Among most homeowners, gutters tend to be appreciated but seldom noticed. This can be problematic as time passes and seasons take their toll on the structural integrity of a gutter system. Even though steel and aluminum gutters can last for upwards of 25 years, most homeowners only get this type of durability by engaging in timely, biannual maintenance, especially during the winter and fall seasons.

With all that said, it’s important to know when a gutter problem can easily be rectified, and how to tell if you need new gutters altogether.

Do I Need My Gutters Repaired or Replaced?

The difference between gutter repair or replacement comes down to the extent of damage along a given gutter. If the problems are large and cover significant portions of the gutter, an all-out replacement of the gutter is your best bet. If, however, the problems are small and confined, the existing gutter can probably be retained for the time being with repair work on those troubled spots.

Here are several situations where it just takes a simple repair to fix a gutter:

• The damage is confined to merely one or two areas of the gutter. When the problem spots are localized to just a couple of sections, replacements can be made to those particular areas without performing an overhaul on the whole gutter. For example, if the gutter mostly appears to be corrosion free, and there are no signs of mold or water buildup along the overall system except for this one small area, change out that section and leave the rest of the gutter in its current condition.

• The damage consists of merely a couple small holes or minor cracks. If the problem consists of a tiny hole here or a crack there, but everything else appears to be intact and functioning properly, clean the bad spots with alcohol and plug them with sealant. If the isolated holes or cracks are slightly larger, you might need to glue strips of metal flashing over the spots in question before applying the sealant.

• A leak is confined to one particular joint. If there appears to be a leak, however minor, along one of the seams or joints, the problem is likely due to looseness of said parts. The first-best way to rectify this problem is to check the tightness of the joint in question, and screw it tighter if necessary. If the leak still persists, change out that one joint. In cases where an isolated leak is particularly stubborn, the addition of sealant might be necessary to prevent the joint from leaking water for the foreseeable future.

• Some of the hangers appear to be loose. If the screws have loosened on the hangers, you could try tightening them, but in all likelihood, the screw holes will now be stripped. Therefore, the hangers will probably need to be realigned along the fascia, with new screws fastened in. First, however, new screw holes will need to formed with a drill to the fascia. If the hangers appear worn or bent, it’s best to change them out with new ones.

When Gutter Replacement Is Necessary: Problems That Are Too Big to Repair

Here’s a look at when gutter problems go beyond the simple fix:

• The problem spots are everywhere. The most obvious sign that a gutter is beyond repair is when the entire length of the gutter tracks is riddled with problems. For example, if long cracks have formed along the bottom or sides of the gutter, the problem is probably way beyond anything sealant could fix. The same could be said about a gutter that has holes everywhere. If portions of the gutter show extensive corrosion, the only solution is an entirely new gutter.

• The hangers can’t be screwed tight. If attempts to tighten the hangers have failed, despite the drilling of new screw holes and realignment of the hangers, the problem could be due to the fascia board itself. When issues such as mold formation and water buildup arise in a gutter system, the problem will sometimes extend to the fascia board, where moldy water damage can render the wood too weak to bond with fasteners. Thankfully, most gutter repair pros will replace the fascia as part of their service.

• Sections of the gutter fail to bond. If gaps exist between sections of the gutter, and attempts at bonding the sections with sealant have failed to do the trick, it’s time for a new gutter. While you could simply replace your current gutter with something identical, this might not be so wise if gutter gaps have proven to be the Achilles’ heel of your gutter system. As an alternative, Gutter Boyz of ketntucky recommends a seamless gutter system for your next installation.

• The gutter fails to pitch properly. When gutter water fails to flow in the proper direction, the gutter itself has lost its purpose. Simply put, no amount of simple repairs will rectify a situation where the water is improperly pitched. After all, a gutter that’s unable to drain the right way would be similar to a car without a motor. Therefore, when an old gutter fails to send water to where it’s supposed to, it’s time to have a new gutter installed on your house.

