Competitors: Keep it Positive!

"What kills a company is not competition, but arrogance. We control our fate."
~ Eric Schmidt, founder and CEO of Google

I love competition. I always have. I used to be a fierce competitor in my younger days and could run the mile in 4:40.That was back in the 70's. My mile days are over! In 1990, I started a charity and it grew from no income to over $13 million per year when I left it to start my own business. In 2007, I started my own Eavestrough business and it has flourished.

At 52, I have learned a thing or two in life and have been around the block a few times. In my  younger and somewhat immature years, I loved competition but feared the competition. I would not have said it like that then. However, there was something that I fell pray to and I have seen others fall pray to constantly that proved it! I saw it in my Track and Field "career", my charity work, and in the Eavestrough Business. It's called by a number of names, slander, gossip, negative talk, "one-upmanship", defamation, etc...

In the charity I ran, we grew out of nowhere to become the largest charity of our kind doing what we did. It was a good feeling to be on top! However, we sometimes did it by putting down others similar to us or by slandering their good name. It mattered little to me at the time until one day, one of our competitors came out of no where with information that was so wrong and defamatory, it was unbelievable! My initial reaction was that surely no one would believe such ridiculous information. But.....THEY DID! It took hours and days to put out a fire that should never have been started! However, the real corker was that, in the end, it came back to bite the organization who started it. The dispute got published in magazines and they ended up looking like petty immature whiners.

The above situation was one of those life changing situations for me. I vowed never again to do to others what that organization and person did to me!

I have seen this situation in the Eavestrough business too! Company owners attempt to make themselves look better than "the other guy" to land that job or grow their business! They concoct stories and relay it to customers or post things on the Internet. With the advent of the world wide web some 20 years ago, this has become even worse. You can write anything about anybody on the Internet and many will believe it! I like to tell people, "The internet is like a bathroom wall, you can write anything you want on it!"

However, I have learned over the years that speaking positively about others is viewed as a far more powerful statement than speaking negatively or defaming them. Ultimately, when we denigrate others we denigrate ourselves. We may find slander perversely attractive for purely selfish purposes. In the end, it has more power to harm us than the person (or company) we use it against. I love ancient proverbs. One proverb says, "When words are many, sin is not absent, but he who holds his tongue is wise."

It is important to understand that whatever we say is a reflection of us as people. A wise Jewish Rabbi once said, "Out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks". In other words, "Negative people speak negative words. Positive people speak positive words."

AND, to conclude, I have learned that if you can't think of something positive to say, SAY NOTHING! Another ancient proverb says, "Evan a fool is considered wise, if he keeps his mouth shut!" I love that proverb!

We aren't the only good eavestrough company in southern Ontario, but if you would like a fair, honest quote from us, go to our web site at www.theeavestroughcompany.com or phone us at 905-966-2564.

Gutter Filter Disaster!

When it comes to Gutter Protection, it is a matter of buyer beware. Some products are very good and some are not! This is perfectly illustrated with all the Gutter Filter type products.

Gutter Filter Eavestrough Protection is quite popular. Gutter Filter is a super easy to install plastic foam filter product that supposedly has a built in UV inhibitor so the sun will not damage it. The reason it is called Gutter Filter is that it looks just like a filter. See the picture below.

When new, Gutter Filter looks like it does in the above picture. It is 4" high and 5 1/4" across the top. Water really does pour through it and broad leaf debris blows right off.

Whose Filter is the Best?
There are numerous Gutter Filter type companies like Gutter Filter, American Gutter Filter, Gutter Stuff, Leaf Defier, Rain Filter (Costco), etc.... I'll let you in on a little secret. All these companies say their foam is better than the other companies foam, HOWEVER, they are ALL made by the same company!!! They were made by New Dimension Industries who then sold their company to DV8 foam fabrication. Yep....All foam Gutter Protections are made on the same assembly line!

WARRANTY?

Gutter Filter comes with a LIFETIME GUARANTEE! How could anyone go wrong with that?

If you read their warranty carefully, you will find out that the warranty DOES NOT cover  coniferous treed areas nor is there a warranty offered for the product itself clogging. The warranty only is valid if the debris makes it through the Gutter Protection and clogs the gutter itself.

Then, when New Dimension sold out to DV8 Foam Fabrication, I found out that no warranties would be honoured for any Filter sold by New Dimension. So much for any warranty at all.

How long does Gutter Filter last?

Gutter Filter customer complaints are wide spread. I've had people tell me that they ripped all the Gutter Filter out of their eavestrough! I have seen it clog, collapsing and disintegrate. Filter products last a few years but end up being a disaster!

