Eavestrough Cleaning: Do it safely!

Fall and Spring eavestrough cleaning is essential for the upkeep on your home. If neglected, you could end up with water related damages: The more common damages are damaging the eavestrough or roof edge because they weigh down with ice in winter. Major damage might include foundation issues, mold and mildew, and basement flooding. The later are extremely rare but costly. 

Eavestrough cleaning seems like a simple task for do it yourselfers. However, climbing a ladder up to the edge of your roof is more dangerous than meets the eye. If done improperly, you can be seriously hurt!

Whether you do it yourself or hire an eavestrough cleaning company, here are some things you should keep in mind:

1. Never clean eavestroughs by yourself!  Any time you are using a ladder, you should always have a helper. You need someone to help hold the ladder to keep it steady. Having a partner hold the base of your ladder can prevent ladder accidents. Your helper can also assist in helping move the ladder, hand you tools or help if an emergency should arise.

2. Use proper protective equipment. One of the tools I can not emphasis enough is a QUALITY ladder and a good ladder stand off! A stand off will protect damage to the eavestrough and stabilize the top of the ladder. 

Other protective equipment are gloves to protect your hands, proper clothing, and even a harness to protect from falling. 

3. Do not use water to clean out an eavestrough! My reason for this is that once you use water it splatters everywhere! It splatters on you, on the roof, on the ladder, on the fascia, siding and windows. In my opinion, cleaning with water is a terrible mistake as it makes everything messy and slippery! Simply use your hands or use a good leaf blower. Do not do what the gentleman is doing in the picture below! He is asking for trouble!

4. Follow ladder safety tips. Always make sure the ladder has at least three points of contact and preferably four. If you use a ladder stand off, it will stabilize the ladder and prevent it from sliding at the top. Remember, NEVER over reach when on a ladder! This is very dangerous!

5. If you are hiring a company to clean your eavestroughs, make sure it is a proper and legitimate company that follows all safety precautions, has taken the training at heights course, and carries WSIB and Liability Insurance. As an FYI, just because a company says they have WSIB DOES NOT MEAN they carry the proper WSIB insurance. Many landscape companies clean eavestroughs and carry WSIB. However, they do not carry proper WSIB which allows them to climb ladders and work at heights. They must carry WSIB similar to roofing or siding companies and most DO NOT! 

6. Consider getting gutter protection which will allow you to not worry about having to clean the eavestroughs. I recommend Diamondback Gutter Covers or Alu-Rex Gutter Protection. 

At The Eavestrough Company, we are concerned about you. Whether you clean the eavestroughs yourself, or hire professionals, do it safely and do it right! If you want a quote for installation of gutter protection, please do not hesitate to contact us at 905-966-2564 or visit our website at www.theeavestroughcompany.com.

Old Faithful.......

Recently, an employee of The Eavestrough Company drove our old 2003 Chevrolet Astro van to a job to clean out the eavestroughs of a condo corporation. A comment was made, "I thought you would come in a nicer vehicle than that."

Well...we admit, the vehicle is looking tired and getting pretty rusty. However, there are a few reasons we keep it.

First, it was the first vehicle ever purchased by The Eavestrough Company. To be honest, I love this vehicle. It's been around the block and back with us and never let us down. To get rid of it seems like getting rid of an old friend!

Second, the vehicle can haul a lot of stuff! From gutter coils to ladders, and, as you can see in the picture below, it can haul a 40' length of 6" eavestrough to a job site when the 6" machine is tied up somewhere else!

Thirdly, I try to repair my vehicles to keep overhead for our company low. This way, I can pass savings on to my customers.

Fourthly, we know there will come a day when we have to say goodbye to this vehicle and we will do so when we have a major repair that is not worth the cost of fixing it. In the meantime, this little gem keeps chugging along as faithful as can be.

For more information on The Eavestrough Company, please phone us at (905)-966-2564 or visit our website at www.theeavestroughcompany.com

Get Your Job Done Right!

