractor how they can add more insulation to your home. Siding replacement helps in decreasing your heating and cooling bills. Therefore, if you’re concerned about reducing your bills, ask the contractor if it would be possible for them to add more insulation. Always discuss different with them the types of insulation that will work best for your space.

  1. Do you offer guarantees or warranties?

Before hiring a contractor, ask what product and workmanship warranties they offer. A reliable siding contractor should be able to guarantee their work. To get the best quality siding installation services to make sure that your contractor is able to provide product and workmanship warranties that may come with all the materials used in your remodeling job.

  1. Are all costs included in your estimate?

The home siding installer you hire should provide you a written estimate for the cost of labor and materials. Make sure that your home siding repair or replacement project estimate includes everything from labor, to materials, to waste removal, to applicable permits and any other contractor incidentals. The contractor you hire should also be transparent about the siding brands and types of materials that are included in the estimate.

5 Benefits of Hiring Contractors Rather than DIY for Siding Repairs

Every homeowner understands the importance of repairing or replacing the old and worn out siding. Siding replacement and repairs are, in fact, one of the major home improvements for a solid return on investment year after year. It is seen that when it comes to home improvement, most projects begin with a do-it-yourself or DIY idea. Today, almost all possible information is available online which makes it tempting to just take the DIY route with everything. However, unlike other DIY home improvement projects, siding replacement requires professional help.

From removing the old siding, purchasing the correct materials, and performing the manual labor, there are various reasons and advantages of hiring a siding company. The home contractors are highly qualified to turn your DIY ideas into a reality while giving you peace of mind. Here are the top 5 benefits of hiring a siding contractor rather than doing the project yourself.

  1. Training and tools for the job

The perfect installation of home siding requires proper training and knowledge. There are some manufacturers specific techniques that only certified siding companies know. Since homeowners are usually unaware of these techniques, a DIY project may result in a voided warranty or home damage. Moreover, since you don’t go around replacing siding every year, you will need to buy the required tools for the job. It will cost you more to simply purchase a new set of tools to use only once and then store them for years.

  1. Professionals are licensed to work

In order to obtain a license, the contractors are required to meet the rules and regulations put in place by the state. A license gives you a guarantee that a qualified siding contractor who is within regulations is working on your property. They are required to comply with local building codes and obtain building permits; otherwise, their license may get canceled. If you decide to perform siding installation on your own, you will need to handle a lot of legwork.

  1. Contractors are Insured

When you hire a general contractor, they’ll come with insurance- typically including general liability insurance and workers’ comp. This insurance is beneficial for you in case, something damages during the work. The insurance provides peace of mind to offset any of the damages as the contractor will be responsible to fix things. While workers’ compensation will ensure that you’re protected against liability for accidents and injuries.

  1. Extensive warranty coverage

A major drawback of DIY siding installation is warranty coverage. A DIY project will only provide you warranties on the materials. However, most of the times, the problems emerge from poor installation. If you have wrongly installed your siding, you’ll be required to fix it from your own pocket. Professionals, on the other hand, offer workmanship warranties and will stand behind the work they do. Workmanship warranties are different than the product warranty which is intended to provide you complete job satisfaction.

  1. Safety

Not every DIY project is safe for you, especially those home improvement projects that require climbing on a ladder. Replacing home siding means working on a high raised surface and using heavy duty power tools. The siding contractors have received proper training to perform these tasks and they’re equipped with latest, expensive safety tools as well.

Preventative And Maintenance Tips For Your Gutters

A fully-functioning gutter system installed in your house is essential for the safety, the well being, and the sanitation of your household. In order to maintain these safety parameters, you have to ensure to put in place certain initiatives that would keep your gutters in optimal shape for an extended period of time.
The following paragraphs list the most common and effective measures to keep your gutters in the best shape possible.