• Water damage is evident in the soil. In some cases, the gutter will be clear throughout, yet certain other parts of your property might show evidence of problems that could only stem from a faulty gutter system. For example, if the landscaping near certain downspouts has become messy and muddy, it could be down to an issue where the gutter is overflowing in too many of the wrong areas. A problem this big is best left in the hands of gutter replacement specialists.

• Dents have formed along the gutter. Accidents and freak occurrences sometimes happen, but a gutter is capable of withstanding only so much impact. You might accidentally lean a ladder too heavily against the gutter and cause a dent. Even worse, a tree could fall against the house and form a big crease on the gutter. If the gutter incurs a major dent, you’ll either need to replace the damaged portion, or perhaps the whole entire gutter if your current system is seamless.

• The basement shows evidence of gutter leakage. The downspouts of a gutter are designed to release roof water in manageable amounts. That way, the water enters the soil evenly without causing puddles or other buildups of water. When water leaks into the basement, chances are the gutter hasn’t done its job properly. If the leakage is strong and big puddles or water damage are found in the basement or crawlspace, the gutter has likely failed near one or more of the vents.

• Mold along the floors or walls of dark spaces. Mold materializes when water evaporates into surfaces. Just as with flooding, mold formations in the basement or crawlspace could be caused by an overabundance of water from certain downspouts. If mold growth is evident anywhere near the sections of a basement’s wall that are near the vents, chances are a similar problem has occurred to that of the flooding scenario. An even greater indicator is when the vents are adjacent to the downspouts.

• The foundation of a house becomes compromised. The flow of water can make or break a house. Everything about the design on the upper half of a typical house — from the slope of the eaves to the layout of gutters — is intended to direct rainwater down and away from the house itself. When water flows in the opposite direction, it can sink in beside and under the house and soften the foundation. In cases such as these, the problem is often due to a faulty gutter system that drains in the wrong direction.

• Standing water in the gutter. Gutters are built to gather water and pass it along to downspouts as part of an ongoing drainage cycle. The cycle is meant to perform fluidly each time rain occurs. When the water neither drains nor flows and puddles form along parts of the gutter, the problem is not that there’s too much rain, but that the gutter itself has failed. When the water fails to pass through properly, it could be an issue of clogged downspouts that need to be repaired. However, it’s often a case where the gutter is uneven due to weak fascia or bent and compromised gutter sections.

• The gutters hang outward from the side of the roof. Gutters are intended to stream water that drips from the eaves of roofs and neatly deliver that water to the soil below. The exact process is hard to fulfill, however, when the gutters are unable to stream water the right way. If the gutters are tilting outward, for instance, the water is liable to spill overboard rather than stream through the downspouts. On days of hard rain, this can be especially disastrous as the water spills upon decks, trimmings, potted plants and other features beside the house. In any case, a tilted gutter is incapable of working properly.

• Puddles and mold growth along the side of a home. When puddles form to close to a house, they can pose a threat to the home’s structural integrity. Therefore, gutters are designed to stop these close puddles from forming in the first place. When puddles and mud pits form within inches of a house each time it rains, the gutter has failed to function properly. Likewise, if mold forms along the façade of a house, the drainage function hasn’t streamed as it should. Whether the problem is due to the gutters, downspouts, fascia or hangers, the whole system likely needs to be replaced.

• Paint peels, wood corrodes or rust forms along the outer walls of a home. To a reasonable degree, the structure and paintjob on a house are made to withstand the elements. However, walls are not intended to deal directly with a constant stream of downpour and splashes — it’s the job of the gutter to keep those factors out of the way. When walls endure the direct impact of downpour or, even worse, concentrated guttural drainage, the problem can diminish the home’s overall value. In any case, bent or tilted gutters are likely at fault when walls endure undue amounts of rain exposure.

• Rust forms along the gutters. Despite its ability to withstand most other elements, metal falls prey to rust in a manner that belies the strength of metal surfaces. Rust in a gutter is caused by standing water and moisture, and it begins to corrode the metal. As corrosion intensifies, holes can form like Swiss cheese across vast stretches of a gutter. For obvious reasons, a gutter with extensive rust formation is beyond salvageable.

