Saturday, September 4, 2010

The Gutter truth / the turth about gutter cleaning




The Gutter truth.
This is a video about the real truth on how to clean gutters and get them to look like new.

Shot on location, power washing long island new york, Happauge, by Power washing Dragon and Painting 631-780-4737.

We try to answer these questions / FAQS: When should I clean my gutters ? How often should I have my gutters cleaned on long island? What are those black streaks on my gutters?, How can I get my gutters looking new?, I washed my gutters but they are still dirty, why?, How can I get those black streaks off my gutters?, Why is gutter cleaning important?, How come power washing can't take the streaks off? What are those black stains on gutters made of?


Gutter cleaning,
some companies include it in their house wash service but we don't. Not every structure that we wash have gutters or needs them cleaned. These companies do this by charging a higher price for their service. We rather give our clients the option of choosing the right services for them, this way they get only what they want and and pay for only what they don't need.

Please understand this, we just don't throw water and soap on your house and call it a day, We are Long Island property and house detailing specialists . We detail your property like some people have their cars detailed. If you care about how you property looks, as well as how it holds up, we are the company for you.

We power wash from the foundation to the gutters and everything in between but depending on how long ago the house or building was power washed and what contaminates are on it we might have to hand detail certain items so they can really get clean again. Most times, run off from roof tile and oxidation ( the black streaks you see) exhaust and road film can not be removed merely by simply power washing alone,.You could push 4000 psi 4gpm minute the streaks will not budge. Even with our soaps and powerful fungicides, items such as gutters, capping, windows sills, streak free windows, shutters and what ever else that seems to be the problem area/s unique to that house or building, sometimes needs some good old elbow grease.



Yes, some of the contaminants on the gutters may be dirt, mold, bird droppings and algae, but the majority of the, offending tiger striped, black streaks are from rain running over the asphalt shingles and dripping over the side of the gutter. The black streaks and dots are the result of electrostatic bonding of tar and asphalt runoff from roofing materials and other contaminants that attach themselves to Aluminum material: gutters downspouts, capping, etc. that seem impervious to just power washing alone can be removed by special chemicals and detailing procedures, which sometime require doing it by hand. Those black streaks are attached to the gutters electrostatically. The negatively charged ions from the roof runoff will stick to the positively charged ions of the gutters causing the hard to remove irregular lines. The process is called oxidation. These stains can not be removed by power washing alone and often removal requires hand scrubbing and strong chemical detailing to break the electrostatic bond






Some Science:

Yes, some of the contaminants on the gutters may be dirt, mold, bird droppings and algae, but the majority of the, offending tiger striped, black streaks are from rain running over the asphalt shingles and dripping over the side of the gutter. Those black streaks are attached to the gutters by an electrostatic charge. The negatively charged ions in the creosote of the shingles ( or tar paper under the shakes) will stick to the positively charged ions of the gutter causing the hard to remove irregular lines. The process is called oxidation. These stains can not be removed by power washing alone and often removal requires hand scrubbing and strong chemical detailing to break the electrostatic bond.




Why is gutter cleaning important?

If you think a few leaves, twigs, and pine cones in your gutter is safe, you need to rethink.

Clean gutters are the one most important thing to circumventing major and costly home repairs. Gutters perform one duty: controlling the rain runoff around your home. And if garbage keeps them from doing this task you will have problems, big problems.

Here are a host of problems you can avoid by keeping your gutters clean:
Leaking Basements, Shredded Foundations - (Excess water against the foundation wall).

Decaying Wood- Water backing up from clogged gutters will cause moisture damage to the wood fascia around the house.


Leaky roofs - In winter, ice-dams can form on top of clogged gutters. This can lead to major wall and ceiling damage.

Slippery Pavement - when water is not directed away properly and the temperature drops it can pose a tremendous tripping hazard.

Broken up Driveways Faulty water run off prematurely cracks and kill driveways.

Poor drainage will washout foliage , flowers , plants and bushes you planted around your property.

