Window Cleaning to Gutter Cleaning Part 2

Out of the gutter - Homeowners turn to protective covers to eliminate tedious fall chore. For more than 20 years, Westerville resident Jeff Sherrill collected acorns that fell from a tall oak tree in his front yard. It was a joyless task: The nuts accumulated in the gutters of his two-story home, combining with leaves, seeds and other organic material to block the flow of water to his downspouts. Weary from all-too-frequent gutter cleanings, Sherrill has turned to a professionally installed gutter-cover system to hold the muck at bay. "That oak tree is huge, and the gutters were needing to get cleaned out more and more frequently," Sherrill said. "I'm 68 years old and still fairly fit, but I was getting tired of getting up there all the time." He has joined the growing ranks of property owners who have purchased gutter-protection systems to limit the grind of gutter cleaning. The systems - Gutter Guard, Leaf Solution, Leaf Relief, Gutter Topper and LeafGuard, to name a few - employ a variety of styles to keep out debris.
The industry thinks sales will increase in the coming years as baby-boomer owners eschew many traditional home-maintenance tasks. Other homeowners worry about the physical risks associated with the chore. More than 136,000 backyard warriors annually wind up in emergency rooms because of ladder accidents, said Nationwide Children's Hospital's Center for Injury Research and Policy. "People just don't want to get up on a roof," said Dave Hoskinson, sales manager for the WaterFall Gutter Guard product made in central Ohio by a division of Crane Plastics. "This alleviates that problem."
Deciding to buy a gutter-protection system is easier said than choosing one, however: The marketplace can be confounding to new customers. Hoskinson said he recently counted 40 products available in central Ohio. They can range in price from a few dollars per foot for self-installed covers (available at a hardware store) to upward of $25 per foot for top-of-the-line products (which are professionally installed). All systems have the ultimate goal of keeping gutters free of debris, but manufacturers and distributors tend to promote the excellence of their own brands and insist that others simply don't work.
Some in the business say estimates often are inflated in the hope that homeowners will sign on the dotted line without haggling over the price. Because many gutter covers are installed by small businesses, there's no guarantee that a warranty will be honored if the company goes belly-up. "I've watched at least 20 different products come into the market and leave since 1995," said Curt Cain, owner of Cain's Roof Top Solutions, which sells the Gutter Topper brand (pictured).
Experts say that none of the systems is foolproof. Over time, and without routine maintenance, they can still allow muck to accumulate in gutters or block water flow. Tim Carter, who writes the syndicated column Ask the Builder, said he saw several gutter covers fail on his large Victorian house in the Cincinnati area. They all turned away large leaves, he said, but not always smaller debris such as tree bark, seeds, shingle runoff and pine needles. "Debris can get sucked in during small, light rains," he said. "Then it sits in the gutter. Heat from the sun evaporates the water, and you build up a layer of muck. I let one sit on the house for three or four years, and when I took off the cover, you saw half an inch of muck in the gutter."
Carter said the best product he tested was a micromesh system installed at the same angle as the roof. "It wasn't perfect," he said. "The (company) will tell you that you still occasionally may have to get up and brush off this gutter cover. "But (gutter covers) are absolutely worth it when you consider the dangers. If you are not able to get on your roof to clean your gutters faithfully and confidently, then I would absolutely say you might want to consider this." Because the systems can cost thousands of dollars, experts suggest that consumers take several steps to ensure that the system is priced correctly, will work and can be serviced by a reputable installer.
The Better Business Bureau recommends that consumers check the bureau's Web site and the Ohio attorney general's Web site for reports on specific installers. Consumers also should solicit at least two bids, ask for references and never sign blank contracts. "They should put all estimates in writing and leave you a drawing of the setup of the system," said Keith Bradshaw, owner of LeafGuard of Central Ohio in Hilliard. "We don't hide anything or have any funny disclosures."
Cain said his company resets gutters and promises to clean gutters that become clogged as part of the installation of the Gutter Topper product. He also provides addresses of other Gutter Topper customers, even including competing systems that his installers removed. That was enough to persuade Sherrill to opt for the product. "It will save on maintenance, and I think it's going to strengthen the gutter system," he said. "I have to shore it up after 20 years of use."
Helpful hints: Gutter-cleaning and -installation experts who are members of Angie's List provided these tips for choosing gutter covers and other recommendations.

• Be prepared to do some maintenance: No gutter-protection system will eliminate the need to periodically clear gutters of debris, especially if they're under trees that shed small needles or seeds.
• Avoid cheap vinyl covers: Metal covers are generally better than plastic, which don't hold up well to animals or the sun's ultraviolet rays.
• Test the product: Before you buy, ask to have a section installed so you can see how it works.
• Follow directions: Install the cover properly for best results.

Pressure Washers Direct Adds Hyde Pivot Nozzle Pressure Washer Wand: The Hyde pressure washer wand attaches right onto the end of your current pressure washer gun, giving you complete control over the angle and direction of your spray. The pivot head on the end of the wand is what makes these wands so unique, it allows for 180 degrees of cleaning with a simple twist of the wrist. "Cleaning gutters can literally be a pain in the shoulder," said Jon Hoch, founder and CEO of Power Equipment Direct, the parent company of PressureWashersDirect.com. "These wands allow homeowners to pivot the nozzle down into the gutter while holding the pressure washer gun in a comfortable position, not over their heads." These Hyde pivot nozzle wands come in two sizes, a 28 inch wand for pressure washers up to 3200 psi and a 40 inch wand for pressure washers up to 4000 psi. Pressure Washers Direct also offers a wide selection of telescoping wands, spray lances, long range nozzles and detergent, to help complete all of your fall projects.

And of course don't forget Rainflow!