Just recently, I went out to quote a job for a Gutter Protection I sell that is made out of metal. When I got there I found that the homeowner had installed Gutter Filter 3 years ago and it was not working. She also informed me that it was blowing right out of the Eavestrough. I got a ladder and went up and was shocked at what I found! Look at the pictures below of Gutter Filter that's just 3 years old!

The Gutter Filter has shrunk and collapsed. The empty space at the front of the picture is a piece that blew out by the wind.  Notice too that the brackets are all exposed. The Gutter Filter completely disintegrated over the brackets. I took one piece out of the eavestrough and this is what it looked like:

Here is how it sat in the eavestrough!

The Gutter Filter has shrunk from 5 1/4" across the top and 4" deep to 3"x3" See the pictures below:

The bottom line is that before considering Gutter Filter, Rain Filter or any other Filter product, think twice. It will not last no matter if they promise you a lifetime warranty, 25 year warranty or any warranty.

There are good Gutter Protections available on the market today. The Filter Product just isn't one of them. I would not consider anything that is not made out of metal and specially fitted or screwed in. That's why I prefer a product like Diamond Back Gutter Covers or Alu-Rex.

For all your eavestroughing needs and for gutter protections that really work contact The Eavestrough Company at www.theeavestroughcompany.com or phone us at 905-966-2564.

Help Me! My Basement is Flooding!

Last year we had many heavy rains that caused basements to flood. In the last few years basement flooding has become an epidemic. When we get torrential rains it results in many desperate calls to our office. Usually, it involves an overflowing eavestrough and/or a downpipe routed into a clay pipe which goes into the city storm sewers. These homeowners suffer incredible agony having to get all the water out of the basement and take up wet carpets and furniture.

This kind of incident serves as a sober reminder to home owners to keep up with the maintenance of critical things like eavestroughs and grading around the home. As winter winds down and we head into spring, here are a few maintenance items to keep you from being one of these unfortunate home owners.

CLEAN YOUR EAVESTROUGH
Every year I get calls from customers who state that water is gushing over the side of their eavestroughs and flooding their home. When I arrive, I find the eavestroughs and or downspouts plugged solid with leaves. Remember, if you or your neighbours have large trees and they are 50-100 feet away from your house, DEBRIS IS GETTING INTO YOUR EAVESTROUGH. If you have  don't have gutter protection, you must clean them 2 or 3 times a year. It takes a small amount of leaves to plug the top of a downspout. Having no eavestrough protection WILL increase your maintenance. Since you are not able to see in the eavestrough, you will never know it your eavestrough is plugged or not! When heavy rains maximize the capacity of your eavestrough system, a small amount of debris can plug things up and cause a major overflow.

To avoid potential disaster, your eavestrough should be inspected regularly, especially if you have no gutter protection. You do not want to find out your eavestroughs are completely clogged when that midnight thunder and rainstorm comes through and dumps water directly into a window well and you wake up to a basement full of water!

CONSIDER GETTING GUTTER PROTECTION
With the quality gutter protections available on the market today, there is no need to have to clean your eavestough or have to worry about if they are clogged or not. There are MANY good products on the market and they work. However, you have to be selective and careful when considering gutter protection. Cheaper is not always better and I have never seen anything at a DIY store that works well.

On the other hand, many gutter protection companies want to sell you on their product. They say it is the one and only, the best, with a lifetime warranty.....blah, blah, blah. Then, after they do their sales pitch they roll out the price. Sometimes the price can be $20 to $30 per ft! That is a usurious amount of money to pay for gutter protection! It's almost criminal what some companies charge.

I sell two main products. I sell them because they work. The best product I sell is Diamond Back Gutter Covers and it sells for about $10-12 per ft installed on a house with a normal pitched roof. The other product is Alu-Rex and I it sells for about $5 per ft. You can find both products on my website at www.theeavestroughcompany.com


REPAIR OR REPLACE YOUR EAVESTROUGH

3. Old poorly sloped eavestroughs can pool lots of water. This results in them getting very heavy, cause the old nails and ferrules to come loose and surrender to gravity. This allows a river of water to run right down the side of your house toward your foundation. I have seen numerous houses with the eavestrough ripped right off! Like the one below.

Make sure this does not happen to you! Get your eavestroughs repaired or replaced if they are old. I generally recommend replacement, especially if the eavestroughs are 20 or more years old. Repairing old eavestrough is usually just not very cost effective as the eavestrough is nearing the end of its life anyway.

FIX THE GRADING AROUND YOUR HOUSE!

