When it comes to reusing and recycling, there are many ways we can all get involved. But have you ever thought about recycling your own rain water as a way to be more eco-friendly? Jeff Wathen with JD's Windows and Doors tells us about the gutter glove.

By: Robert Lenney

If more homeowners knew the proper way to clean out their roof gutters, there would be less deaths and injuries. Fall is the season when gutters are cleaned out in preparation for the rainy season ahead. If the rainwater doesn’t flow properly through the gutter and downspout system, costly home repairs can add up from rainwater damage. It’s time to clean out those clogged gutters, and to do it safely.

According to Robert Lenney, Gutterglove gutter guard inventor and gutter cleaning expert whose company has cleaned out more than 6 million feet of gutter since 1996, being properly educated in the art of gutter cleaning is the key to a successful and safe cleaning experience.

Cleaning out gutters is pretty easy as long as you know what you are doing, replies Lenney. Everytime I hear of someone getting hurt from cleaning their gutters makes me cringe, because it could most likely have been avoided had they followed proper cleaning procedures.

There are a variety of gutter cleaning tips that can bring sanity into this tedious task. Some of the basics are listed below by Lenney:

Ladder Safety: Always let someone know you will be using a ladder to work on your roof or gutters. Use a safe and sturdy ladder, preferably with a small shelf strong enough to hold a five-gallon bucket to collect gutter debris. Make sure to secure the bucket with a lanyard. I recommend a four-legged step ladder for a single story home, and an extension ladder for a two-story home. An orchard ladder is not recommended because there are only three legs for support and they can become unbalanced.

A wooden ladder is also not recommended because they are often wobbly and difficult to safely balance. Fiberglass ladders seem to be the sturdiest, but are also the heaviest. If you are cleaning gutters for hours upon hours, muscle fatigue can set in from moving the heavy ladder numerous times. If this is the case, you should try using an aluminum ladder, which is the second-choice option for strength and support.

Inspect the ladder for defects, dents or loose parts before climbing. If your ladder is fastened together with screws and bolts, make sure all parts are tightened. When opening up a step ladder, make sure the extension-hinge arms are fully extended and locked in place.

Garden Hose: Use a garden hose with a pistol-grip trigger spray nozzle. This type of spray nozzle allows you to adjust the water pressure with the use of just one hand. This style of spray nozzle comes with a handy pistol-grip trigger, allowing it to be easily hung over the front edge of the gutter while moving the ladder, or while using a gutter scoop. This type of spray nozzle can be purchased at any hardware store.

Gutter Scoop: Scooping out the leafy debris seems to be the best overall method for cleaning out the gutter. An excellent tool for this job is the bright orange plastic Gutter Getter scoop, which can be purchased at most hardware stores. This tool is unique because the front scooping edge is very thin and it forms itself to the bottom of the gutter trough, making it easy to scoop out even the toughest of debris in any size gutter system.

Stay away from using a metal scooping tool because the bottom of the gutter and seams can be damaged and scratched. Scraping the bottom of a steel gutter can introduce areas to rust, and if the bottom of the gutter is already rusting, the rusting process could speed up.

Wear Gloves: Gloves can help protect hands against dirty, rotting leaf debris that often contains bird, pigeon and squirrel droppings that are ridden with bacteria. Gloves can also prevent painful cuts from the torn metal shards of an old, ragged gutter. Cotton gloves can soak up dirty water that exposes skin to bacteria. Leather gloves are not as maneuverable and tend to shrivel up when they dry after cleaning. Rubber gloves can get poked or torn by metal shards in the gutter. Thick, suede glove material is recommended because it is superior to cotton, thin leather or rubber gloves.

Protective Eye Wear: Eye protection is a must because one never knows what might fly out of the downspout when cleaning gutters. People have experienced rats, birds, frogs, wasps and bees leaving at high speeds once they start removing a clog, and the last thing they want to have happen is an eye injury.

Rake Off Roof: Rake all debris off the roof first. Otherwise, the next rain will wash all the debris down into the clean gutter, clogging it up again. Also, debris left on the roof can lead to water damming up in valleys or around the chimney, which can cause erosion and roof leaks over time.

Rubber Shoes: If walking on the roof is necessary to perform gutter cleaning, it is good to use rubber soled shoes. Rubber soles tend to adhere best and prevent slipping and falls. Roof tops tend to be moist in the morning, so it is best to walk on the roof after the sun is well up in the sky and has dried up all the moisture. Late mornings or early afternoons are the best times to walk on a roof.

