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Installing Gutter Guards when you replace your gutters makes perfect sense. If your gutters are beaten and bent from ladders used to clean them. leaking at the end caps, dripping from the bottom, and so on, it may be time to replace them. Likewise if you're having a new roof installed it may be time to consider replacing gutters. Normally roofers recommend gutter replacement for two reasons: 1. Roofers often ruin gutters when they install roofing and if they know they will be replacing them it makes their job easier as they don't have to be concerned about denting the gutters. 2. The existing gutters are probably as old as the roof that's being replaced and may look it with stains, dripping joints, and dents. Ideally, its better to not even have to need gutters. This is possible if you have a two foot overhang on your roof to keep rain water, as it flows from the roof edge, from being blown back onto the siding and windows where it can do damage. Additionally it's important that the property be landscaped so that water flows away from foundations. The last issue is soil erosion. This is done by having stones all around the foundation to eliminate the possibility of erosion. The only other thing to consider is entrance ways. Something must still be done to keep water from running onto your head as you enter and exit the home. Typically diverters are used on the roof to divert the water away from the doorways. Few architects think far enough ahead to design a home in this manner meaning that for the most part gutters are a necessity. In fact in some areas of the country, even where there may be minimal rain fall, gutters are a necessity to collect water for cisterns. If you need gutters, they are available in many different materials of construction. The best material to use for gutters is aluminum--a minimum .027"in thickness. Avoid spikes as hangers. Spikes stress the fascia board and work loose when gutters freeze because of the expansion of the water when it freezes. Instead insist on screwed in hidden hangers. A superior installation would also use mitered corners as opposed to box corners. Boxed corners end up with two joints instead of one joint with a mitered corner. More sophisticated gutter systems, such as the Alcoa system, have the metal extend onto the roof where they are fastened somewhat like flashing, In general they are not worth the extra money that they cost over a quality installed hung gutter with hidden hangers. Gutters work fine until there are trees shedding debris onto the roof that collects in the gutters. This is where choosing the right gutter guard or gutter cover is important; and that alone is a challenge since there are nearly a hundred different products from which to choose. There are filters, screens, inserts, solid top gutter protectors with troughs and fins, and solid top systems with one or two rows of louvers in the front vertical surface. If you google Niagara Gutter cover you'll find a solid top fin type of gutter cover. Then if you google Care-Free Gutter covers you'll find a single louvered system. The one that makes the most sense is the double row louvered system such as you'll find if you google Waterloov Gutter Covers for several reasons: 1. no debris can collect on top that clog the openings in screens, filters and inserts. 2. no debris large enough to clog the gutter inside can get through the openings as in the fin and fin with trough types. 3. because of the large radius bend the double row louvered system collects all the rain water with no overshooting. 4. any debris that can clog the louvered openings is readily seen from the ground and can easily be brushed away with a telescopic pole and brush as opposed to all other types of gutter guards or gutter covers which when they clog require someone to ascend a ladder and pressure wash them. 5. the double row louvered system has a wall of protection that keeps any debris from washing into the gutter whereas the single row louvered system and all other solid top leaf guards can have debris wash in from the lip of the gutter. It makes sense to choose a gutter guard that is going to keep you off ladders and free of depending on an installing company to do basic simple servicing--one that can literally be maintained dressed in a suit and tie. Richard Kuhns B.S.Ch.E., engineer and inventor. To find out more about the best gutter guards (self cleaning gutters) please go to http://www.waterloov.com or the best economical leaf guards go to http://www.carefreegutters.com and see for yourself.
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best gutter guards, best gutter covers, best leaf guards, replacing gutters, fixing gutters, repairing guttes,
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