Combine a clogged and overflowing eavestrough with grading that slopes directly toward the house and you are asking for trouble! Not only are you getting all the roof water going to this area but the rainwater off the landscaping is all flowing that direction. Sometimes, there is nothing you can do to change the direction of the slope around your house. Below is a picture of my backyard. I back onto the Niagara Escarpment. 75 feet behind my home is a hill 50 feet high! What I did was grade my backyard so that, in heavy rainstorms, the water would run across my yard and down another area well away from me and my neighbors house. Look what happened in one of those torrential downpours we had in recent years!

The grading worked perfectly and it flowed right around the house and into a drain that my neighbor and I built which carried it far away from our houses.

I hope you found this article helpful. It may just help you avoid having disaster strike your basement like the guy below!

For a free estimate on your current eavestrough, call The Eavestrough Company today at 905-966-2564 or visit our website at www.theeavestroughcompany.com

So you want to hire a Contractor?

Here are a few tips to help you when looking for a qualified contractor.

You've saved your money or secured the loan, prepared for that particular renovation and set your budget. Now it's time to find the perfect contractor! One that is hard working, on time,  fairly priced and a superior craftsman. Finding this person can be an arduous chore but here are a few tips to help you when looking for that one in a dozen contractors that is worth every penny.

Make sure he/she is Licensed and Insured

Each specialized contractor who enters your property should have a valid license.  Make sure you ask to see it and inspect it closely. Licenses and permits are required electrical, plumbing and heating and cooling. The license doesn't insure quality but it is the first step in investigating your contractor.

It is also essential that you demand that your contractor carry valid WSIB (Work place Safety and Insurance Board) AND liability insurance. WSIB is expensive and MANY smaller companies DO NOT have this insurance. If the contractor does not have WSIB and they get injured or, God forbid killed, while working on your property. They are YOUR responsibility. I know in the eavestrough business our insurance is 10% of all wages.

The other type of insurance you want them to carry is liability insurance which covers you in case of any accidents on the job site (i.e. someone smash fixture or their ladder falling on top of your vehicle). If they do not carry this insurance and break something. Oh well, too bad! If they refuse to pay out of their own pocket, you can end up hiring a lawyer and going to civil court and this can take tons of time and money. At the Eavestrough Company, we carry $2 million liability insurance with the Co-operators of Canada.

References

If your contractor is good and authentic, they will have a list of references and homes on which the contractor has worked. You can also find independent reviews on websites like www.homestars.com. This is a 3rd party site and is not under the control of the contractor.  Furthermore, try to go see at least three properties where similar work has been done. This is vital! You don't want the drywaller doing your eavestrough just because he says he knows how to do it!

Who is doing the work?

This is an important question to ask! Is your contractor doing the work or is he sub-contracting the work out to another person? Sub-contracting has serious pit falls as the person doing the work is once or twice removed and you have not verified their workmanship. Also, when a contractor sub contracts the work out, who is coming back if there are any issues that need addressed? I once saw an eavestrough job that was a disaster. The homeowner could not get the company back because their contract was with "BH" company who subcontracted to "RE" company, who subcontracted out to ???(whoever was cheapest). If they are hiring a sub-contractor, you want to get the name of the company and you want to take steps to verify the sub-contractors work.

Contracts and Terms

Before you agree to have the contractor do work on your house, the contractor MUST provide a contract containing all their contact information a detailed and itemised list of the work which will be done on your house, sub contractors who will be working and how they expect payment. On very large jobs, it should be expected that there will be a payment schedule (i.e. 20% down and then certain percentages as the job progresses and then is completed. It should be agreed that you will not pay any costs above the quote unless agreed to in writing.

With that said, most every renovation work has surprises. For instance, I did a complete renovation on my bathroom two years ago. When we took the old plaster off the wall, we discovered that the plumbing was not done correctly and it was not vented. We had to pay extra to have this plumbing work done. Another example. My company, The Eavestrough Company routinely finds rotten fascia board once we get the eavestrough off the house. Both of these examples are work the contractor can not verify or quote on because it is not visible to the eye and unexpected. I normally explain to the homeowner prior to commencing the job that rotten wood is an additional charge and I let them know what the cost per foot of the wood will be.

I know one couple who were taken for over $80,000 when they hired a contractor to renovate a part of their house. The contractor asked for $16,000 upon signing and another $16,000 on the first day of work.  That's 40% before any work commenced! That is insane! The contractor asked for more money as work progressed. The homeowners noticed that the kitchen cabinets were a different colour than they had chosen, the granite counter top different, the ceramic floor was not installed properly and a few had cracked. The contractor promised to fix and rectify everything. They paid him ever dime even though the work was not done right. They never heard from him again. Repeated calls to his company went unanswered. Then the contractors phone was disconnected and the homeowners discovered their contractor had declared bankruptcy.

