Each year I give hundreds and hundreds of quotes for eavestroughing and installation of Leaf Guards. I only install gutter protection products made by Alu-Rex. A very common question I am asked numerous times per year is, "Can I still install Christmas lights on my new eavestroughs if Alu-Rex Gutter Guards are installed?
My answer is an unequivocal YES! Some Christmas light clips will not work but there is one that is sturdy and works like a charm with Alu-Rex T-Rex and Alu-Rex Double Pro. They are the Noma C9 Quick Clip's which can be purchased at Canadian Tire Stores in Canada or on Amazon. Here is a picture of the box and how they look on an eavestrough with Alu-Rex T-Rex installed.
So don't let the fear of not being able to install Christmas lights deter you from installing a quality gutter protection like Alu-Rex Double Pro or Alu-Rex T-Rex! In this case you can have your cake and eat it too!
If you would like a quote for eavestrough, fascia, soffit, siding and Alu-Rex gutter protection products, contact us at www.theeavestroughcompany.com or call us at (905)-966-2564.
And when you hang your lights on your eavestroughs with Alu-Rex Gutter Protection, we wish you a joyous Christmas with your family and loved ones!
Every year I do numerous quotes for people who have asbestos siding and want new vinyl siding. Asbestos siding was a very popular siding on homes during the mid-1900's. It was made by combining asbestos with Portland cement.
Given the well-documented health concerns surrounding asbestos, many home owners are concerned at the thought of having asbestos on heir home.
Asbestos siding was known for its tremendous durability. It lasts for decades and is resistant to fire, pests, and severe weather. That's why it was so popular. However, after 50-60 years it becomes very brittle, cracks very badly and needs replace.
Asbestos siding is obviously not made anymore. Below are some pros and cons about the siding.
Pros
Asbestos cement siding is fire-resistant and will not burn or melt the way vinyl and wood siding will.
Impervious to insect damage and rotting.
Easy to clean and maintain.
Unlike more porous siding materials, such as wood, asbestos cement siding will not quickly soak up paint, which allows it to be painted more easily.
Cons
Asbestos-cement siding is very brittle and can be easily chipped, cracked, or broken.
The use of a pressure washer for maintenance can crack the siding and lead to moisture intrusion if the pressure setting is too high.
Asbestos cement siding IS dangerous if pulverized by sawing or sanding.
Almost impossible to find replacement asbestos-cement siding for repairs.
Should not be refurbished, sanded, or altered, other than painting it.
OK. So you own a house with asbestos siding and now, after 60-80 years, your siding needs replaced. The big question is...Do you cover over the asbestos or remove it? Many (and I mean MANY) companies who install siding will say to leave it and cover it over. That's just WRONG, in my opinion. After decades in this business I will voice my opinion. YOU SHOULD ABSOLUTELY REMOVE ASBESTOS SIDING! I will give you several reasons why you should remove it:
1. I hate layering siding on siding. It's NOT safe! If you ever have a house fire, even a small one, layers are bad. I used to be a fire fighter. From personal experience, it is a nightmare to fight a fire when houses have multiple layers of siding.
2. Do you really want asbestos to remain on your house?????? I wouldn't.
3. Without removing the old siding, you can't inspect the sheathing underneath to see if it is in good shape to hold the new siding. If the nails don't hold, neither will this new siding. Case in point. We happened to be doing a house with Asbestos siding in Ancaster shortly after I wrote this article. The customer made the very wise move to take off all the old Asbestos siding and this is what we found! There was a lot of rotten wood lurking underneath!
Now ask this homeowner if she regrets taking off the old Asbestos! Not only did we uncover some wood rot but some much needed repair of the old block foundation that was covered up.
4. The old asbestos is super brittle! You nail it and it shatters. You put any pressure against it and it breaks. So imagine this, you install new siding over the top of the old siding but the old siding is now completely shattered into pieces underneath. What happens when a large piece at the top of your house lets go and falls behind the siding down to the bottom? Your new siding breaks. That's what happens. Ask me how I know? I've seen it dozens of times.
It is easier and initially cheaper to cover over the asbestos siding, but it certainly is not safer nor cheaper in the long run.
The cons of this siding far out weigh the pros but when this siding was created, it was not known how unsafe it was.
