Gutter Guard Reviews: Which Ones Really Work?

Who likes cleaning eavestroughs? Answer: Nobody! It is a terrible weekend chore and it can be dangerous! The Eavestrough Company is now in it's 16th year of business. I have done numerous quotes for homeowners who have fallen from ladders or off their roofs cleaning eavestroughs. This is why many people hire a company to clean their eavestroughs OR they install Gutter Guards, which is usually some type of cover or insert that goes into the eavestrough to keep debris out.

The gutter guard industry is an interesting one. You will find loads of companies claiming their gutter protection is THE BEST! THE ONLY ONE YOU SHOULD BUY! If you see these types of claims, raise an eye brow and be dubious of what they say.

The gutter guard industry is unregulated and is typically a niche market. Nearly every company I have come in contact with knows very little about eavestroughs/gutters themselves. They have merely designed a product to install on gutters.

I've come across only two gutter guard companies that really know eavestroughs. I have seen dozens of products in my career. Some I like, some I don't, and others make me shake my head in disgust!

So let's go over the various types of gutter protections and I will tell you my opinion of them. 

1. Foam Filter Gutter Protection. 

These were very popular when they came out about 15 years ago. They are super easy to install, they were somewhat expensive and the companies promised life time warranties against clogging. They are made out of some type of plastic and insert into your eavestroughs. The result? They fail 100% of the time. In my experience, this has been an awful product! The sun beats it up, it collapses, the pores get clogged with everything and I have removed thousands of feet of this product for very unhappy homeowners! Companies like Gutter Filter and Gutter Filter Canada ended up going out of business because the product was so bad! There were even a few class action lawsuits against some companies that sold the product. Costco even attempted to cash in on this market and sell it. They called it Rain Filter. They quickly discovered what a terrible product it was and stopped selling it. Below are a few pictures of what a foam filter will look like after 3 or 4 years.

2. Gutter Brush Gutter Guards. 

This is one that really has me scratching my head. They look like a big pipe cleaner. They insert into your gutters. The problem? They catch everything and hold it there! Not to mention they make your eavestroughs look like they are growing hair!  I'm not going to write much about this product. I have had to take out thousands of feet for customers and take it to the landfill. 

3.  Plastic Gutter Covers from DIY stores.

I'll be short....If it's made out of plastic........don't even think of installing it. EVER! Enough said. 

4. Reverse Curve Gutter Protection.

These types are EXPENSIVE! They range in cost from $25-35 per foot for products like Gutter Helmet to $52-$60 a lineal foot for Leaf Guard. This means if you have 200 or more feet of eavestrough, you can expect to pay over $10,000 for gutter protection! Now that you've picked yourself up off the floor, let's continue.  I have seen these products work if debris isn't too bad and I have seen them fail miserably if debris is small and intense.! The problem is the water will follow the reverse curve but so will small debris! In my opinion, these types of gutter protections are nothing more than gimmicks and I personally don't like how they look on a house. And heck, if you give me $10,000, I'll come every year, twice a year to clean out your eavestroughs for as long as you own your home! :) Look at the pictures below:

5. Micro-Mesh Gutter Guards.

There are several companies who sell these types of gutter guards: Leaf Filter, Gutter Glove, Raptor Gutter Guard, Gorilla Gutter Guard, to name a few. These products are again expensive ranging from $20 to $60 per foot, Leaf Filter being by far the most expensive product. I have seen these products installed on houses that have had them for years. They all work reasonably well. My only beef  is that I have seen them installed on eavestroughs that should have been replaced. This makes me wonder how much these companies really know about eavestrough and if they are merely out to make a sale. Why spend thousands when you will have to take it all off again within a few years?

6. Perforated Metal Products:

There are several companies that sell this product but you have to be careful. There are some that work and some that don't. Clip N Guard is one that I would never recommend. It is too thin. Does not secure well in the eavestrough and can easily blow out or collapse. I do, however, really like Alu-Rex Gutter Clean. It is strong and secures to the gutter extremely well. It can be installed for around $6-7 per foot which includes gutter cleaning. I've actually installed thousands of feet of this for my customers to date with no serious issues.

7. Continuous hanger systems:

These can ONLY be installed on new eavestroughs and must go on when the eavestroughs are being installed. There are only two products I know of. Both are made by Alu-Rex. They both look similar. One is Alu-Rex T-Rex. The other is Alu-Rex Double Pro. Both are very cost effective with T-Rex costing between $6-$7 per foot and Double Pro at $7.50 to $9 per foot. Both these products do something that no other product does. Because they are a continuous hanger system, they make your eavestroughs super strong! There is even a You-tube video of an installer from Toronto walking on top of the eavestroughs like it is a tight rope! Impressive! T-Rex is similar to the Alu-Rex Gutter Clean picture above. Alu-Rex Double Pro has two layers of protection which even keeps small debris like Spruce needles out of the eavestrough. Below you will find three pictures of T-Rex and a video of Double Pro.

