WHY DO YOU NEED GUTTERS?
If you have ever walked out of your home and been drenched at the door, you thought about gutter. If you have unsightly stains or damage on your stone, brick or siding, you should think about gutter. If you have installed costly landscaping, only to see it wash away in the rain, you should think about gutter. If you have cracks in your walls, floor, ceilings or your doors don't shut correctly because of settling, foundation problems & erosion, you should be thinking about gutters.

After so many years in the gutter business, we have heard all these reasons time and time again. Improper rain control & drainage around your home or property can be unsightly and extremely costly. Do not be reluctant to invest less than 1% of the cost of your home in a good & proper rain control system. It is the least expensive investment you can make to save you a lot of money in the long run.
Hidden Hangers
and Spike and Farrel
installation method’s are available

ITEMS TO CONSIDER WHEN GUTTERING YOUR HOME

This is a list of some of the common concerns that affect every homeowner and contractor and should be addressed with an open mind by both parties. Homeowners should have a general idea of what to expect when preparing their home for gutter installation.

Safety - The first concern should be safety. Never allow children, pets or even adults to walk around the construction site. For the crews' safety they must stay focused on what they are doing on the roof and ladders.

Weather - Inclement weather generally delays scheduling and construction because of safety concerns for the installers. Guttering also needs to be dry to insure proper adhesion of sealants in the comers and end caps.

Access - Crews will need access to the entire yard. Make sure gates are unlocked and neighbors notified if necessary. Trees and shrubs should be trimmed back and should never be allowed to touch your roof and home. Access to the interior of the home is unnecessary. Identify and protect any items that could be damaged by vibration and turn alarms off. Crews will need electrical power; if there are no outside outlets an extension cord should be run under a window or garage door. Contractors should be given daytime phone numbers in case they need to contact the homeowner for any reason.

Clean Up - All trash and debris should be cleaned up and hauled away by your contractor.

Rooftop Items - If you have house numbers, flag holders, basketball hoops, antennas, satellite dishes, solar panels, patio covers, fences, telephone, power, tv cables, or other items that may interfere with the gutter installation, consider who will have responsibility of handling this equipment.

Sprinklers - Your sprinklers should be turned off and lawn watering avoided a few days before and during the installation. Wet yards can be a safety hazard for crews and will increase the potential of stress to landscape and yards by installer traffic.

Removal of Old Guttering - The removal of old gutter material may loosen caulk, open wood joints, peel old paint, cause minor paint and wood scratches. Although care is taken by the contractor he should not be held responsible for minor cosmetic blemishes. Remember this is a major undertaking and minor wear is unavoidable. Consider painting your home when you regutter. Galvanized gutters have a life expectancy of 15 to 20 years depending on maintenance and original installation. When guttering is removed it is a great opportunity to paint the boards the same color as one of the many gutter colors available. When the painting is completed, the pre-painted guttering can be installed. This can give your home a complete new look.

Pre-existing Conditions - Older homes will generally show minor examples of pre-existing conditions such as uneven rafters, decking, boards, eaves, overhangs, deteriorated bricks, mortar etc.. It is not the standard practice of the gutter industry or considered cost effective by homeowners to replace these items that are still considered serviceable. A new gutter system will not hide or correct these conditions. These pre-existing conditions should be addressed by the homeowner before they sign a contract if they are concerned.

If during the removal of old guttering rotten or water damaged wood is exposed, neither the homeowner nor gutter contractor is at fault for these unexpected surprises, but it is the property owner’s responsibility. If you question your contractors responsibility, ask yourself would this situation happened even if I had hired a different contractor? If the answer is yes, it was probably a pre-existing condition.

Gutter Sloping - It is CJS Aluminum Inc.’s policy to slope gutters toward the downspouts to the best of our ability with the structure I have to work with (not all structures are level). This allows for faster flow, less standing water and cleaner gutters. Most sloping is a 1-inch drop from the center or high end opposite the downspout. Sloping more than this amount will increase the risk of water getting between the gutter and fascia board, risking wood rot. Sloping on a structure that is not level is often a compromise between function and aesthetics. The next option is adding more downspouts.

Downspouts - Downspout location obviously depends on roof area, the house layout and aesthetics. Florida rains require a minimum of one downspout for every 40 feet of rain gutter. It is CJS Aluminum Inc.’s policy to get by with as few downspout's as possible. The idea is to get water to the areas of the house where it can drain and dry quickly. This also saves the owner money by eliminating unnecessary downspouts. It is sometimes a better option to place downspout's where they will handle the majority of the water the majority of the time. Adding an extra downspout to eliminate overflow during an occasional very heavy rain usually means that downspout dumps water in an undesirable location during more frequent light rains. Trial and error is another option; downspouts can always be added later.

Special Concerns - Every project should be looked at individually. If anything needs special attention or a verbal commitment was made, make sure it is added to the contract. The more information that is put into the original contract, the less likely discrepancies will occur during the course of the project. This protects both the homeowner and the contractor.

We hope these examples of some common concerns will help prepare you and your home for this
improvement project.