So, how expensive is it to remove and dispose of asbestos siding? It isn't as expensive as you might think. It costs about $3 per square foot for us to remove it and dispose of it.
If you have asbestos siding and want a quote to remove it and install new siding, give us a call at 905-966-2564 or visit our website at www.theeavestroughcompany.com
Since I started The Eavestrough Company 16 years ago, I have done thousands of quotes and have been asked a boat load of different questions. But I think the most common question I am asked is Do gutter guards really work?
The Gutter Guard industry, has become a multi-million dollar industry. There are the VERY EXPENSIVE micro-mesh and reverse curve gutter protection companies like Leaf Filter, Leaf Guard, Raptor Gutter Guard, Armour Guard, and Gutter Glove, just to name a few. Then there are the cheaper and completely horrible plastic products, foam filters, large holed screens, and gutter brushes. Then there are the affordable quality products like the perforated metal screens made by Alu-Rex.
I've seen dozens of different kinds of gutter protection. Most of them, in my opinion, are nothing more than expensive gimmicks sold by people who know nothing about eavestroughs. Others I shake my head at and wonder how any one could think it would work let alone being the company who could sell such a pathetic product.
So now let's answer the question, DO GUTTER GUARDS REALLY WORK? My answer is YES. There are gutter guards that actually work and work well. However, there are some that fail abysmally. Many people have been burned by these products and are convinced all gutter guards are trash. You've heard the saying, "Good news travels but bad news travels faster." This is true in the gutter protection industry. There are plenty of garbage products on the market. Most of these are sold in big box stores or at Home Shows.
I like Gutter Guards. I have them on my own house and I have installed a certain brand of gutter guards on thousands of homes. The product I now use solely is Alu-Rex. Why have I settled on Alu-Rex Gutter Guards? There are several reasons.
1. It works.
2. It's simple.
3. It doesn't cost an arm, a leg and your first born!
4. It is not dealer dependent (like all Micro meshes and Reverse curve gutter protections)
5. They have one fabulous warranty!
6. I have been to the head office and factory in Quebec City. The people that run Alu-Rex, Tomy Brochu, Sebastian Gerard, and my sales representative, Andrew Burton, are some of the most knowledgable and authentic people in the eavestrough business.
So yes, in conclusion, Gutter Guards do work and if you choose the right one, you will have no worries.
Before I finish this article, I should inform all American readers that Alu-Rex is sold in the USA but under a different name. The product in the USA is distributed by PlyGem and is called Leaf Relief.
If you have any questions, please reply to this post in the comments section. Don't worry if you don't see your comments right away, I edit them because some people and companies love to spam my blog with all kinds of wonderful stuff. You can also call us at 905-966-2564 or visit our website at www.theeavestroughcompany.com. The Eavestrough Company would love to provide you with a quote for all your eavestrough, fascia, soffit, siding or gutter protection needs.
Leaking eavestroughs are an obvious sign it’s time for an eavestrough repair or an eavestrough replacement. Our company is contacted daily by people telling us their eavestrough woes. They tell us the eavestroughs are damaged, they leak, they are pulling away from the house, but what causes this? While some reasons are obvious, some are not. Here is what to look for if you have leaking eavestroughs:
Age of the Eavestroughs
Like many parts of the house, eavestroughs weaken and wear out with age. Old eavestroughs have been through decades of wear and tear from the elements, had exposure to corrosive elements, and may have even had ladders put against them for various reasons. This results in weakening the aluminum and caulking, and eventually, small holes or even tears develop. Leaks will occur through each new opening. I usually tell people if your eavestroughs are 15 years old on new construction houses or 20 years old or more on older houses, do not spend money repairing them, replace them.
Loose or Sagging Eavestroughs
Wind storms, abuse, and the effects of time can all cause your gutters to get pulled slightly away from your house. When this happens, leaks will occur, but in reality, the eavestrough is not leaking but water is falling between the fascia and the eavestrough. To fix this, you need to reattach the eavestrough so they are tight to the fascia once again. A repair may also need to be made because the gutter has warped by pulling away. Normally, it's best to get a professional to repair this for you.
Clogs from Debris
When your eavestroughs are clogged, water backs up within them and then rises. Once the water line is above the top of the gutters, it spills over the front of the eavestrough. As with loose gutters, the problem isn’t really that you have a leak. In this case, the water simply can't flow out of the eavestrough because they are impacted with debris. Having a professional clean your eavestroughs will fix the problem. It is also important to get a plumbing snake and snake the downspout to make sure there is no debris in the upper elbows of the downspout.