Clean Your Gutters Regularly
One of the primary measures that can be taken by you for gutter protection is to make sure that you clean them regularly, preferably at least once a month. Measures like tree trimming or even installing special gutter protections might be too costly. If you are looking for a short-term and proactive measure to counter the effects of the weather and other elements on your gutters, it is advised that you clean your gutters of all the leaves and debris at regular intervals. This at-home cleaning solution is an assurance to lengthen the durability and the functionality of your gutters.

Consider Professional Leaf Gutter Protection
If you are willing to invest in professional leaf gutter protection, it would serve as a long-term solution for the protection of your gutters and there might even be options for products that would stop the need for gutter cleaning altogether. For this purpose, a high-quality gutter system is placed on top of your gutters so that the rainwater can be channelized in, but the leaves and debris and other elements that can cause blockage are strategically left out. However, you have to keep in mind that this is, in fact, a big investment in your part and needs to be done only by rendering the services of professional gutter cleaning companies. Nevertheless, despite the cost, such a measure would save you a great deal of time in the future.

Trim Your Trees
If your residential premises happened to have thick foliage and a considerable amount of trees on your property, you might want to employ the services of someone who can trim your trees regularly. However, if you are on a budget and cannot afford to put in the investment that it requires to have all the trees on your residential property trimmed, you can strategically trim some of the trees that are in close proximity to your gutters so that they can be safeguarded against blockages that can occur because of the accumulation of the leaves.

Keep Track Of The Weather
Lastly, be certain that you are keeping track of the weather conditions in your surroundings as they might have detrimental effects on your gutters. For instance, sudden thunderstorms which are notorious for heavy rain, as well as harsh windy conditions, can be extremely harmful to your gutters to the point where they might even get clogged. Be certain to keep track of the weather conditions, especially with regard to how fast the wind is supposed to be blowing, as strong winds can carry leaves debris, and the like and deposit them on your gutters, thereby impeding their flow and considerably reducing their functionality. Upon the passing of thunderstorms and heavy rains, you might even have to take some extra time out of your hands to clean your gutters properly.

If you are looking for a reliable name in the industry of gutter cleaning and the associated services, you can solicit the services of Century Aluminum, based in the Toronto area.

Practical Tips To Consider Before Hiring An Eavestrough Company

Home improvement and renovation jobs on your residential premises can greatly improve the quality of your living. When you hire the services of a professional home improvement contracting company, you can ascertain the quality of their work and, consequently, be certain that the project that hand will be conducted successfully. However, it is necessary to keep in mind certain parameters that are expected of a professional eavestrough company.
The following enumeration lists all the parameters that you would need to verify before you render the services of an eavestroughing company.

Considering a Company That Is Fully Insured And Licensed
When you are researching and looking into the profiles of reliable eavestrough contractors for your purposes, make sure that you are only considering to hire companies that are fully insured and which have a significant amount of liability and property damage insurance. Installing eavestrough systems and the associated jobs require a certain level of professional expertise and therefore, do include a factor of risk as well. In this manner, when you make sure that the company that you are hiring for the job is fully insured, you will be at ease pertaining to their competence and their experience in this domain. Moreover, a company that is properly insured also has the reputation of being legitimate and professional. When you interviewing the companies, be certain to ask them about the necessary documentation that would corroborate their claims of being fully insured and licensed. You will be well within your rights to be asking for evidence and any reputable eavestrough company services would be more than willing to provide you with all the necessary paperwork.

Specialized In Eavestrough Systems
Another determinant that will be acting as a filter for your search would be whether or not the company that you are looking into a specializes in eavestrough systems installations. Making sure that the company is in fact specialized in this arena would be a guarantee of the quality of their work. Not all contracting services focus on all the parts of home improvements and renovations, therefore, it would be to your advantage that you would be hiring the services of a contracting service specializing in eavestrough systems. This would also mean that they have all the necessary equipment and the knowledge to use that equipment for the project at hand.

