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Why Keeping Your Gutters Clean Is So Important

Mon, 29 Mar 2021 12:13:52 GMT

Most times when driving through a neighborhood it is easy to spot a rental home. It has the telltale signs: an uncut lawn, fading paint, generally lacking upkeep, and plants growing out of the gutters. Homeowners care about how their homes look, and it really shows when the homeowner cares. There needs to be more said about why keeping your gutters clean is so important.

Why Gutter Cleaning Is Important

We talk a lot about keeping your gutters clog free and because there are so many reasons, but to understand why we need to know why gutters are so important. Have you ever seen homes without gutters? You usually do not but when you do see a home without gutters you see the signs: sinking areas in the perimeter of the home, water damage to the siding, water damage on the fascia, rafter tails, or soffit, and erosion of the vegetation around the home. The good news is most homeowners have gutters, but these issues will happen if those gutters are not clog free.

Not cleaning your gutters can have a compounding effect for when they are not maintained it can lead to additional [roof with clogged gutter] problems. Gutters that are not clean can cause issues to the roof by allowing an additional amount of moisture around the perimeter of the roof. This happens when the gutters are clogged and its for two reasons, first the clogged gutter holds water near the roof and second is when a gutter is clogged water can flow backwards towards the roof instead of over the top of the gutter. The latter scenario is uncommon but is possible.

Clogged gutters are a yearly nuisance, but keeping your gutters well maintained will help preserve the longevity of your home. The outside appearance of a home reflects how much the homeowner appreciated the home.

Could your home use an upgrade? Contact ADK Gutter Filter today for a free in-home estimate, to protect your home at 518-750-4231

How Gutter Guards Can Improve the Safety of Your Home

Mon, 22 Mar 2021 12:13:51 GMT

When it comes to home maintenance, gutters often aren’t top of mind when all is working well. A properly-maintained, well-designed system directs water away from your home and through downspouts. When neglected, though, gutters can cause more trouble than you might expect.

The best gutter guard leaf protection systems actually have a lot of pros:

Gutter Guards Minimize Maintenance Chores

Without a gutter guard in place, leaves and debris can quickly pile up. Homeowners must climb their ladders to scoop out clogged leaves, dirt, and other trapped debris by hand. The job is messy – and at times, even stinky. Gutter guards work as a physical barrier, keeping debris out while allowing rainwater to pass through with ease. Think of gutter guards as a sort of reverse colander; just like on pasta night, a rain gutter filter helps strain out the water and separate the liquid from the solid. Fewer bits of solid waste means fewer clogs – all the less reason to have to climb your ladder and remove them manually.

Gutter Guards Reduce the Risk of Injury

Hauling out the ladder and climbing the steps to your gutters isn’t just annoying – it can be downright dangerous. More than 800,000 Americans are hospitalized each year from slips, trips, and falls. Avoiding heights can help minimize your risk of injury around the house. Since the best gutter guards for your home keep leaves and debris from clogging your gutters, you’ll minimize the need to scale that ladder and clean gutters yourself. The less time spent on a ladder, the safer you’ll be!

Gutter Guards Prevent Flooding

A rain gutter filter can make all the difference when it comes to protecting your home from flooding. When a gutter is clogged, things get messy and can have long-term consequences. Instead of running through the gutter and out the downspout, water may spill over the sides. That moisture may even find its way into your home’s foundation, forming cracks as the water freezes. This kind of damage can significantly weaken the structural integrity of your home.

Sometimes, overflowing gutters can even cause water to run down the side of your home and into your basement. Pools of water can form incredibly quickly, flooding your home before you even realize there’s an issue. Interior water damage can be expensive and time-consuming. In some cases, mold growth may even become a problem. With gutter protection guards in place, all that stress and damage can be avoided.

Gutter Guards Keep Pests at Bay

While you might not like the thought of it, bugs, mice, and other creatures are constantly trying to move into your home. This is especially true as the seasons change – just as you burrow under the covers during the cold winter months, the pests from your yard are eager to get warm, too. By prioritizing gutter maintenance, you can mitigate some of the worst types of creepy crawlies from moving into your gutters.

When leaves and debris clog up your gutters, bugs and mice see the perfect opportunity to set up their new nests. Clogged gutters often mean that water is sitting stagnant for weeks, inviting mosquitos and other pests to breed. Mice, snakes, birds, and even bees find clogged gutters appealing, too. With a rain gutter filter in place, though, you can eliminate the clogs that critters find so irresistible.

Gutter Guards Protect Your Roof

If debris clogs your gutters, the backed up water can cause damage to your roof. Water damage to the fascia boards that make up the basis of your roof can jeopardize the health and integrity of every shingle. Rot can set in quickly. You may even begin to spot leaks or stains on your ceiling. In a worst-case scenario, you may need to replace your entire roof.

With gutter guard protection in place, it’s easy to prioritize the health of your roof. Effective guards keep debris out of the gutter, ensuring free and easy movement for rainwater.

Gutter Guards Protect Landscaping

Whether you’re a passionate gardener or just want to preserve the integrity of the existing landscaping, you’ll want a rain gutter filter installed as soon as possible. Clogged gutters cause drainage issues. When excess water falls on plants, shrubs, and grass, your hard work gets washed away. Concentrated, heavy flows can threaten the health of the plant life below.

Shrubs and plants are aesthetically pleasing, but they’re also important to the ecosystem of your property. Greenery like trees can provide shade in the summer, adding extra insulation for your home. Without a gutter debris filter in place, you put these extra benefits at risk.

Update Your Gutter System Now

Bugs, mold, flooding, and roof damage can all be avoided by installing gutter protection guards. Update your home’s gutters before the next big storm rolls through your neighborhood. Contact ADK Gutter Filter today for a free inspection.