With a large job, a good landmark to use depending on the size of your job, is an average "good faith" down payment of between 2-5%, which is basically booking a contractor's time. When they arrive at the job site ready to work, another 10% can be expected.. NEVER agree to a payment schedule based on time. Agree to a payment schedule when certain work is completed and only pay them if the work is done correctly!  On large jobs ($15,000 or more) I also recommend a 10% hold back for up to 30 days after completion. If any problems arise in this time, this will ensure they get fixed. This also gives you time to make sure you are completely happy with the work. NEVER give the balance owed before the contractor has finished ALL of the work.  Always pay by cheque or certified cheque. It is important to keep a paper trail in case you ever have to go to court. It is always important to get a receipt for every payment you pay the contractor, signed and dated by the contractor.

And...most importantly, BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU SIGN. A good contract should be easy legible, easy to read and easy to understand. And remember.....always trust your instincts. If it doesn't feel right, it probably isn't.

For quality eavestrough work, contact The Eavestrough Company at www.theeavestroughcompany.com or phone us at 905-902-9424. We are EAVESTROUGH SPECIALISTS!

OH NO! It's an ICE DAM!!!!

Eavestrough, all home owners need them! However, if you thought this vital part of your home was safe from wrongful attacks and the blame game, you’d be wrong. All across Canada, the poor innocent and unsuspecting eavestroughs get wrongfully blamed for a wintertime malady called Ice Dams.

In wintertime, on a number of homes, Ice Dams occur. When people look up, they see a huge mound of ice accumulating on top of their eavestrough and roof, and they get mad and upset. Who wouldn’t? Roof top ice can cause damage to eavestrough, roof shingles and result in water leaks.

When the eavestroughs are covered in a mound of ice, they do look like the guilty party. But the truth is, the eavestroughs DO NOT cause Ice Dams. Dangerous quantities of ice will still accumulate, even without eavestroughs. It is easy to cast the blame at the poor innocent eavestroughs but they are not the root problem. That's just where the problem becomes visible. Blaming an Eavestrougher for an Ice Dam is like blaming the Plumber for a Sewage Back up!

The ROOT CAUSE of Ice Dams

When an attic is too warm in winter, it melts rooftop snow, even when outdoor temperatures are below freezing. As this water runs down the artificially warm shingles, it eventually hits the lower edge of the roof. Since there’s no heat underneath this location, the water refreezes, forming the start of an ‘ice dam’. After a few weeks of sub-zero weather, the thaw-and-freeze cycle has left behind a great big problem....a WALL OF ICE ON THE EDGE OF THE ROOF AND EAVESTROUGH!
See the you tube video below:

Ice Dams and your Home

The reason to take ice dams seriously is the damage they can cause to your house. If the dam is more than a few inches thick, it can trap and hold significant pools of water when things warm up during a thaw. Shingles can only keep water out of your home if it’s running downwards off the roof and into the eavestrough. Halt this downward flow and water can back up seeping into your attic, through your ceiling or around the top of the fascia board and into your house. DON'T BLAME your Roofer and DON'T BLAME your Eavestrougher. It just isn't thier fault.

Here are some pictures of Ice Dams:

1. Notice the wall of ice forming on the end of the eavestrough. It extends several feet back onto the roof.

2. The next picture shows the wall of ice is about 6 inches higher than the eavestrough!

This next picture is a home that has an ice dam but the picture is taken from under the soffit area. Notice how the water is beginning to travel backwards and it is coming through the soffit area.

The next is a series of pictures all of the same house.

First notice the right side of the house. Ice has formed on the eaves and has built up about 2 ft. back on the roof.

Next the left side of the house. Similar situation but look at the brick behind the over hanging ice on the right. The brick is wet. Water has already begun to travel backwards over 1 ft and is getting perilously close to entering the house.

Next, believe the unbelievable...Water has begun to enter the house in small quantities! This is the inside window sill. The water staining is visible although the water has dried. The window also lost its seal in this battle with the ice dam. The window is in need of replacing. The damage is comparably minor compared to some. In other cases, significant drywall damage can occur or worse, your favourite $1000 recliner chair can get soaked!

A friend recently shared with me a picture of her ice dam. This is a classic picture! Look at how the ice formed over the eavestrough without ever entering the eavestrough itself!