Damaged, Defective, or Improper Caulking
This is one of the most common reasons eavestroughs leak. When the caulking gets old around 25-30 years, the caulking wears out. New construction homes usually need replaced sooner because, well, the builders use a very thin builders grade aluminum and a very cheap caulking. I have also had to go and repair gutters that had the wrong type of caulking installed. There is only one type of caulking that will work on eavestrough and there are different qualities of that caulking. You really need to contact a qualified professional if you have defective caulking. I will say one thing, if you attempt to repair the eavestroughs yourself, DO NOT USE ANY TYPE OF TAR SPRAYS like Flex Seal. None of these sprays work on leaking eavestroughs and only served to permanently damage them.
Improper Gutter Slope
This is one of the most difficult issues for homeowners to see. Often this happens with age. Usually because homeowners, window cleaners, roofers and others place their ladders directly on the eavestroughs. Over time,this causes the eavestroughs to sag. A sagging gutter prevents the water from flowing toward the downspout. It could also be the original installer did not slope the eavestroughs properly and the water runs away from the downspout rather than toward it.
How Do I Fix My Leaking Gutters?
Once you or a professional determines the cause of the leaking eavestrough, a plan of action is needed to determine what the next steps are. Do you repair them or if they are old, is it time to replace them? Fixing eavestroughs can be a very dangerous job if you do not know proper ladder safety. One slip or fall can ruin your day or life!
Eavestrough Cleaning or Gutter Cleaning (which ever you choose to call it) is an unpleasant task many home owners choose to do themselves. I will add that most homeowners who clean the eavestroughs themselves seldom clean them often enough and this adds stress to the eavestroughs and decreases efficiency and the life of the eavestrough. However, if you are going to do it yourself take all safety precautions.
We are approaching our 17th year of business and in that time I have met people with serious injuries because they fell while cleaning their eavestroughs. Like Frank who broke his pelvis on both sides, broke a couple of ribs and a received a concussion. Or Mr. Smith (not his real name) who was on his roof cleaning his gutters, lost his balance and decided to jump off his roof. He shattered the lower part of his right leg and his heel bone shattered into pieces.
Here's a video of a young man lucky to still be alive. He went up to retrieve a drone off of his roof with near disastrous results. WARNING! THIS VIDEO IS NOT FOR THE FAINT OF HEART! IT'S GRAPHIC!
As you can see, climbing to your roofs edge or the eavestroughs IS DANGEROUS! So let's address some of these dangers and how to prevent them.
An Unstable Ladder
If the ground is uneven, it can be difficult for a person to climb it. In addition, the ladder could be bumping up against the roof or gutters, causing damage to the eavestrough itself. Make sure the feet of the ladder are positioned properly and the top of the ladder has a ladder stand off to stabilize the top of the ladder. You also need to make sure the ladder has the proper pitch.
The Ladder is old or needs repair.
Homeowners only use their ladder once or twice a year unlike companies like mine that are using them everyday. They generally don't notice if the ladder needs repair. Ladders that are not taken care of can easily break or cause a hazard for the one using it. if you have an old ladder, or you have a rung that is dented or a rung lock broken, take the ladder to the recycler and GO BUY A NEW ONE!
Not Using the right size ladder for the job.
Home Owners usually only have one ladder. There are different size ladders so you can do jobs safely. If you have your extension ladder extended to the last rung and you have a pitch that is near vertical, you are asking for trouble! That's why our company owns 6' and 8' step ladders, several adjustable height step ladders, several 20' ladders, several 24' ladders and many 28' ladders. We even have one 36' ladder for the really high jobs.
Wearing the Wrong Clothing
Our poor amateur in the above video wasn't thinking much about the clothing he was wearing when he started his ascent. Sandals and shorts weren't the proper attire for climbing! I'm grateful this gentleman and his wife went public with this video for the sake of others. I also think he deserved a good chin wagging from his wife.
Watch Out for Electrical Wires
Every House has them! Electrical wires are a BIG hazard for those trying to clean eavestroughs. Coming in contact with electrical wires can be deadly so be careful around them when cleaning your gutters.