• Gaps appear between the gutter sections or the gutter and fascia board. If the connections that would normally hold a gutter system together have unraveled all around, simple repairs are unlikely to reverse the trend. For instance, if the fascia board is too compromised to properly support the hangers, a gap could form that would allow for overspill between the fascia and gutter. Likewise, if gaps appear along various connection points of the gutter, the best course of action would be to have the whole thing replaced.

So we have given you a lot to consider.  If you live in the Western Kentucky region and are experiencing any of these issues, give us a call at Gutter Boyz of Kentucky.  Gutter Boyz of Kentucky is your one-stop shop for everything gutter related.  For a FREE ESTIMATE, give us a call at (270) 906-3055 or CLICK HERE to contact us today!

One thing that people commonly wonder when having gutter guards installed on their gutter system is whether their new products are truly maintenance free. In truth, you should be very wary of products claiming to be completely maintenance free. While quality gutter guards prevent the need for manual gutter cleaning by preventing debris from entering your gutter system, you’ll likely still have to brush the leaves and twigs off your gutter guards every once in a while.

Some other gutter covers may require additional maintenance depending on factors like the material they are made of. However, when you invest in gutter guards from Gutter Boyz of Kentucky, brushing off debris is as about far as your regular maintenance requirements will go. Our gutter guards are made of military-grade aluminum and are coated in a clear anodized finish to prevent rust and corrosion. This means that you can rest easy knowing that your gutter guards will look and function like new well into the future.

Gutter Boyz of Kentucky serves a majority of Western Kentucky’s gutter needs.  If you are searching for gutter guards that are as maintenance free as they come, then turn to Gutter Boyz of Kentucky. Contact us today for a FREE ESTIMATE.  You can reach us by calling (270) 906-3055 or CLICK HERE to contact us.

If you just bought a house, you may be shocked to discover it doesn’t have gutters. How did you overlook this during the inspection? Now you’re left with the task of installing gutters and downspouts. But since clogged rain gutters can cause serious damage, should you even bother installing them? Why does a house need gutters, anyway?

This seems like a logical train of thought, but the reason clogged gutters cause damage is because they let water flow over the sides, where it pools all around the foundation. If you don’t have gutters and downspouts to direct runoff away from your home, this will happen every time it rains. Here are four reasons to install gutters on your new house.

PREVENT EROSION

Homes built to code are situated on a slight slope to guide runoff away from the foundation. If rain flows off your roof because you have no gutters, the water causes massive erosion, washing away more and more soil each time it rains. This causes your carefully sloped landscape to wear down, allowing runoff to flow toward your home instead of away from it.

Erosion also causes the foundation to settle. Eventually, you may start to notice uneven floors and cracked walls and chimneys as a result.

PROTECT GARDEN BEDS

Many homeowners enjoy planting flowers and shrubs right next to the house. This creates a pleasing aesthetic and can act as a windbreaker to guard against blustery winter weather. If soil erosion occurs because you don’t have gutters, your garden could literally wash away.

Even if erosion is minimal, puddles of water will form in your garden bed and drown your plants. Melting snow will also drip down and freeze overnight into solid sheets of ice that could kill evergreen shrubs.

PREVENT BASEMENT FLOODING

When soil is saturated with water, it becomes incredibly heavy. This means the water running off your roof and pooling around the house places tremendous pressure on the foundation. Over time, this may cause basement walls to push inward or crack.

Tiny cracks in your foundation walls allow water to flow in and flood your basement. Even if the amount of water entering doesn’t appear substantial, this excessive moisture promotes mold growth, which could become a health hazard.

PROTECT THE SIDING

When rainwater carries leaves, dirt, and tiny asphalt shingle particles down the siding, this results in unsightly staining. Your home looks dreary and unkempt when this happens, negatively impacting your curb appeal.