How to Battle Ice Dams

There are three possible solutions in battling ice dams:

1. First increase insulation in the attic. You need to reduce heat migration into the attic from your living space, and less heat energy will be available to melt rooftop snow. You will also save money on heating costs. However, doing this does not guarantee you won't get an ice dam.
2. Heat can also escape through air leakage. This is why preventing warm indoor air from travelling into your attic is vital. It doesn’t take much of a hole or crack or gap to allow heat to escape.. Start by looking at your attic access door. This is a popular spot for massive air leaks into attics. Two rooms ice dams love to form over are the kitchen and bathroom, for obvious reasons. The kitchen especially puts out a ton of heat because of the stove and other appliances.
3. The third thing you need to do is increase attic ventilation. Boosting attic ventilation allows heat that does escape to be vented from the attic space via roof and soffit vents. Adequate roof vents and soffit venting is a must.

When all else Fails, One Last Ice Dam Solution

Solutions like those above aren’t always easy. Sometimes they’re not even possible in older homes because of how they were designed. That’s why, when all else fails, rooftop heating cables may be necessary.  Rooftop heating cables installed around the lower roof edge and eavestrough keeps them warm enough to allow water to keep flowing downwards, even when temperatures are below freezing. It’ll cost you more in electricity, but even that’s better than water entering inside your home. Icing cables do not cure the root problem, but they will resolve the nasty out come.

In conclusion. I encourage you to read this very well written and articulate article from the University of Minnesota: http://www1.extension.umn.edu/environment/housing-technology/moisture-management/ice-dams/

and watch this very good video by Tim Carter of "Ask the Builder"

For all your eavestrough needs, contact The Eavestrough Company at www.theeavestroughcompany.com or phone us at 905-966-2564.

Our Name has CHANGED!

We want to let all our customers past, present and future know that we have changed the name of our company. Six years ago, we began as Superior Exterior Eavestrough. Another company, who had a similar name but provided significantly different services, offered to buy out our name and purchase our Superior Exterior web domain name on the internet.

As a result, we happily switched and we love our new name The Eavestrough Company! Here is our new name and logo below:

Our phone number will stay the same 905-966-2564. However, everything else changes. Our new web address is www.theeavestroughcompany.com.

We look forward to providing our customers with the same great quality service at a superior price!

For quality eavestrough work, contact The Eavestrough Company at 905-966-2564 or visit our website at www.theeavestroughcompany.com. Remember, we do more than just eavestrough!

Eavestrough Colours

When it comes to choosing a colour for your home, there are an array of colours to choose from for your new eavestrough, fascia and soffit. If you are changing all your eavestrough, fascia and soffit, you can complete change from your old colour to a new colour.

At The Eavestrough Company, we deal mainly with three companies in our area. Boncor, Gentek, and Kaycan. There are a few other smaller companies in the Hamilton, Burlington and Oakville area that supply us with material as well.

In my opinion most of the companies quality are similar and we have never had a problem with any of them. Most of these companies offer a standard .23 gauge aluminium with a quality paint finish that comes with a standard 20 year prorated manufacturers warranty against peeling. Kaycan offers a .27 gauge in some of their colours.

All three of these companies have colours that are similar to each other. Each company has a few colours that are unique to their company.


Kaycan, located  on Barton St in Stoney Creek has a fan fold of 29 colours. All of their colours have a semi-gloss finish.

Boncor has a similar fan fold with fewer colours, about 20 in all, but all the standard colours. All colours are semi-gloss. They are located on the Upper Mountain in Hamilton, Ontario.

Gentek has as wide an array as Kaycan. They have a depot in Hamilton and in Burlington.

When it comes to choosing colours, a homeowner can get easily overwhelmed with the choices. When I encounter homeowners who are overwhelmed, I encourage them to find a brand new subdivision in their area and to drive though it to observe the colours.

We completed an old house recently that had all red brick. The owner chose all black for her eavestrough, fascia and soffit. It turned out stunning!

In general, people like to have the same colour for their eavestrough and fascia. The soffit can be a different but matching colour. However, I once had a customer who wanted white eavestrough, black fascia, and white soffit. At first, I thought the colour choice was horrendous! I was so convinced she would not like it that I finished only 2 feet of the house and then asked her to look at it. SHE LOVED IT and we completed the house. It actually turned out very nice!

Colour selection is very important if you are trying to match up to existing fascia or soffit on your home.  If you are only intending to put new eavestrough on your home you, may need to put the original or similar colour back on your house.

When it comes to quality and colours, all three of these companies are great. It's your house! Make it beautiful. Give The Eavestrough Company a call at 1-905-966-2564 or visit our website at www.theeavestroughcompany.com