Here is the video of Double Pro. It really is an impressive product!

This is by no means a comprehensive article on Gutter Protection. You can see the ones I like the most and this is because of personal experience NOT because I sell Gutter Protection. I consider myself mainly an Eavestrough Company. We install Eavestrough, Fascia, Soffit and Siding. For me, Gutter Protection is more of an add on product to compliment my business and I am not interested in products that don't work. I have had incredible success with Alu-Rex products. It's simple, effective, won't break the bank, and it works. Not to mention Alu-Rex actually stands behind their products.

I hope this article has been helpful to you. There are numerous gutter guards that work, but there are others which fail abysmally! If you would like a quote for eavestrough, fascia, soffit, siding and yes, gutter protection, we would be happy to provide a quote for you. Contact us at 905-966-2564 or you can visit our website at www.theeavestroughcompany.com.

Mistakes to Avoid when Hiring a Contractor!

Our 2019 season is gearing up for action and every year, I meet dozens of people preparing for renovation projects on their home. If you are planning a home renovation project, it pays to be prepared! Most homeowners have very limited knowledge when it comes to home renovations or improvements. I've met people who are completely overwhelmed trying to make choices. Here are several things you will want to avoid before hiring company to do your home renovation project.

1. Not Doing Sufficient Research

It’s important you look into every company you are considering. Check out the company's website , ask for references of homes you can drive and look at, browse their HomeStars profile and read their reviews. If you look at past work and reviews, this will give you a better idea of the quality of work the company does and the kind of customer service you can expect to receive. 

2. NEVER Pay Cash in advance of the job commencing

NO REPUTABLE COMPANY will ever ask you for a large sum of money in cash before commencing the job. You DO NOT want to fall victim to a contractor fraud. Every year I meet customers who gave someone a large sum of cash never to see that person again. In some cases, contractors used fake names and there will never be a way to track these people down. Offers that seem too good to be true are just that! 

3. Never Hire Based on the Cheapest Quote

There's no doubt, everyone wants a good deal, but when it comes to your home project, you have to ask you self two very important questions: 1. Am I looking for the cheapest price? or 2. Am I looking for the best quality workmanship?   Usually, the answer to each of these are a mile apart! Although the lowest quote might make you feel warm and fuzzy inside, you may be left with a real hangover! Just ask Alex, whose job we completed in January 2019. Alex paid thousands of dollars in cash up front to a company that gave him the cheapest quote. By the time the house was half done, it was evident they had no clue how to install eavestrough, fascia, soffit or siding! He fired them and called us in. We had to strip everything off the house and start all over it was so bad!

On the other hand, you aren't necessarily looking for the company with the highest quote either. You are looking to hire the company you know can do a quality job and make you one happy customer in the end!

NEVER allow the cheapest quote to dictate the company you hire. Ideally, you will hire the company you feel most comfortable working with and have the most confidence in.

4. Paying In Part or in Full and Not Obtaining a Receipt

This is a BIG mistake many homeowners make, especially when it comes to home renovation projects. You should NEVER pay for an entire project in full before it is completed. At The Eavestrough Company, we never ask for a deposit unless the project is very large (over $10,000) or a job that will take us weeks to complete.  A deposit is common, but this should be about a quarter of the overall price. A legitimate company will outline payment terms in their contract and provide you with a receipt. If the company you are dealing with does not provide these items, you should find a new company who will.

No matter how you pay the company, you need to get a receipt for your records. Having proof of payment is essential should anything happen afterwards and you need to prove you paid the company for their services. If you do pay the company in cash ensure you get a receipt or proof the money was accepted. An email confirming payment was exchanged for services is another good option. Keep in mind that a contract does not prove work was done, only proof of payment does. 

Over the course of 12 years in business, I have seen dozens and dozens of contractor frauds. I have seen people ripped off for as much as $20,000! That's a lot of coin! The next point may help you avoid being one of these casualties. 

5. Never Ignore Important Details! 

One of the biggest mistakes homeowners make when hiring is not looking into credentials of the company they hire. Here are some key points that nearly assure you will not be ripped off by the company you hire:

1. The Company you hire should be licensed and have a GST number. Our Business License number is printed at the bottom of all our estimates!

2. The company you hire MUST have WSIB with the Canadian Government AND Liability Insurance with a private insurance company! A company that does not have WSIB and general liability insurance could end up costing you more than just the renovation fees. If a worker is injured on your property and is not covered, you could end up paying the costs. Without proper insurance, your home insurance policy becomes the primary insurance used to cover all medical expenses and lost wages. If your insurance company finds out that you knowingly hired a company without insurance, they have the right to deny the claim. This means you will have to pay for everything out of your own pocket. Also, without Liability insurance, if the company damages your property, they can walk away and you are left with a legal battle on your hands!