The effects aren’t purely aesthetic, either. Over time, streams of rainwater can begin to rot your siding, especially if it’s made of wood. Rotten siding looks unappealing, but more importantly, it creates holes that invite pests into your home. If enough water seeps through the siding, it could affect your home’s structural integrity and become extremely expensive and difficult to fix.

PROTECT YOUR HOME WITH GUTTER CLEANING & REPAIR SERVICES

If you decide to install gutters, you also need to clean and maintain them to prevent the problems described above. That’s where Gutter Boyz of Kentucky comes in. Gutter Boyz of Kentucky, we install, repair and clean gutters to keep them in good condition.

For more information or to receive a FREE estimate, give Gutter Boyz of Kentucky a call today at (270) 906-3055 or CLICK HERE to contact us.

Homeowners need to be informed when buying a homeowner’s insurance policy. So, in the event that storm damage occurs to your home, you know what your policy covers. Hail, tree and wind damage are common during severe storm events. These damages most commonly effect your home’s roof and gutter system.

Luckily, most homeowners’ insurance policies typically cover wind damage and storm related damage. If a strong storm moves through with hail, wind-driven rain, or snow wrecking havoc on your home’s exterior, or gets inside a roof or wall, knowing your policy’s coverage can make a huge difference. Especially when moving forward with the repair work that is necessary. If you also have fallen trees that damage your home, tree removal service may be a part of the policy coverage too.

Wind and Hail Insurance

Insurance companies get flooded with calls after storms. When storm damage reports are high, contractor availability is low. Often times insurance companies are referring out contractors to do the repair work that aren’t niche in their respected industry.

However, as a homeowner you should know you have options. You can hire your own contractors for jobs like roofing, gutter systems, siding, etc. You should be able to speak with and choose the contractor that is best for your needs for all damages. Addressing storm damage with a professional team should take on the same approach as any other hiring experience would. Work with competent, skilled, insured contractors.

When you take researching into your own hands, you can apply your best efforts in finding the best available contractor for your repairs. Here at Gutter Boyz of Kentucky, we know the importance of professionalism, competency, and the value of a job well done. We also only do gutters, allowing us to perfect and focus on our craft in our niche market.

Dealing with storm damage can be overwhelming. But, you still want to make sure you are taking the time to hire right. Don’t let the urgent feeling lead to skipping the research phase. Gutter Boyz of Kentucky can help assist in repairing your storm damaged gutters. Our estimates are FREE and we are a niche company providing quality gutter services.

For a FREE ESTIMATE, give us a call at (270) 906-3055 or CLICK HERE to contact us today!

Gutters are an important aspect of most home’s roofing systems. But some homeowners notice, sometimes after years of living there, that their home doesn’t have gutters. Whether you’re just moving into a new home that doesn’t have gutters, or if you just realized that your home has no gutters, and hasn’t for a while yet, here’s what you need to know. From understanding what rain gutters do to deciding if you need to have gutters installed, we’ve got answers to all of your gutter questions:

UNDERSTANDING RAIN GUTTERS

Before you can decide whether you need to install gutters right away, or just leave your home the way it is, it’s important to understand why rain gutters exist, and what they do.

The most basic explanation is that gutters direct rain away from your home. A gutter system catches water from rain and melting snow as it runs down the side of your roof. Then, the gutters direct that collected water into a downspout or drain, where it can be safely directed away from your home.

Gutters work to:

• Keep your foundation from eroding
• Keep your landscaping intact
• Avoid water damage to your siding and exterior

WHY YOUR HOUSE MIGHT NOT HAVE GUTTERS

Now that we know why rain gutters exist, let’s figure out why your house doesn’t have them.

Steep Slope Roof — If your home’s roof has a very steep slope and a long overhang, it might already be working to direct rainwater away from your house. Steep roofs allow rain and snow to slide right off very easily, and if your overhang extends more than a foot past the side of your home, you’re unlikely to experience much damage from the displaced rainwater, except maybe to your landscaping.