Downspouts Unclogged: Make sure the downspouts (leader pipe) are clear. After all the gutters are cleaned out, run the water hose down the downspout at full pressure. If the water backs up out of the top, a clog is present. Normally, it can be unclogged by tapping on the side of the downspout. But if that doesn’t work, the downspout and back need to be removed, and it should be flushed from the bottom. If a clog is present, and the downspout is connected to an underground drain, it is best to disconnect the bottom of the downspout from the underground drain. Otherwise, the clog may move to the underground drain.

Clean Gutters Two Times A Year: Make sure gutters are cleaned at least twice a year, once in the fall and again in the spring. One main reason for cleaning out gutters is to eliminate the possibility of water damage from rainwater runoff due to a clogged gutter. Another reason is to reduce the possibility of rust corrosion. Even though it may not rain during the summer, if there is debris in the steel gutters, the rusting process can speed up. It’s difficult for rust to speed up with clean gutters. The faster the rusting process, the sooner new gutters will be needed.

Power Line Hazard: When cleaning gutters around a power line cable that drops from the power pole to the roof of a home, conduct a visual inspection of the electrical cable where it connects to the roof. This is to ensure that the protective wire insulation hasn’t rubbed off through years of wear-and-tear by weather and nearby trees. If the cable appears to have damage, do not attempt to repair it. Call a licensed professional electrical contractor to fix it.

If it’s raining and there is an electrical wire problem, do not attempt to clean out the gutters until the wires are fixed. Water is a dangerous conductor of electricity. Whether it’s raining or not, it would be a good idea to have the electrical wiring repaired before cleaning out your gutters.

Gutter Guards: Using a quality gutter guard can eliminate the need for cleaning out gutters. Consider carefully the manufacturer’s claims before purchasing a gutter protection system that keeps out leaves and pine needles, because many promises are made that can’t be delivered. Lenney manufacturers the Gutterglove Gutterguard, which are manufactured in the U.S., more information can be found at www.Gutterglove.com.

According to Lenney, he and his staff have found an amazing collection of items while cleaning gutters, including men’s underwear, diapers, socks, pigeon droppings, golf balls, tennis balls, syringes with sharps, dead animals, aluminum cans, children’s toys, live adult rats with babies in the nest, small and large frogs, wasp and bee nests, snakes in areas like Florida, books, newspapers, nails, and tile pieces. These are in addition, of course, to the usual debris, such as leaves, pine needles, seed pods and sand grit.

Lenney can’t turn this annual tedious job into a Disneyland experience, but he can make the job easier with these few simple cleaning tips and tricks while keeping safety in mind. Happy cleaning!

8 TIPS FOR GUTTER CLEANING

Let someone know you are cleaning your gutters.
Use a safe and secure ladder.
Rake leaves off roof first.
Wear rubber-soled shoes when walking on roof.
Use plastic gutter scoop.
Wear gloves and proper eyewear.
Unclog downspouts.
Watch out for hazardous power lines.

ROCKLIN, Calif., March 8, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Rocklin, California manufacturer Gutterglove, Inc., will bring its gutter guard manufacturing from China back to California by the end of second quarter 2012 and will finally be able to say its products are "Made In The USA". This will infuse millions of dollars back into the Golden State, create new jobs, and hopefully set an example that other manufacturers can follow.

CEO and President, Robert Lenney founder and inventor of the multi-patented Gutterglove Gutterguard, started manufacturing his gutter cover in 2003.

"Originally, my plans were to make the gutter guards in California, but because the parts used were from high end, high quality materials, they were very expensive to make," says Lenney.

The company's gutter protection systems, 'Gutterglove' and the Do-It-Yourself version 'LeafBlaster' are made from aluminum extrusions and a fine stainless steel micro-mesh. They are installed on roof gutters and designed to keep out leaves, pine needles, and roof sand grit.

Due to continued rising costs to manufacture and the pressure to reduce costs in order to remain competitive, Lenney sent out a worldwide bid request in 2006 for aluminum extrusion companies to quote on making his gutter covers. He ended up moving manufacturing to China.

In 2011, the Army Corps of Engineers began to spec the Gutterglove design to be installed on gutters on specific buildings on certain military bases in the US. However, to qualify for the Buy American Act passed by congress and signed by President Hoover in 1933, Gutterglove needed to be made in the USA.

In the second quarter of 2011, Lenney sent out bid requests to numerous part manufacturers throughout the United States. As weeks went by, Lenney nervously awaited quotes to come in for extruding, anodizing and fabricating his aluminum based product.