Problems with Dizziness or Age.
I can't tell you how many people from my generation (I'm a baby boomer) can't fathom paying someone to clean their eavestroughs. Even this year I was asked by a man's daughter to provide a quote for her dad (over 80 years old and in poor health) who still cleans his eavestroughs. She is afraid he is going to fall. I gave the quote of $150 and the elderly man, bless his heart, looked at the quote and exclaimed, "I'm not paying that to have my eavestroughs cleaned. I'll do it myself." He did thank me for coming out though.
The reality is, as you get older, you think you are still as good as you were at 18!!!!! Believe me, you are not. I've been in this type of work now for decades. I am now 62 years old. I know I am not as good on a ladder or a roof as I was decades ago. I also used to be able to scale a 6/12, 8/12, or 10/12 pitch roof like a monkey. No more. I now won't step foot on an 8/12 or steeper roof! My younger employees can do that!
In closing, I would highly recommend you let professionals like us who are fully insured with WSIB and Liability Insurance clean your eavestroughs. We've been doing this for decades and we know how to do it efficiently and safely. You can contact us at www.theeavestroughcompany.com or you can phone us at 905-966-2564. We work closely with my son's company Clean Eaves and he is one of THE BEST eavestrough cleaners in the city! Yes, I am biased!
I would also recommend you install Alu-Rex Gutter Protection. This will prevent you from having to clean out your eavestroughs. The Eavestrough Company is an Elite Installer of Alu-Rex. In my opinion, it is simply the best gutter guard on the market.
If you would like a quote for eavestrough, fascia, soffit, siding or gutter guard installation, give us a call at 905-966-2564 or visit our website at https://theeavestroughcompany.com. We have years of experience and have thousands of happy customers.
P.S. If you are going to clean your own eavestroughs or gutters, like the video above shows, ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS HAVE A SECOND PERSON in case something goes wrong!
After 17 years in the Eavestrough business, I've quoted and been at over 10,000 houses and met as many or more customers. Most of these houses have trees and a small minority do not. I always make sure to let people know if they have trees they need to do one of two things:
Some houses we install eavestroughs on have a few large trees around the house. Every so often we encounter one with many trees and the house is almost canopied with trees. Last week we began an install of 6" Eavestrough with the best gutter protection on the market Alu-Rex Double Pro. However before starting, we had to clean the eavestroughs and roof.
This house had been neglected and the eavestroughs not cleaned for several years. It was categorically the most intense eavestrough cleaning job we had ever encountered and it took two installers 7 hours to clean it all before they could even begin the installation.
Look at the pictures below. When you allow your eavestroughs and roof to accumulate this much debris, you ARE damaging your home.
Look at the before pictures!
The debris in the eavestroughs was composted, impacted, and filled with plants growing it them. It was a veritable garden! Here is one of our workers, Alex showing you some roots and plants growing through the gutters. He thought it would be fun to hold it like he'd just caught a fish!
And here are the after pictures, 7 hours after beginning!
Notice how wet the roof is after the clean up. This is very bad for your roof! And here are the 14 bags and hundreds of pounds of debris we cleaned up at the end of the job!
We did empty the garbage bags and recycle all the debris. Eavestrough/Gutter Cleaning is essential! If you have trees around your property and you do not want to invest in a quality gutter protection like Alu-Rex then hire a company like Clean Eaves to clean out your eavestroughs. And good news! Clean Eaves also installs quality Alu-Rex products!
I do hundreds of quotes every year. For some, the most agonizing part for many customers is what colour to choose. After all, when you do all the eavestrough, fascia, soffit and siding on your house you are making a 30-40 year commitment to those colours!
However, now, Gentek (one of our aluminum suppliers) has made the process much easier with the Gentek Home Visualizer. All you have to do is go to https://gentekcanada.renoworks.com, download a picture of your house, and then you can put Gentek's colours on your home. Don't like one colour, change it to others AND it's all on your computer. The Eavestrough Company constantly directs customers here. By using the Gentek Home Visualizer you can make your house look like these beautiful houses done by The Eavestrough Company.
This house done on Hamilton Mountain. Done in Commercial Brown and Pebble/Khaki.
or this house done in Dundas done in Black.
Or this beautiful Ancaster home. Done in Commercial Brown.