Workmanship Warranty
It is advised that you settle down on the name of a company that offers a strong workmanship warranty. Even though many eavestroughing companies claim that they have a warranty, you would have to take the initiative to make sure that it is indeed a workmanship warranty and not just a manufacturer’s warranty. Not only is it important to have a workmanship warranty but also it is imperative that this workmanship warranty is, in fact, a strong one. This would be indicative of the company’s confidence

Essential Tips For Better Gutter Protection

Being a homeowner, you are bestowed with the responsibility of maintaining a regular upkeep routine for all the parts of your house so that every component can function optimally. Amongst these, your gutter system is a vital part. It ensures that the sewage from your house is discarded properly and contributes to the overall hygiene of the house. Without a properly functioning gutter system, you would frequently be faced with leaks and plumbing issues, even to the point of risking the safety of yourself and of your family.

Keeping your gutters clean can be a daunting task if you are unaware of the process of doing so. Inevitably, you would end up with gutters that will not be used to the fullest degree. In some cases, when the repairs and maintenance are not done with care, it could significantly shorten the lifespan of these components and gravely affect their durability. This would also lead to unnecessarily incessant repairs that could be exorbitantly expensive.

Nevertheless, there is a correct manner to undertake the maintenance of your gutters that require very little effort on your part. Enumerated below are some of these measures that will help you take better care of your house’s gutter system.

 

Inspect Your Surroundings

Before you chart any repairs or undertake any measures for your gutters, make sure that you take a look around your surroundings. If you live in an area that has an abundance of trees and other foliage, you will definitely end up with a pile of leaves on your gutters over time. These leaves, coupled with the debris and dirt, have the ability to impede the flow of the gutters and even contort their structure. Therefore, it is imperative that you talk a walk around your neighborhood and identify the potential elements that might be harmful to your gutter systems. It would also determine whether you would have a need for any leaf gutter protection.
Clean Your Gutters

If you find that regular tree trimming or the installation of special preventive gutter components are too expensive for your budget, you could invest your time in a regular cleaning routine for your gutters. Cleaning them once a month could be beneficial to keep them away from the accumulated dirt and leaves from the neighboring trees and help them stay in their topmost condition.

Trimming Trees

If you have a considerable number of trees on your property, you must make sure to hire someone to trim them regularly. Hiring professionals to trim trees can be a profitable venture in the long run, and would completely avoid a situation where you would have to clean your gutters with increased frequency.

Install Professional Leaf Gutter Protection

If you are looking for a long-term solution for the maintenance of your gutter systems, you could consider investing in a permanent solution. This would put a stop to the problem for a prolonged period of time. A high-quality gutter system would permit rainwater to seep in, but block the leaves and the other debris from entering into the system. As it is a long-term solution, this could run a little expensive at first glance; however, you would be able to save up on time and money in the future by not having to conduct as many repairs on your gutter systems.

 

If you’re looking for high-quality and affordable gutters to be installed in your house, you can rely on the name of Century Aluminum to cater to all your needs.

 

Important Eavestrough Tips and Suggestions

Rain gutters are found more and more extensively in both residential and commercial properties. A major advantage of a rain gutter installation is that it assists in channelling the flow of the rainwater in the direction of a downspout. There are many residential properties which use eater deterrent measures to avoid any damages that might be incurred due to unpredicted water flow or inclement weather conditions.

Although installing eavestroughs can be beneficial for your house to keep it in the best condition, they necessitate a regular maintenance routine to ensure their proper functioning and optimal state. This maintenance schedule is vital to evading a situation where there is overflowing drains or leaking roofs.

Enumerated below are a few tips and suggestion with regard to the installation and the upkeep of eavestroughs that will assist you in their maintenance.

 

Gutter Spikes and Rafters

Homeowners, in the majority of eavestrough installations, make use of gutter spikes in the structure to aid in the support of the gutters. However, many of them also happen to discard the idea of investing in rafters that could be advantageous for the security of the structure of your gutters for a prolonged period of time. Thereby, when you are installing gutters for your residential property, make sure that you get both new gutter spikes and rafters to ensure that there is no chance of loosened hardware or any poor drainage.

