“Gutter Covers Vs Cleaning The Gutters?” – Ask The Engineer

You see ads for gutter protectors every where telling you that you’ll never have to clean gutters again, but before you buy, think twice. In fact don’t think; do research. The cost of gutter protection can range from a few hundred dollars to thousands of dollars.

Since most gutter covers are known for poor performance, it might make more sense to contract a gutter cleaning service several times a year for between $75 to $100 or so. And if indeed you can find a reputable insured company that will service you it’s probably the best way to go. Yet, that may be a difficult challenge; and having someone else or you cleaning your gutters may not be the way to go. Why? Answer: There are several reasons:

1. Not all gutter cleaners do a good job. Rosemary paid $75 to have her gutters cleaned and just three days later they overflowed. Did the contractor do a bad job or did enough leaves fall to clog the downspout? Answer: No way to tell.

2. The fellow Joe hired to clean his gutters didn’t have any insurance. Big problem! Unfortunately there was an accident with the ladder and the fellow sued Joe; and Joe went through a nightmare the fellow’s doctors and Joe’s own insurance company.

3. Claire had a company clean her gutters at an advertised price of $75 but ended up paying $350. The company replaced end caps, drop tubes, elbows and charged her an arm and a leg for every additional service.

4. Jim always cleaned his gutters until his ladder slipped and he ended up falling through his living room bay window and ended up in the hospital with a broken pelvis.

Yes, to avoid these issues, it looks like the smart thing to do is install a gutter protector with a promise to solve clogged gutter problems. But buyer be ware. If you choose the wrong product it can also be nightmarish with flooded basements, mildew, mold, soil erosion, and worse yet the be totally dependent on the installing company as you can no longer access your own gutters to clean them.

So let’s do some research. Basically there are six different types of gutter protection devices:

1. Screening devices which are not really recognized as gutter protection devices. Made of wire, metal, or plastic, they work simply with gravity and require routine ladder maintenance.

2. Filters, membranes, and brushes installed in or on existing gutters. Basically they are not any more effective than screens and require routine ladder maintenance.

3. Fin type with rounded front nose and solid flat top. Their advertising graphics lead you to believe that debris is jettisoned off onto the ground when instead in medium-to-high debris areas enough debris sticks to the surface to clog the gutters. Here you have to depend on the installing company for service. See resource box for photos.

Think Beyond the Rooster

When thinking about a copper weathervane, the first image that probably comes to mind is the traditional rooster atop standing atop a directional compass. This image is nearly as outdated as the weathervane’s technology!  

An additional complication may be that the original roofing contractor refuses to continue the roof work until the homeowner accedes to the much higher estimate and pays additional moneys before work is resumed. Should the homeowner opt to switch to a different roofing contractor, some would not guarantee the work due to the quality of prior work being unknown or even refuse to take the job.

Copper Weathervanes: Superior Construction and Installation

Copper itself is the ideal material for a weathervane. Copper is durable enough to stand up to any type of weather yet beautiful enough to dress up any roofline.  

Many people choose copper weathervanes because they will change color over time as the patina develops.  Additionally, copper requires little or no maintenance, meaning that your weathervane will remain an attractive addition to your home without the need to get on the roof and clean or adjust it. Copper ages beautifully, so the weathervane will continue to look great indefinitely.  

Weathervanes look great whether they are standing alone atop your roof, or if they are an addition to another accessory such as a copper cupola. Whatever style of weathervane you prefer – it is easy to find just the right one as a unique addition to your home, garage or business

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