Very Old Home — Gutters weren’t always as common as they are now. If your home is pretty old, say 75-100 years at least, it’s possible that they just weren’t installed because that wasn’t what builders did. Gutters, as we think of them today, weren’t installed commonly on residential homes until the early to mid-1900s. If your home is older than that, it’s possible that gutters were just never installed after your home was built.

There are plenty of reasons that your house might not have gutters. If you’re worried about it, your best bet is to first talk to a gutter professional like Gutter Boyz of Kentucky.  We will give you an honest, professional opinion about whether you need gutters or not. In the meantime, here are a few key signs it might be time to install gutters on your home:

SIGNS IT’S TIME TO INSTALL GUTTERS

If you’re noticing water problems in your home that you suspect are due to your roof’s lack of gutters, you’re probably right. Here are a few of the most common signs that gutters could improve the functionality and lifespan of your home:

BASEMENT FLOODING

If your home gets a lot of basement flooding when it rains, gutters could help. Depending on how your home is built, gutters could put a stop to much of that flooding. While some basement flooding is just a result of a bad slope that your home is built into, a home without gutters can allow water to pour directly down from your roof and onto your foundation.

Small cracks and pores in the foundation of your home can then let that water into your basement, which causes the flooding. With gutters, the rainwater can be safely directed into a downspout and out away from your home, minimizing the amount of water that can seep into your basement.

ROTTED OR MOLDY SIDING

This is a clear sign that gutters are in your future. If your roof doesn’t have much of an overhang, and no gutters, moldy or rotting siding is a key sign that water isn’t getting far enough away from your house. Instead, it’s rolling down your roof and onto the sides of your home. Then, that water becomes trapped behind the siding of your house, causing mold and rot that are bad for your home’s structure, appearance, and possibly even the health of your family.

Installing gutters can almost entirely eliminate this problem. Most of today’s siding was meant to take water head-on, not from above. When gutters are catching the water that would otherwise be falling down on siding, and redirecting it away from your home, those rot and mold issues should stop. The gutters stop water from seeping into the cracks of the siding and allow your house to do the best possible job of keeping your family safe and dry.

TROUGHS IN YOUR LANDSCAPING OR NEXT TO YOUR FOUNDATION

If you notice huge or deep divets in the ground next to your home, or in your landscaping, that’s a sign that you’re getting enough water to warrant gutters. These troughs or divets are caused by the constant pour of rain onto the ground from the height of your roof, and usually, they’re impossible to fill. Even if you do put dirt in them, over time, the rain will just wash it away.

This can also be a serious problem for your foundation if your roof doesn’t have much of an overhang. Constant pounding from rain can erode your foundation, causing structural issues for your home down the road.

By installing gutters, you can eliminate those troughs and divets from your landscaping, leaving you with a better looking front yard, and a better quality foundation holding up your home.

Is your house missing gutters? No problem — Gutter Boyz of Kentucky is one of the leading gutter installers in the region serving most of Western Kentucky.  Contact us for a FREE ESTIMATE by calling (270) 906-3055 or CLICK HERE to contact us today!

Any homeowner knows that gutter cleaning is a smelly, messy, miserable job. With 500,000 injuries from ladder accidents occuring each year, you may be very hesitant to climb up to the roof and do that dirty work. Installing gutter guards could make regular gutter cleaning a thing of the past.

If you find yourself on the fence over the value versus cost of guard installation, read on to find out six amazing benefits you can expect when you add gutter guards to your home.

Reduce Maintenance

The main purpose of gutter guards is to prevent debris from gathering and blocking your gutter system. Without them, you will have to do regular cleaning and maintenance to your gutter system.

No matter which method you choose, cleaning gutters costs you time and money. Even though leaves and debris do eventually accumulate atop guarded gutters, they are much easier to clear off. What was once an arduous routine will become a much less time-consuming occasional task.

Protect Against Corrosion

Soggy leaves sitting against your gutters will contribute to the corrosion and rust of your gutter system. If your gutters start to overflow with leaves onto your roofline, algae and mold can start to form in your roofing and quickly deteriorate the structural integrity of your roof, as well.