3. The company you hire should be a member of the Better Business Bureau. If they display the BBB symbol, it means they have been investigated by the BBB and are likely a reputable company. The BBB also provides you with an avenue of complaint and resolution should you have any issues with the company you hire. Remember: Look for this symbol!

4. The company you hire should be a Home Stars verified company! Seeing a Verified badge means that the company has passed criminal background checks on the owners and workers, submitted to credit checks, has the proper professional licensing, and is fully insured.  Look for this symbol on the companies Home Stars page:

That's it! Of course, we would love to be the company you hire to do your eavestrough, fascia, soffit or siding AND we will do a spectacular job for you. You can give us a call at 905-966-2564 or you can visit our website at www.theeavestroughcompany.com

What Causes Ice Dams? And how to get rid of them!

Ice dams are the dread of every home owner. In most incidents, they can cause extensive damage to your home.

An ice dam is a ridge of ice that forms at the edge of a roof and prevents melting snow from draining off the roof. The water that backs up behind the Ice dam can literally reverse course and leak back under the roof shingles and into your home which can damage walls, ceilings, insulation, electrical outlets, flooring, kitchen cabinets, etc...

What Causes Ice Dams?

For an ice dam to occur, there must be an accumulation of snow on the roof. The heat from inside the home rises through the ceiling into the attic area and is not able to escape quickly enough through vents. This causes the roof to heat up above 0 degrees Celsius (32 Fahrenheit). This causes the snow to melt and begin to run down the roof. 

When the water travels down the roof it passes over the outside wall of the house where the roof is below 0 degrees Celsius (32 Fahrenheit) and it begins to freeze. As melting snow feeds the ice dam it causes an enormous mound of ice which protrudes over the eavestroughs and can form large icicles up to 6-8 ft in length.

When this happens we are in the stage where it can cause serious and costly damage to your home.

What Damage Will Ice Dams Cause?

Without question, Ice dams can damage your home! Believe me, it has happened to me twice after I bought two different homes. It is a sickening feeling watching water come through drywall, light fixtures, windows, and on to your flooring.  The dripping water can cause your walkways to ice up and create a fall hazard like the one below! 

I've personally seen ice dams cause the following  damage to homes:

• Gutters and downspout damage because the weight of the ice ripped them off the house.
• Extensive drywall damage as water collapsed the ceiling inside the house.  
• Insulation damage as the insulation was completely soaked and soggy.
• Roof and shingle damage.
• Flooring which had to be replaced.

And here's the kicker! Most insurance companies WONT cover the damage as it is not considered an "act of god".

How Do I Prevent Ice Dams? 

There are two common causes of ice dams:

1. Excessive heat loss from the home. If you have inadequate insulation in the ceiling, heat loss can be so rapid, through the ceiling that it can not be vented fast enough. To solve this problem, increase the amount of insulation in your attic but make sure you do not clog the soffit area of the house. Also keep in mind if you have a story and a half style home you can have more than one attic. One house I owned had 5 separate attic areas!
2. The heat loss from the home is not able to escape. This is usually the result of soffits that are inadequately vented and roof vents that are not functioning properly. To solve this problem you will need to remove all the eavestrough, fascia, and soffit from your house, cut holes in the soffit area and then replace all the aluminium. You may also need to add more roof vents to the house.
 How do you remove Ice Dams if you have them? 

Remember removing snow and ice from a roof is extremely dangerous! It is vitally important to use extreme care and use the proper equipment such as a ladder with a ladder stand off. 
Here are some things you can do to address ice dams:

1. Remove snow from your roof using a roof rake. This should be done after snow falls to avoid ice dams. 

2. Fill a pantyhose with calcium chloride and lay it perpendicularly across the ice dam. It can eat its way down to form a channel for the backed up water to get through.

3. You can try chipping or chiseling away icicles and ice dams but I do not recommend this option. I've seen overzealous home owners do extensive damage to their roof and eavestrough! 

4. You can try heat cables to melt the ice dam.

5. The best option is to call a roofing professional to take care of the whole thing. This is likely the best and safest bet to get rid of an ice dam.

Will Gutter Guards Prevent Ice Dams?

I get asked this question A LOT!!!!!! There are companies that will tell you Gutter Protection will solve ice dam issues.  However, the answer is ABSOLUTELY NOT!  Gutter Protection WILL NOT prevent ice dams. The eavestroughs are not the cause of the ice dam so placing a cover on the eavestrough certainly won't solve it! If anyone tells you differently, they are simply trying to sell you something to make a buck! 

If you want a very informative article about ice dams, read this article on This Old House: https://www.thisoldhouse.com/how-to/how-to-get-rid-ice-dams

I hope this article has been helpful to you. If you would like a quote from The Eavestrough Company, please contact us at 905-902-9424 or visit our website at www.theeavestroughcompany.com