Unexpectedly, several extrusion companies in the Los Angeles area came back with quotes that were only slightly higher than the Chinese manufacturers. Evaluating this marginal increase closely, it was determined that it would be more feasible to manufacture and assemble in California rather than China. Lenney made the choice to bring manufacturing back to California.

Lenney said, "I'll carefully manage future cost increases in manufacturing so that I can always keep business here, permanently."

David Snyder, the Director of Economic Development for Placer County, says that bringing manufacturing back to the US is welcomed and appreciated.

Snyder comments, "Manufacturing's contribution to our economy cannot be overstated. Its multiplier effect creates jobs throughout the supply chain; for every new manufacturing job created, 2.5 additional jobs are created in other sectors."

With Gutterglove sales increasing over 40% a year, the benefits would be received warmly into the economy. The significant growth of the company introduced many financial challenges as well. They are currently seeking up to $2.5 million dollars in debt and equity capital to assist with these transitions of growth.
 

Learn how to go green with Gutter Glove of North Carolina while making improvements to your home at the same time.

By: Robert Lenney

It’s that time of year when a second gutter cleaning is almost always needed, especially with the new shedding of leaf debris from newly spring budding branches. Recent winter storms can also blow leaves, pine needles and roofing debris into gutters, causing potential rainwater overflow, which in turn can cause landscape erosion and water damage to homes.

There are a variety of gutter cleaning tips that can bring sanity and safety into this tedious task. Some of the basics are listed below:

Garden Hose Use a garden hose with a pistol-grip trigger spray nozzle. This style of spray nozzle comes with a pistol-grip trigger, allowing it to be easily hung over the front edge of the gutter while moving the ladder or while using a gutter scoop. Spraying out the gutter is generally best when most of the larger debris has already been removed with a gutter scoop. Spray toward the downspout (leader pipe) so the small, murky debris flows down the downspout.

Ladder Safety Use a safe and sturdy ladder, preferably with a small shelf strong enough to hold a 5-gallon bucket to collect gutter debris. Make sure to secure the bucket with a lanyard. I recommend a four-legged step ladder for a 1-story home, and an extension ladder for a 2-story home.

Wooden ladders often are wobbly and difficult to safely balance. Fiberglass ladders are the sturdiest but are also the heaviest. If you are cleaning gutters for hours upon hours, muscle fatigue can set in from moving the heavy ladder numerous times. If this is the case, use an aluminum ladder, which is the second-choice option for strength and support.

Power Line Hazard When cleaning gutters around a power line cable that drops from the power pole to the roof of a home, conduct a visual inspection of the electrical cable where it connects to the roof. This is to ensure that the protective wire insulation hasn’t rubbed off through years of wear-and-tear by weather and nearby trees. If the cable appears to have damage, do not attempt to repair it. Call a licensed professional electrical contractor to fix it. It is not advisable to use a metal ladder near power lines when cleaning gutters; a fiberglass ladder is a better safety solution in this situation.

Rake Off Roof Rake all debris off the roof first. Otherwise, the next rain will wash all the debris down into the clean gutter, clogging it up again. Also, debris left on the roof can lead to water damming up in valleys or around the chimney, which can cause erosion and roof leaks over time.

Rubber Shoes If walking on the roof is necessary to perform gutter cleaning, it is good to use rubber-soled shoes. Rubber soles tend to adhere best and prevent slipping and falls. Rooftops tend to be moist in the morning, so it is best to walk on the roof after the sun is well up in the sky and has dried up all the moisture. Late mornings or early afternoons are the best times to walk on a roof.

Unclog Downspouts Make sure the downspouts are clear. After all the gutters are cleaned out, run the water hose down the downspout at full pressure. If the water backs up out of the top, a clog is present. Normally, it can be unclogged by tapping on the side of the downspout. But if that doesn’t work, the downspout and back need to be removed, and it should be flushed from the bottom. If a clog is present, and the downspout is connected to an underground drain, it is best to disconnect the bottom of the downspout from the underground drain. Otherwise, the clog may move to the underground drain. When unclogging the downspout, wear protective eyewear, because anything can escape from the downspout at high speeds once the clog is being removed.

If your home is in need of new gutters, you are in luck because of a new innovation available in gutters and gutter protection!  Gutterglove Gutterguard provides a unique and highly advanced gutter protection system unlike others you may have seen on the market.  Amazingly, gutters have been helping eliminate cumulative leaf build-up and debris from our roofs for decades, or have they?  Gutterglove’s new protection system has brought gutter protection and filtration to a new level.  Gutterglove’s Icebreaker technology also melts snow, icicles, and ice dams on gutters using self-regulated heat cables.  This technology has brought ice dam prevention to new levels, plus has reduced the job of sanding and salting portions of sidewalks and driveways for many satisfied homeowners.