Gutter guards can add several years to the life of your gutter system and roof. This means you will protect your investment and add to the resale value of your home in the process.

Prevent Freezing and Water Damage

Water that collects in your gutters during winter can re-freeze and create gutter dams. This problem can be exacerbated when blockages prevent partially melted ice from flowing down the gutter system. Though gutter covers cannot completely prevent ice buildup, it can significantly reduce it.

Less ice collecting in or around your gutters extends their life and helps prevent ice damage from the weight of compacted snow and icicles. A common cause of gutter damage is the weight of frozen areas pulling the gutters completely away from the house. You can reduce your risk of suffering this damage by installing guards.

Even in warmer months, guards help keep water from flowing down the sides of your home and behind the siding. Water overflow can cause extensive structural damage to your walls and contribute to mold and mildew growth. When gutters overflow, the water can cause stains on your siding and even damage the foundation of your home.

Avoid Infestations

One of the unseen benefits of gutter guards is that they help prevent rodents and insects from taking up residence in your gutters. By reducing the nesting material or standing water in your gutters, you keep water flowing freely. This discourages vermin from making a home or breeding ground on your rooftop.

Gutter guardss also act as a barrier against small creatures that might squeeze their way behind the gutters and fascia of your roof into the attic of your house.

Fire Prevention

If you or your neighbors frequently have bonfires or burn leaves, your home could be at a greater fire risk. Accumulation of brush and leaves in gutters are easily made into kindling when they come in contact with floating embers.

If you have a buildup of dry material clinging to your gutters, it could allow embers to light into flame and quickly spread over the roof of your home. Gutter guards can help prevent this buildup of flammable material and reduce your risk of fire.

Improve Gutter Water Flow

Regular water flow through your gutters helps keep downspouts functioning freely and prevents clogs. When guards are affixed to your gutters, less material will make it through to the connection points.

Especially if you have a rainwater collection system, you’ll find your tank filling more quickly and with better-filtered water once you add covers to your gutters.

If you are considering installing gutter guards, contact us at Gutter Boyz of Kentucky for a FREE ESTIMATE. You can reach us by phone at (270) 906-3055 or CLICK HERE to contact us today!

Most gutter systems, including galvanized steel and aluminum gutters, have an expected lifespan of 20 years. They may not be the most expensive investment you make in your home, but good gutters can prevent a number of other, more costly problems from arising. This makes understanding when and how to repair and replace your gutters crucial to protecting your home’s value.

Take a Look at Your Gutters

Walk around your house and take a good look at your gutters on a nice day. If your gutters are galvanized steel, check for rust, especially at the bottom of the gutters. Look for problem areas of sagging or splitting gutters, and look for holes. Check for loose fasteners, as well. Peeling paint and washed out landscaping are often signs that the gutters above need some attention. Make sure your downspouts are attached properly and extend at least 10 feet out from the foundation.

Take a Look Again—in the Rain

To determine whether your gutters are truly working properly, you need to watch them on the job, so take another walk around your house when it’s raining. Make sure water is flowing smoothly out of the downspouts. Look for places where the water may be leaking out the bottoms of the gutters or overflowing at the top. Check for areas where water is flowing directly from the roof to the ground. If so, consider installing additional gutters.

Repair or Replace

Once you’ve found problems with your gutters, determine whether or not repair is possible. Minor problems such as loose gutters or missing downspouts may be tackled by most do-it-yourselfers.. Gutters with holes or splits aren’t repairable. Have them replaced by a professional like Gutter Boyz of Kentucky, who can do the job without damaging the roof or siding of your home. Rusty areas indicate a future problem, even if the rust has not yet created a hole. Replace rusty gutters as soon as possible.

Maintain Them Regularly

Once you’ve repaired or replaced any problem areas, the key to making your gutters last 20-plus years is regular maintenance. Clean them every spring and fall, removing any leaves or branches that could cause them to clog or pull away from the house. Inspect them thoroughly when you do this to make sure they’re not pulling away from the roof or missing any bolts. Replace missing hardware promptly. Catching problems when they’re small will prevent major issues later.  If you don’t want to risk climbing on a ladder, give Gutter Boyz of Kentucky a call.  We can do a thorough job of cleaning and removing debris and help you avoid personal risk to yourself.

