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HKing
Citizen
Username: Hking
Post Number: 14
Registered: 4-2006
| | Posted on Monday, July 10, 2006 - 3:49 pm: | 
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The whole gutter thing is new to me so bear with me.
Prior to closing, upon the recommendation of our inspector, we asked for the gutters to be cleaned because there appeared to be a blockage that was rotting out some wood. Now, two months later, we are noticing water spouting out of the side of the same problem gutter--rotting nearby wood and causing a puddle and thus a small darkening in the floor of our basement.
So, I called the person who was hired to clean our gutters by the seller. They'll come back out and recharge me to clean the gutters -- apparently we're due for our quareterly gutter-cleaning. Then, they'll check and see why it's leaking. This is Ned Stevens gutters.
So, several questions:
1) how often should I have gutters cleaned - quarterly?
2) is Ned Stevens good? apparently last time they missed a problem with our gutter?
3) is $90 the right price?
Or, should I just be hiring someone with a big ladder that could get up there and see what's wrong with our one gutter? BTW, it's downpout has a turney point where it joins another downspoit -- I'm thinking that could be where the problem is.
As usual, any advice is very appreciated! |
Darren Say Grrrrrrrr
Citizen
Username: Darrensager
Post Number: 481
Registered: 11-2001
| | Posted on Monday, July 10, 2006 - 4:17 pm: |
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Hking,
Unfortunately there is no clear answer for your situation.
How often a gutter needs to be cleaned is a function of the number of trees around your home and what type of debris that tree releases. I was cleaning out my gutters once a month with the wonderful Sycamore tree that is in my front yard. Now I don't but that's another story.
$90 a cleaning seems a bit high, but depends upon the size of your home and the difficulty to clean them.
As for Ned Stevens gutters? I would say that knowing what others have posted and having a good understanding of the gutter industry (as I'm a part of it) I would say they are on the low end of the spectrum.
Generally speaking, as with anything else, you get what you pay for in the gutter industry. There are much better brackets which hold the gutter to the home versus others, yet if you look up at a gutter you'd never know. Only the guy who installs them knows. The thickness of a gutter has little to do with its longentivity, however thicker gutters usually take more abuse and dent far less easily. The type of sealant a company uses says a lot. The industry standards for gutter sealant from from two companies. GeoCel and OSI. The 2300 and 2320 product from GeoCel and OSI makes a product called Quad, are 3 and 4 polymer products that stay flexible even when frozen and will take abuse from the sun. They should each last about 50 years when installed properly.
Not every gutter company uses the better hangers or the better sealants because they cost more. The sad part is they don't cost all that much more but some companies want you to replace your gutters more often then you need to, so they use inferior materials.
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calypso
Citizen
Username: Calypso
Post Number: 46
Registered: 1-2006
| | Posted on Monday, July 10, 2006 - 9:15 pm: |
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Ugh, Ned Stevens. Their ads say "$35-75 for an average house." Well, my house is pretty small and oddly enough it's still $75. They never call ahead, so you and your hard-to-get-napping young child can be rudely interrupted by thumpings on the roof (when complained at, their office said of course they can't call ahead on the day of to let customers know they are coming). They don't do a great job, and their staff seems poorly trained. One of them fell off the roof and was saved from serious injury only by a steeply sloping front lawn.
Any reccs out there for a better service, preferably not a chain? |
Bob K
Supporter
Username: Bobk
Post Number: 12092
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Tuesday, July 11, 2006 - 4:14 am: |
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What often happens is that leaf gunk builds up in the bend connecting the gutter to the leader (the pipe leading from the gutter to the ground). Make sure this is removed and cleaned along with the gutters.
Just did this over the weekend. Ugh, dirty and hot, although getting sprayed with the hose was refreshing. |
Bklyngirl
Citizen
Username: Bklyngirl
Post Number: 152
Registered: 10-2005
| | Posted on Tuesday, July 11, 2006 - 7:07 am: |
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I strongly recommend getting a second opinion. Try Deegan Roofing & Gutters. They're listed.
An interesting story about Ned Stevens:
A couple of years ago during lunch, a co-worker told a group of us about a horrible company he'd hired to clean his gutters. Apparantely, this company would: 1) attempt to clean the gutters every month all year round; 2) charge for work not performed; and 3) after being told that their services weren't needed anymore, they continued to "clean the gutters" when no one was home and left the bill in the mailbox. Eventually, my co-worker had no choice but to threaten with a lawsuit if they continued to come on his property.
The company turned out to be Ned Stevens. My co-worker almost had a heart attack when he noticed their business card in my office and reminded me of that horrible experience he had a couple of years ago. Needless to say, I have not used Ned Stevens for anything. Especially, given the many negative posts on MOL.
Good luck.
bklyngirl |
HKing
Citizen
Username: Hking
Post Number: 15
Registered: 4-2006
| | Posted on Tuesday, July 11, 2006 - 7:33 am: |
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Interesting stories. I'm going to call and cancel my Ned Stevens appt. It did bug me that they couldn't tell me when they'd be here! And, I kind-of felt they should come out and look at or clean just the one problem gutter and they wouldn't--only the full house. $20 more for the one small gutter on our detached garage! (which I declined b/c we can totally reach it no problem).
Bob K, I think you might be right. That section of the house is the only one directly under a tree but it's too high up for us to get a look unless of course we purchase a giant ladder. Hubby is for giant ladder and I'm against. I kind of like him and am unsure of his ability to use giant ladder without getting hurt. :-)
My husband did take a look at the gutters he can see and says they look clean. |
gj1
Citizen
Username: Gj1
Post Number: 377
Registered: 11-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, July 11, 2006 - 12:50 pm: |
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I agree with Bob. From what you say it sounds like the downspout is clogged. When we moved in, a ten foot section of one of our downspouts was completely clogged. I had to remove the section and it was so clogged with decaying leaves that it weighed about 30 pounds. Needless to say, no water was making it through. |
Bob K
Supporter
Username: Bobk
Post Number: 12098
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Tuesday, July 11, 2006 - 1:19 pm: |
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Funny Hking, my wife was in favor of a 40 foot ladder, once she made sure the life insurance payments were up to date. 
Have him run the hose in the gutters he can reach. If water builds up, the leader is clogged.
I don't have the info on me, but I will post the company name and number of a guy we use for gutter cleaning. He is a local boy (originally), a fireman and an occassional MOL poster. |
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