    

The quality of the Gutterglove products caught my eye at a recent Home and Garden Show in Minneapolis, MN.   What is impressive about the Gutterglove products is the high quality aluminum and stainless steel micro mesh screen used to produce them, and that the product actually does the job it is supposed to, and in a most extraordinary way.  Owner of a local Minneapolis, MN Gutterglove franchise distributorship, David Lund, has over 30 years’ experience in the construction industry and considers himself an “application engineer.”   As a contractor, Lund has been called on to solve many unique problems, one of which became an impetus to discovering the Gutterglove product line.   One of his customers had a situation with a steel roof, a lot of long stemmed pine needles and massive snow build up that required a unique solution.  Other gutter protection products were not able to provide the solutions his customer needed.  Lund looked at a number of products until he found one that met with his strict and practical criteria.  It was Gutterglove that finally produced the confidence he was seeking.

Gutterglove’s special innovative system filters out all debris, even as fine as thin pine needles.  It is installed at the right angle on your roof to ensure proper flow of large amounts of rain water, and not surprisingly, scored a Number One spot in America’s favorite Consumer Rated magazine for its performance.  

Gutterglove Gutterguards provide a clear difference and a clear single solution to keeping away all dirt and debris from your gutters, only allowing dust or minute particles to actually get through.  Other gutter guard systems will eliminate a portion of debris, leaving enough sitting on the bottom of the gutters to actually speed up the rusting process on steel gutters.  By ensuring no debris gets through, Gutterglove Gutterguards ensures no rusting and helps ensure your gutters’ life span.   When selecting a gutter protection system, the chief criteria should clearly be to choose the system that allows the least amount of debris. 

Depending on your individual home and needs, you have the ability to choose from several options of Gutterglove products.

First, Gutterglove products can be installed right over your existing gutters, on any roof type, enhancing the effectiveness of the entire gutter system; plus saving you money versus purchasing an entire new system
Gutterglove Ultra – Good – Watch this video
Gutterglove Pro – Better – Watch this video
Gutterglove Icebreaker - Best - Watch this video
Lund also discovered Gutterglove’s Icebreaker product line to be a superior solution to ice dam prevention, a very real problem in our Minnesota climate.  Convinced and sold on the Gutterglove products and solutions, David Lund now owns an exclusive Minneapolis Gutterglove distributorship for the ten-county Minneapolis – St. Paul, MN metro also servicing Rochester and Duluth.

Let’s talk ice dams for a moment.
After repairing somewhere around thirty homes from moisture intrusion problems resulting from ice dam damage, David Lund became determined to find an effective solution to preventing this kind of damage for homeowners.  Last winter, we were educated either by experience or by the media, about how costly and inconvenient both exterior and interior damage caused by ice dams can be.  David Lund’s discovery of Gutterglove’s Icebreaker technology met all of the criteria he felt necessary to take on ice dam prevention effectively.  

Gutterglove’s Icebreaker offers a unique ice melting feature and is second to none in performing its job, at saving money, energy, and in its simplicity to install.  Here’s what you should know about the Icebreaker.  The Icebreaker melts icicles, snow, and ice dams on the gutter using self-regulating heat cables.  Its heat radiates throughout the aluminum support frame and thermally radiates downward creating a warm micro climate to melt ice inside the gutter.  The Icebreaker technology is amazing and effective.  Seeing it action speaks for itself.  Watch this video.  See why Guttergloves’s Icebreaker has earned a proven track record providing homeowners with a high level of confidence.

It’s easy to be convinced that Gutterglove is the best gutter protection product to consider.  Just watch this video to understand how it works and why it is effective.  Then, call David Lund, Gutterglove’s local 10-county distributor and ask him all the questions you have.  David knows the products and can give you an accurate and fair comparison, as well, with any other gutter products you may also be considering.   Start with a call, 763-473-3116 and finish with a clear solution to your gutter needs.

Visit website - www.minneapolisgutterglove.com
Visit website - www.icedamsolutionsmn.com
Contact David Lund at Gutterglove of Minneapolis
Call 763-473-3116 today.

 Have you ever seen a home during winter with fresh fallen snow all around it, majestic frozen icicles hanging from the edges with snow covering the roof and thought “wow, what a beautiful winter home?” Well chances are if you’re seeing icicles, there is a much bigger issue going on behind the scenes.