Plastic vs metal gutter guards: Which Should you Choose?

Thu, 18 Mar 2021 12:13:51 GMT

Plastic vs metal gutter guards

There are multiple types of gutter guards out there & it is important you choose the right material. When discussing the difference between plastic and metal gutter guards, the emphasis is on the frame or “body” of the system. This frame gives integrity as well as functionality to the gutter guard system. Here is the difference between metal & plastic gutter guards.

A great gutter guard should only be installed once! So, when deciding whether it is better to have plastic vs. metal gutter guards, it’s important to think from a scientist’s perspective. To answer this, we need to understand what kind of effects these materials will encounter over time. Gutters are exposed to the elements 365 days a year, so it’s easy to see how some materials may not be suited for some climates. For example, plastic or vinyl gutter guards are not well suited for climates that get hot or have fluctuating temperatures. Plastic and vinyl have a difficult time with heat as well as expanding and contracting. Having this type of material in these types of climates will lead to cracking warping and the eventual breakdown of the gutter guard. There are some benefits to choosing plastic or vinyl but only so that it may be a cheaper material cost. A metal frame gutter guard has its pros and cons as well.

Metal gutter guard

Having the right materials match with gutters can be an important factor when deciding the type of metal gutter guards, you need. For example, a gutter that is may aluminum is best suited for a gutter guard with an aluminum frame. The combination of steel and aluminum will cause a reaction overtime that will lead to corrosion. To check for yourself what kind of materials your gutters are made of simply use a magnet. Once the right material is paired the benefits are numerous. Metal gutter guards are more resistant to heat and changing temperature, as well they have more strength allowing the gutter guard to absorb falling branches from trees. So, if you match the right type of metals with your gutters and gutter guard system you will see the best overall benefits.

So, plastic vs metal gutter guards? The winner is clear. Metal gutter guards will give you the most longevity when paired with the correct material. You may pay more on materials such as aluminum or copper, but the benefits outweigh any cost because you have only done the project once, not several times! Still, have questions about what type of gutter guard is best for you? Have our estimators show you what type of materials your gutters are made of and what type of gutter guard is best suited for your home!

Metal gutter guard installation

ADK Gutter Filter can help you clear up all the confusion! Our Number 1 rated gutter protection system can prevent water damage and keep you off the ladder! Find out more about our company, gutter guards, and home safety tips from one of our trained estimators.

Contact ADK Gutter Filter today for a free in-home estimate, to protect your home at 518-480-7212

What To Look For In A Reliable Gutter Guard

Fri, 12 Mar 2021 16:24:36 GMT

If you’re asking yourself, when did gutters get so complicated? They’re just gutter guards, right? Well the good news is that your choice of gutter guards can be simple if you know what to look for in a reliable gutter guard. In this short write up, we will take you through six features you should look for in a quality gutter protection system.

What to Look for in a Reliable Gutter Guard

An important function of a gutter guard is the relationship between water throughput and debris prevention. Simply put a gutter protection system should take in the most reasonable amount of water while allowing in the least amount of junk into the gutter. This “sweet spot” allows for you to get the most functionality out of the protection system, allowing you to have peace of mind that your gutter will function and never clog.

Systems with a quality screen have passed the test of time, proving the most water throughput and debris prevention. Look for a screen made with a surgical grade stainless steel for the best resistance to clogging. However, the screen is only as good as its support. Just like a home is nothing without a quality foundation, the screen must have integrity to withstand whatever nature throws its way. Fallen branches, heavy debris accumulation or small animals, give way to the possibility of the screen failing, simply by not allowing it to remain in its intended position over time. A quality gutter filter frame will be made from steel or a thick gauge aluminum. The frame should not be made from a thin sheet of metal or cheap plastics.

How to Choose a Gutter Guard

Speaking on the importance of the gutter frame we need to mention the purpose of keeping the gutter guard in the intended position. A quality gutter guard will be positioned at an angle that allows debris and leaves to flow from the roof, to the gutter guard, and finally onto the ground.

A gutter guard that lays too flat or is positioned backwards towards the roof this can cause debris accumulation or water flowing back towards the roof. Water flowing back towards the roof can be a cumbersome issue as it allows for unnecessary moisture near your soffit and fascia board. Having a product that intuitively follows the roof line is your best bet for a reliable gutter guard.

One of the questions our team receives on a consistent basis is, how will the debris come off of the gutter guard?” As mentioned in the previous paragraph, the position of the gutter filter is important but there is another aspect that contributes to ensuring that debris can easily come off the gutter.

In order to create a self-cleaning gutter guard system, the screen must have a feature that allows for the debris to not lay flat on the screen. That is why our product at ADK Gutter Filter has a raised screen. This feature allows for debris to be staggered and “funneled” off of the gutter.

The raised screen helps with offsetting debris allowing the wind to assist in blowing off the leaves. Of course, it is important to mention that each home has its own debris loads depending on the concentration of trees and the type of leaves that fall, because of this some gutter filter system may require some maintenance many years in the future. As testing has shown this type of required maintenance is very rare for gutter filter products like the ones we have at ADK Gutter Filter but it is something to keep in mind when choosing gutter guards.

Learn More About Gutter Guards

Want to find out how the team at ADK Gutter Filter can solve your gutter needs? Contact ADK Gutter Filter today for a free in-home estimate, to protect your home at 518-480-7212

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Top 5 Household Problems Resulting From Clogged Gutters

What Types of Damage Can Clogged Gutters Cause?

1. Roof Damage

2. Wood Fascia Damage

3. Damage to Windows, Doors, Walls, and Patios

4. Damage to Foundations and Landscaping

5. Slippery Walkway and Driveway

What Damage Can Leaking Gutters Cause?

Can Clogged Gutters Cause Mold?

How Do I Stop My Gutters from Overflowing?