Let The Professionals Handle The Eavestrough Maintenance and Repair Tasks!
Let me be clear on this: gutter installation, repair and maintenance work is not a do-it-yourself type of a job. Some people think that they can just go to their local Home Depot or Lowes store and buy all the needed materials, go home and hang their own eavestrough. The available do-it-yourself gutters are plastic made and come in standard 10 foot sections. With passage of time, plastic gets brittle, particularly in cold weather. As a result, it easily cracks, making it a poor material choice when it comes to eavestroughing.
It is almost impossible to have seamless gutters with the available do-it-yourself materials, as they result in multiple water leaks. According to the experts, plastic eavestroughs have unique challenges in the Canadian climate and thus are best left alone. For instance, they leak everywhere even when newly installed. Installing gutter protection in roofs with these sorts of gutters is also next to impossible.
Which is the best material when it comes to eavestroughs?
The industry standard material for gutters is seamless aluminum and for three good reasons. It is weather-resistant, durable and never rusts. However, so as to get the best installation results, let a professional handle the task. Gutter installation and maintenance professionals have the right expertise and tools to perform an excellent job. For example, they use roll forming machines to make seamless gutters of any length. They can customize a gutter system to fit the length of any roof. If leaks are to be prevented, gutters need to be installed this way.
Formation of ice dams
This is another important issue that requires the attention of gutter installation and maintenance professionals. Most homes in this country have one type of an eavestrough or another. But if any homeowner thinks that this important part of his home is safe from damages, blame games and wrongful attacks, he is wrong. All over the country, the poor unsuspecting gutters are wrongfully blamed for the bothersome winter malady that is commonly referred to as ice dams. These are huge mounds of ice that accumulate on top of the roof and eavestrough. This ice causes a lot of damages to the roof shingles, gutters and result in major water leaks.
Probable solutions for ice dams
1. One of the best ways to prevent ice dams from forming according to the gutter maintenance professionals is to increase insulation in the attic. The homeowner needs to make sure that heat migration into the attic from the living room is reduced.
2. Another way to reduce this heat loss is to increase attic ventilation. This allows heat that manages to escape to be vented from attic space through the soffit and roof.
3. The last solution is to prevent warm indoor air from travelling into the attic. It doesn’t take much of a gap or hole to let this heat to escape. Attic access door is a good spot for huge air leaks into the attic. The area above the bathrooms and kitchen are a favorite when it comes to ice dam formation. The kitchen in particular puts out massive heat due to the stove and other heat generating appliances.
Why you should not opt for a DIY approach with eavestrough installation and maintenance
Professional gutter installers ensure that the whole eavestrough system is correctly sloped. Failure to do so makes the water to pool and not properly draining. You don’t want this with your gutter system, do you? You want something that is both functional and durable. Installing it right the first time is what you need with your gutter system. So get a professional to install and maintain your eavestrough system. Here are pointers to help you hire the right professional gutter service provider and not a fly by night kind:
1. If a service provider specializes only in gutter or eavestrough installation and services, then that is truly what he does.
2. If the service provider has an own eavestrough machine, equipment and truck, then he is definitely the right choice.
3. He is experienced, meaning that he has been in eavestrough business for at least five years.
4. He has an HST number.
5. He doesn’t sub-contract the jobs to other companies.
6. He doesn’t hire another company to roll and drop the gutters so that he can install it.
7. He provides you with a detailed and professional estimate fully indicating all work to be done.
8. He carries a full and correct operations license and liability insurance.
9. He buys his aluminum only from reputable suppliers
10. He miters his corners and doesn’t use pre-made factory corners.
11. He offers a strong warranty on his workmanship.
12. He provides great references when asked for them and can provide verifiable addresses where you can pay a visit to look at some of the previous work he has done.
All in all, you have hired a gutter specialist, you will have a worry-free experience with your gutters and can enjoy the best of your house for many years to come!