No matter what your gutter needs may be, Gutter Boyz of Kentucky is only a phone call away.  Give us a call today at (270) 906-3055 or CLICK HERE to contact us for a FREE ESTIMATE.  Gutter Boyz of Kentucky serves a majority of Western Kentucky.  Contact us today!

Some homeowners might think birds’ nests in their gutters are not a big problem, or even kind of cute. Birds have to build their homes somewhere, after all; they need a safe and comfortable space to lay their eggs and raise their young. Many types of birds have run out of places to build their nests due to factors like urban sprawl, which have resulted in fewer trees and other natural nest sites that birds need to survive. When you think about it, there’s nothing cuter than a nest full of tiny baby birds peeping out of delicate, cracked eggshells!

While all of the above is true, it’s still very important to know how to keep birds from making nests in unwanted places like your gutters. Keeping birds’ nests out of your gutters depends first and foremost on keeping your gutters clean.

It’s understandable why cleaning out gutters is an unappealing home maintenance task that many homeowners push to the bottom of their to do lists. Gutter cleaning is risky, dirty, sometimes extremely muddy work. Depending on the height of your home, it can be quite dangerous to clean your gutters yourself; you may not even have a ladder tall enough to do the job properly.These are just a few of the reasons why many homeowners let their gutters go, especially if their home or property doesn’t have obvious drainage problems. Savvy homeowners, however, know that keeping their gutters clean should be a top priority on the list of regular home maintenance tasks. Cleaning the gutters is just one of the things you should do to keep your home and yard in good shape and prevent damage from occurring over time—the type of damage that will definitely need an urgent, and often expensive, fix.

The best way to deal with birds nesting in unwanted places is to discourage or prevent them from doing so in the first place. Keeping your gutters clear of leaves, sticks, mud and other debris that birds use in building their nests can go a long way toward deterring these animals from making a home in your gutters. Here are a few other prevention methods that can be helpful in keeping birds from making nests in unwanted places. Note that these methods should be used only when you have ensured that no birds or eggs are present in the spaces you’re trying to keep bird-free, so birds won’t get trapped inside:

• Install gutter guards on your existing gutters.
• Use steel wool to seal off any holes or gaps in your roof, eaves, porch or other areas where birds might build nests.
• Replace old gutters with a new version that is more efficient at keeping out birds and debris.
• Install birdhouses or nesting boxes and bird feeders on your property to provide birds with safe places to eat and build their nests.

It is also a good idea to keep trees trimmed well away from your house, so leaves, sticks, pine needles and other types of debris have less chance of finding their way into your gutters.

If you are experiencing any issues with your gutters, Gutter Boyz of Kentucky is here to help. From new gutter installation, gutter repairs, gutter cleaning to gutter guards, we are a phone call away. For more information or for a FREE Quote, contact us. We can be reached by phone at (270) 906-3055 or CLICK HERE to contact us today!

The summer sunshine will soon be here. Along with it, temperatures are sure to rise making outside chores not only uncomfortable but nearly unbearable. Many people take time in the spring to ensure that their exterior property is in tip top shape before summer arrives. This includes inspecting their rain gutters.

Rain gutters serve the important function of channeling excess rain water away from the structure. Without them, the excess water could cause severe damage such as foundational issues, wood rot and interior flooding. And when rain gutters aren’t in peak performance, you are more likely to experience these types of problems.

Before the summer heat arrives, take time to inspect your rain gutters using these five techniques:

1. Perform a Visual Inspection – The best place to begin your rain gutter assessment is with a visual inspection of the system. Using a ladder, climb up to the height of your gutters to examine the inside. Check for excess debris including leaves, twigs and dirt. From the ground, look for sagging gutters or gutters that are pulling away from the home. Also, examine for any signs of rust or deterioration.