Wood Eating Insects, keeping the ground drier around you house as much as possible should be a concern, to do otherwise is an invitation to property destroying bugs.



Unfortunately, for gutters, roofs and property they protect, usually people procrastinate to clean them until there is a problem. The truth is that your gutters should be cleaned twice a year. You should have the gutters cleaned in early spring to free any left over ice and leaves, cones, twigs etc. that has accumulated during the winter. You should also do internal gutter cleaning late fall. This is the most crucial time to clean your gutters because you need to get rid of all the fallen leaves and trash that accumulated in your water collection system during fall before the freezing snows of winter begin to harm and stop up your gutters and downspouts.



The good news is we have different services to cover just about any property beautification need, just choose the ones you want. We offer Dragon's TLC, Tender Loving Care for your gutter - ( external gutter cleaning ) Clean & detail exterior of gutters / leaders/. hand scrub / brushed where necessary. If you choose the Gutter TLP- TOTAL package -Pkg. , that will include internal gutter cleaning by Hand and may include Hand cleaning of the capping, window sills, shutters, leaders, etc. as add-on items depending on what and how options are describe in the detail. These options will require a large amount of hand and ladder work (Depending on scope).


To call Andy of  Power washing Dragon and Painting Now! AT 631-780-4737  Click the "Call Me" icon, enter your name and number, and then click "Connect." Google will first call you at your number, then connect you with me for free. If you're using a cell phone, your normal use of cell plan minutes apply.



Call now 631-780-4737, book early, for demo** and free estimates email fight.dirt@gmail.com
Also you can find out more details about our Power Washing
and painting services at Thumbtack.com
Power washing Dragon and Painting. The Difference, is, Here.

8 comments:

Unknown said...

I liked the posting & think that it will be helpful for others. Keep up the good work. Always good to see, that was really a interesting article. It takes time to create that interesting and additionally real effort to write such a excellent article. Thanks for the article. Good info, thanks for posting. You've inspired me.
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Thomas Hill said...

We always clean our home on the inside but sometimes, we tend to forget cleaning the outside structure of our home, especially the external walls,the roof and the gutter. From time to time, we make sure that our home is clean from the inside to the outside. We maintain the cleanliness of our home regularly in Boston gutters are to be kept clean also to prevent damage when rain and snow comes.

Richard Boles said...

Having a clean and tough gutter will go a long way in keeping your roof and your home in general look neat and appealing. That is why, I always got my gutters checked while my roofing in Miami, FL are being repaired/replaced by the roofing contractors.

Debbie Viola said...

Thanks for providing such detailed, useful information that every homeowner can benefit from.
Debbie Viola
CUSTOM FINISHES & MURALS BY DEBBIE VIOLA

Unknown said...

Obstructed gutters are indeed disasterous! Those leaves and twigs that are left piling up on your roof can lead to even worse problems. It's not that hard to clean it and it takes -at the most - just two hours to complete. Thanks for the cleaning tips and I hope your readers will use those. Cheers!

-> Avis Brunswick

Unknown said...

That is some quality pressure washing. I used to do that while I was in college, and I can tell you that it isn't easy. You should be proud of the work y'all do.

Elizabeth said...

My husband cleans our gutter regularly. What he does is he checks the downspouts because those can get clogged by debris such as leaves and twigs. He unclogs them by placing a garden hose into the opening. Downspouts are not intended to hold up the same pressure as a house drain. On the other hand, instead of a water hose, he uses a leaf blower to clean the gutters. He just does it carefully when on the roof.

Elizabeth Hoffnung

Unknown said...

You’re right. Cleaning gutters is harder than what it looks like. Gutters are hard-to-access areas of the house, so you need skill and experience to properly clean them. And yes, it is important to keep our gutters free from dirt and debris, but this is a fact that many sadly overlook. Remember that gutters are anchored to the majority of the house. It is also an entryway for many outside elements. When your gutters are compromised, then your whole house could be in jeopardy as well.

Eulalia Symonds