Why You Need Gutter Protection
One of the first things that we should expose about the gutter protection industry is that you can easily determine for yourself if you're a good candidate for lifetime gutter protection. There are a few things you need to look for - and of course if you feel that any of these could be a problem you should call a gutter protection professional. I of course recommend you get in touch with an authorized Leaf Slugger dealer or contact me directly.
Purchasing gutter protection should be an easy and comfortable process, one that you as the buyer feel in control of. To do this I need to explain some of the most common reasons to look into the purchase of gutter protection.
Pests -
One of the most common reasons folks look into gutter protection of any kind is bugs. Whether its mosquitoes, squirrels, ants, or roaches - bugs love the homes that clogged gutters provide. During cold winter months, most pests prefer the inside of a tree, or deep underground. They find a nice deep dark hole away from the cold, wind, and noise and wait it out.
Then spring time arrives - and every one and everything thing wakes up and gets moving. If you take just a few minutes to notice your yard in the spring you will notice that the birds, butter fly's, ants, carpenter ants, termites and beetles are out in full force. Next take a look at your unprotected gutters. You will likely notice leaves, twigs, muck and slime.
Now imagine you are a bug of some kind for a second (roach, ant, slug, mosquito); would this not be the ideal home? Bugs are just like us in the way that they are always looking for the best living conditions. Ideally, we look for something safe from the elements, with plenty of resources for raising a family and a good outlook for future development. Does this sound like your gutters?
In 2003 the CDC (Center for Disease Control) in Atlanta stated that clogged gutters and downspouts contribute significantly to the West Nile Epidemic. In 2003 over 9,000 people were infected and 264 died.
(Graphic of mosquitoes, squirrel, cockroach in a collage here)
Health
Mold, it's nasty and it's persistent. According to toxic-black-mold-info.com - toxic black mold can cause strong allergic reactions in many people. If the level is high enough and exposure long enough it can even be deadly. Consider your gutters for a moment, full of decaying leaves and mildew moist organic matter. This is a prime breeding spot for mold and often times it can migrate from the gutter to the walls, foundation or flooring. Once the mold gets in to the walls, siding or insulation then repair and removal is often expensive and a huge hassle - if it can be achieved at all. (Picture of close up mold spores off to the right here)
Bottom line here is that mold is a bad deal and the best way to avoid it is to make sure you gutters are functioning properly. This means unclogged, free of debris and flowing at a normal rate.
Safety
In early 2005 the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission released a study that shows that emergency room visits are up 73% by the elderly - primarily due to falls. The second largest cause of falls listed was falls from step stool or ladder. The most frightening by far is that the leading cause of injury related death for both males and females over the age of 75 is falls. (Graphic of a ladder with a no symbol over it)
Now consider your own situation for a moment. How many times every fall spring do you climb up on some shaky ladder to muck out some grimy gutters? Have you ever missed a step and barely caught yourself? Ever lost your balance and felt your heart rate increase for just a minute?
With good gutter protection you can leave the ladder in the garage where it belongs, or better yet never buy one in the first place. I will explain later how to tell good from bad when it comes to gutter protection but for now all you need to know is that any gutter protection that keeps you off ladders is a good thing.
Fascia, Soffit and Wall Destruction
The whole purpose of gutters and down spouts is to channel water away from the walls and roof. Getting water away from this area quickly and efficiently is the key. Consistent splashes of water can behind the gutter and rot the fascia board. In extreme cases of clogged or malfunctioning gutters water can splash down to the ground causing foundation settling, paint to peel, and wood/siding rot. Soffits (the underside of the roof at the edge) are the real culprit for clogged gutters, as they seem to rot from the inside out. Before you know it water can gather and begin molding and rotting the soffit from inside causing hundreds if not thousands of dollars in damage to the exterior of your home. Usually by the time you see the damage; it's too late and must be repaired.
Simply Tired Of Cleaning the Gutters
This is probably the single biggest reason for getting gutter protection. Most people just get fed up with cleaning their gutters 2 or 3 times every year. It's a dirty smelly job that can take as long as 4 hours for an averaged sized home and almost always means a pretty through shower afterwards. With all the other required things that need attending to around the house most homeowners simply turn to some form of gutter protection simply because they just don't want to mess with it anymore. Installing gutter protection means no more ladders, hoses, garbage bags, gloves and rakes. It means spending your Saturdays any way you want.