 

Old Caulking

With a long period of use, it is possible that a rain gutter might develop some leaks or start dripping water from the cracks that might have formed on the surface. As the material of the gutters will wear out gradually, your system will become more and more susceptible to the formation of these cracks. To keep these problems at bay and avoid leaking, you could use a chisel to scrape off the old caulking from the surface. Following that, you could use silicon sealing that would help prevent the water from leaking through the surface of the boards.
Rivets

Make sure that you examine the rivets that are installed in the downspout. If the gutters have been installed for a long time period of time now, there is a likelihood that the rivets would have come loose or they would have come undone completely. To counter this issue, you can use a rivet gun to fasten them to their previous position again.
Pressure Washing

Perhaps the best method to clean a gutter is to employ a pressure washer. Be certain to blow some artificial air on the surface to remove any loose particles and dried leaves from the gutter. Before you use the pressure washer, make sure that you have secured the eavestrough with screws or new spikes. If you do not have a pressure washer handy, you could use a plain garden hose and downspout with pressure for this purpose.
Replacements and Repairs

If your gutters are corroded, you can remove the rust from the surface, and then follow up by applying primer and paint. You must use a good quality rust inhibiting paint to prevent any further rushing of the surface. You could also install a splash block that will prohibit the water coming out of the downspout when you are digging a trench or laying a new foundation.

If your gutters are already too old and rusted, you must get them professionally replaced with materials like vinyl or aluminum that are not prone to corrosion.

A Guide to Siding Installations

Your house is one of the most exorbitant investments you make on your lifetime. As such, it is imperative to put in place certain measures to prolong the durability and the look of your house. The inclement weather conditions are often too detrimental to the exterior of your house, accelerating the damage and corrosion of the materials at a much faster rate. Consequently, you would have to take steps to counter these effects before the defilement to your house is too grave to be repaired. One of such measures would be to contrive a professional siding installation. Siding is a safeguard against the elemental forces of rain, extremely harsh changes in climate conditions, and UV rays of the Sun. A properly done siding would improve the capacity of your house to withstand such adverse weather conditions. Nevertheless, this job must be done well by qualified contractors so as to ensure that the siding installation actually takes care of your house.

Enumerated below are a few times that will help you determine the necessary steps to be taken before a siding installation.

 

Clear the Work Area

Before you begin any siding installations on your house, you must ensure that the surrounding area is devoid of any trees or branches that would act as an impediment to the work. If you happen to have any lawn or patio furniture, garden hoses, lawn decorations, and the like, those too should be temporarily removed for the installation. The electricity that powers the outdoor lights or any other light fixtures must also be switched off and removed for the duration of the job.
The Right Material

There are a multitude of products available in the market that are directed towards varying purposes. For instance, a fiber-cement siding is employed to be insect proof, despite it not being water resistant. Plastic and vinyl sidings are economical and require very low maintenance. Steel sidings are a potential option too, thanks to its sustainability, color retentive properties, and strength. It additionally furnishes the properties of being fire, insect, and decay resistant. Their durability is much higher in comparison to aluminium, brick, vinyl, or plastic, making it extremely long-lasting.

 

Choose The Right Contractor

A good job of a siding installation is heavily dependent on settling down on the right siding contractor. They must be a team of seasoned and trained professionals so that the job is conducted with expertise, and in case of any contingencies, a solution can be arrived at the spur of the moment. Keep in mind that if this job is not done well, you will end up shelling out even more cash to cover up for the repairs and get another installation. A reliable insurance of the legitimacy of a siding contractor is their valid, state-mandated license. Make sure that you have researched and corroborated all their claims, inclusive of one regarding insurance policies and additional certifications. Be certain to go through the reviews given to them by their past clientele as well to have a better grasp over their professionalism, work ethic, and their customer service.
If you happen to be on the lookout for a reputable siding contractor in the Toronto area, you can rely on the name of Century Aluminium to dispense you an array of services in this arena at the most competitive upfront pricing.