2. Complete a Simple Water Test – One easy way to know if your rain gutters are ready for summer is by performing a simple water test. Use a hose to add water to the rain gutters and see what happens. If the water is sent out and away from the home, you know they are working properly. If the water stays in the system, more investigation is needed.

3. Check for Slow-Moving or Standing Water – Have standing or very slow-moving water? If so, the slope of your downspouts may be incorrect. Work with your spikes and hangers to increase or decrease the spout’s elevation until water flows more freely.

4. Examine the Downspouts – Often times, downspouts are the problem when it comes to faulty rain gutter systems. Their curves and tight shapes make them easily clogged causing water backups. After disconnecting any downspouts to underground pipes, spray water through them to loosen any stuck material. Then ensure that the water comes through the end.

5. Inspect Seams, Joints & Ends – Seams, joints and ends are notorious for leaks. Missing sealant and shifting pieces make them more prone to allowing water to exit in the wrong spots. This can lead to pooling on sidewalks, driveways and more. Look for holes or gaps in the rain gutters and check for missing or cracked sealant.

While you can make most of these inspections yourself, you may want to call a gutter professional like Gutter Boyz of Kentucky to come do this for you.  By calling Gutter Boyz of Kentucky, you can eliminate the health risk that comes from climbing on a ladder, etc.

Gutter Boyz of Kentucky is your complete one-stop shop for everything gutter related.  From new gutters, gutter repair, gutter cleaning and gutter guards, if you live in Western Kentucky, Gutter Boyz of Kentucky is a phone call away.  For more information or for a FREE ESTIMATE, give us a call at (270) 906-3055 or CLICK HERE to contact us today.

Rain gutters tend to be invisible work horses of your home. They perform an important function, directing rain water away from your home, but most of the time you don’t even realize that they are there.

If you have never really thought about whether your house had a gutter system before, it is probably time to really look up there and notice, especially if you have been experiencing water damage in your home and you don’t know why.

If you notice that you don’t have rain gutters and you haven’t noticed any water problems in your home, you may be wondering if you really need rain gutters.

Gutters vs. No Gutters. Here is what you need to know.

First of all, not every home needs a gutter system. If you live in an arid climate and don’t experience periods of heavy rain, then it might not be necessary. But if you live in Western Kentucky, you most likely need a good rain gutter system to collect the storm water that lands on the roof and direct it away from the house to prevent damage to the structure of your home.

Why Are Rain Gutters So Important?

Besides protecting the roof and the overall structure of your home, rain gutters also prevent soil erosion and protects your garden beds. With the rain gutters, the rain will just flow off your roof, washing away soil each time it rains causing soil erosion. And if you have garden beds built next to your home, the soil erosion will cause puddling of water to drown your plants and flowers.

Soil erosion is serious business. It can also cause your foundation to settle leading to uneven floors and cracked walls and cracks in the chimney.

If you get a lot of basement flooding and have rotting siding on your home, these also could be signs that you don’t have gutters and you should or you have gutters that are clogged or damaged.

Maintaining Your Rain Gutters Is Also Important

Maintaining your rain gutters is also important. For them to work properly, you need to keep the gutters and downspouts clear of leaves and debris and this takes regular maintenance. Either you have to climb the ladder and do it yourself or you need to hire a professional gutter cleaning company like Gutter Boyz of Kentucky to do it for you. The rule of thumb is to clean your gutters at least twice a year, but more if you have a lot of trees hanging over your house or you live in an area that experiences a lot of storms.

Think You Need Gutters, Now What?

Gutter Boyz of Kentucky is here to help you with all of your gutter needs.  From new gutter installation to repairs, gutter cleaning and gutter guards, Gutter Boyz of Kentucky can do it all.  We serve most of Western Kentucky and Southern Illinois.  If you are ready for the gutter experts to help you, contact us for a FREE ESTIMATE today.  You can reach us by calling (270) 906-3055 or CLICK HERE to contact us today!