As most homeowners are well aware of, gutters tend be a necessary evil in protecting their homes from weather throughout the seasons. Gutters are important because they keep water away from the house and they help in keeping your basement dry. However; if it’s not a clog of twigs and leaves in the fall, it’s a barrier of snow and ice in the winter. Looking out for and maintaining your gutter system is an essential step in the long-term life of your home. It is particularly important during the winter season, especially in regions that tend to get into the sub-zero temperatures. Gutters in these regions have a more likely chance of freezing and creating an ice dam.

An ice dam is created when the warmth of your house melts the snow on top of your roof. This being the warmest part of your roof, the melted snow runs down the roof towards the edge, which in turn is the coldest part of your roof causing the melted snow to re-freeze. The refrozen snow begins to form a wall or dam at the edge of the roof, usually at the gutters and downspout. When a dam forms, the continuing water flow then backs up behind the wall creating a pool. This pool of water can then leak into your home causing water damage to walls, ceilings, insulation and other areas.

It is always important to keep gutters completely clean and free of debris so when snow storms occur, you are off to a good start. However; without the right gutter guard, this is a fruitless effort. Nature is a part of life and will always find its way into your gutters. Heated gutter guards are a perfect solution. Heated gutter guards are the best way to solve your snow and ice problems because not only do they melt icicles, ice dams and snow loads on your gutters; they also melt ice about one to three inches up the roof line keeping your gutter and roof’s edge dry and worry free during the winter; while continuing to filter out leaves, pine needles and sand from your gutter all year round. Below are “Before” and “After” photos of the Gutterglove IceBreaker heated gutter guard system.

Photo Credit: GuttergloveIceBreaker.com

Photo Credit: HeaterCap.com

There are only a few manufacturers of heated gutter guards in the industry. All of them use a self-regulated heat cable connected to the gutter guard in some fashion for generating the warmth necessary for melting the ice. Some heated gutter guards use only one cable whereas others are less efficient and require up to three cables to generate the heat needed.
Before bad storms and freezing temperatures, make sure your gutter and downspouts are free from potential clogs that will create a dam. If you don’t have a heated gutter guard, you can counteract effects of the formation of ice dams by using a variety of household tools such as:

• A Chisel, Screwdriver or Hammer Head: Used to chip away at the ice, this may be lead to more gutter strain causing the gutters to fall down, tearing the side of your house in the process.
• A Roof-Rake: Used to “rake” or pull the snow downward which can cause you to rip shingles out of the roof.
• A Hose: Using warm water to melt the ice and clear the dam, this technique won’t last long as an ice dam will inevitably form again and you take the risk of cracking your gutters.
  All of these options are not only hazardous to your safety and well-being; you in turn run the risk of creating permanent property damage to your home. If you don’t have a heated gutter guard in place, you can do the following as an alternate option:
• Heated roof and gutter cables: Self-regulated heat cables can be used within the existing gutters and along the eves of the roof to prevent ice before it solidifies on the roof and in the gutter. The heated cables radiate heat downward, creating a micro-climate, helping to melt icicles, ice dams and snow loads in the winter they do not interrupt the normal function of a gutter guard. Sample brand names include: Gutterglove IceBreaker and Heater Cap.

So if you are living in a region that is prone to freezing temperatures, ice formation and snow storms, you would benefit most from a heated gutter guard for your snow and ice problems. Not only will you save your gutters from being ripped off your home from sliding snow and ice off your roof, you will protect your gutters from the formation of ice dams and other possible snow damage that occurs in colder temperatures.

Author: Steve Nov. 14, 2011

Protect yourself from deadly icicles.

Prepare for Snow with Gutter Guards

How do Gutter Guards Work?

Choosing the Right Gutter Guard for Snowfall

Why it’s Important to Winterize Your Gutters

Gutterglove of North Carolina is the oldest and most experienced Gutterglove dealer in North Carolina and in fact on the entire East Coast. Ricky Stroup, co-owner of Gutter Glove of North Carolina, LLC invites you to call him directly if you have any questions! Once you have decided that Gutterglove is the best product for your home, you probably want to know who has the most experience installing the product, how many homes has the company put product on , are there any complaints with BBB, are there some nice compliments about good service, is there a house you can drive past and see the product and is the company EXCLUSIVELY Gutterglove, or do they also sell competitive (inferior) gutter products? Since this is “ABOUT US” please allow us to answer these important questions for you. Since we were the first Gutterglove dealer in North Carolina and in fact there were no others until 2010, it would be fair to say there are no others that have as much experience with Gutterglove.