The old saying goes, "You get what you pay for." When some people get quotes, they look at price. Others want quality even if they have to pay a little more. No matter what your goal is, you need to make sure the job is done right! Eavestrough should last 25-35 years. If you are redoing your eavestrough within 5 years, it was no bargain! This year, I've done two houses that had their eavestroughs done last year.

Over the years, I have seen some very shoddy to downright terrible work done by others. This year, I think I have seen more poor work than I can remember. Take a look at these pictures:

This job in Ancaster was done 5 years ago and the eavestrough and downpipes started falling off the house! The problems, no downspout outlets were used, and the biggest problem was the company used all steel screws with aluminum. Using steel with aluminum is a BIG NO NO!!!!!!! These dissimilar metals do not like each other and the aluminum will corrode the steel. Look at the snapped screw below. It rusted right through!

 BAD! BAD! BAD! STEEL SCREWS!!!!!! You have to use zinc screws!

Now here's another job in Hamilton done two years ago. The homeowner phoned me because water was pouring through the corners. The problem: The worst mitred corners I have ever seen! Plus they put the new aluminum fascia over the old aluminum without removing it and they forgot to cap the corner box! OOPS!!!!

Notice the aluminum fascia put right over the old AND how do you not cap this corner box? It was left exposed.

And finally, this house in Dundas. The problem? Every eavestrough was cut too short and the downpipe outlets were installed on the outside of the eavestroughs not the inside like they are supposed to be installed:

These are just three of many jobs I have seen this year where the workmanship was poor. I would be embarrassed if I hired an eavestrougher who installed like this. At The Eavestrough Company, our commitment to you is that we will install eavestrough, fascia, or soffit on your home like it is our own. Our installers are among the best in the business.

Years ago we wrote our own code of ethics. Here they are:

Code of Ethics

The Eavestrough Company  is guided by these fundamental principles.

We will strive to adhere to the highest standards of honesty, integrity, and responsibility in all of our business dealings with you by:

• Writing estimates and warranties that are clear and honest;
• Strictly adhering to the highest quality standards of workmanship;
• Maintaining all required insurances;
• Performing all work in a safe and timely manner.
• Providing only products, materials, and services that are of proven quality;
• Quickly resolving all customer call backs in a timely manner.

If you are looking for a company who abides by these principles, we would welcome a call or email. You can contact us at 905-966-2564 or you can visit our website at www.theeavestroughcompany.com . 

Rain Chains.....A Beautiful Alternative to Downspouts!

When I am out estimating, one of the most common discussions I have with people are in regards to downspout location. Let's face it, a 3"x3" aluminium pipe coming down the front or side of the house is not the most aesthetic feature of your home! However, in some cases, there is a beautiful and functional alternative. It's called, the rain chain! They have been in use in Japan for hundreds of years, quite often on Temples and residences. The Japanese call them "kusari dos". Since the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano, Rain Chains have steadily grown in popularity in Canada and The United States.

Rain chains are a beautiful alternative to conventional eavestrough downspouts. Where conventional downspouts are often hidden or placed out of sight so as to not detract from the look of a home or structure, rain chains can accent the architecture and add curb appeal. Rain chains channel water downward from the eavestrough via a series of hollow cups or a stylish chain link.

Here is a video by a company that sells rain chains:

Rain Chains can be made out of any type of metal, including copper. They make a beautiful and relaxing noise as the water travels down the chain. I have even seen a few houses that simply had a hardware store chain wired up to the downspout. Like this one in Burlington, Ontario. 

Here is an excellent youtube video of someone who used a chain:

When I discuss rain chains to my customers in Ontario, Canada, invariably they always ask if rain chains ice up in the winter time. The answer? Yes, they do and they are a spectacular sight in winter! Just look at these photos! 

So there you have it! A beautiful alternative to a convention downspout! Rain Chains are simply BEAUTIFUL!

If you would like a quote for new eavestrough, fascia, and soffit, give us a call at 905-966-2564 or visit our website at www.theeavestroughcompany.com.