Archives for November 2021

If you’re a homeowner in the mid-west, such as Minneapolis, Minnesota, you’re well aware of how cold it can get. Winter usually goes from late November to March and with that so does lots of snow, cold, and short days. So how does the affect new gutters? Can, and should you, install in the cold, or wait for spring?

Whether you choose to have new gutters installed in the winter, or wait until warmer weather, we’ve put together a few things to consider.

When is the Best Time to Install Gutters? The answer is, it depends. While you can install gutters in the winter, it may be better to wait for very dark colors. If you’re installing black gutters for instance remember about expansion & contraction. Extremely dark colors, like black, shrink when it’s freezing out. If you install dark colors in the cold they can expand when it gets warmer out and buckle the gutter. That being said it’s still OK to install these in the winter just make sure it’s above freezing when installing dark colors. Lighter colors will make no difference.

Call The Gutter Guys work and install seamless gutters all year long, even in the winter. We’re located just west of Minneapolis MN in Rockford. There is nothing wrong with installing gutters in the winter and there won’t be any issues as long as care is taken and colors are watched for proper temps. So, can gutters be installed in the winter? Yes!

Give the gutter experts at Call The Gutter Guys a call today to get started on your new gutter installation plans! Our team can be reached at 612-314-6770 or use the form below.

One of the longest debates between homeowners and roofing contractors is “Are leaf guards for gutters worth it”?  Some people love leaf guards and others say they add more work to the cleaning process. So the primary question should be, do leaf guards for gutters really work? Let’s explore that question.

After every spring and every fall, you get the ladder and set out to clean the gutters. The different elements from trees, animals like birds, and squirrels often leave our gutters filled with junk plugging them up. This cleaning process can take anywhere from a half day to a whole day before you’re done.

The idea behind leaf guards is to keep that stuff out of the gutters, eliminating the need to spend your free time doing it.  The advocates of leaf guards say it’s all dependent on proper installation as well as the proper type for your scenario.

Do Gutter Guards Cause Problems?

Those that don’t advocate leaf guard gutters are the first to tell anyone about the problems they can cause. Some are concerned about debris that accumulates on top of the guard and if they cause ice damns.

Another factor to consider about leaf guard gutters is the warranty on your roof could be negatively impacted if they aren’t installed correctly. Always hire a professional contractor like Call The Gutter Guys that has experience in installing leaf guards. There is a right way to install them and many wrong ways. When leaf guard gutters are attached by nails to the roof shingles this can void the roof warranty. Please check with the installer.

What Are The Benefits of Leaf Guards?

Time & Money: Open gutters collect various types of debris, like leaves and limbs, that accumulate and lead to clogged gutter runs and downspouts, keeping water from flowing. Yes, even with gutter guards, you’ll have to spend some time cleaning off the top of the leaf guard, gutters themselves won’t need cleaning.

Damage Prevention: As ice and snow melt, the water runs off into the gutters and then refreezes there, then additional melting ice and snow flows over the gutter and around your home’s foundation. Additionally, that excess water becomes heavy and pulls from the house or gutters collapse. causes your gutter to have additional weight, and the gutter might give in. With leaf guard gutters installed, your gutters become stronger to prevent that from happening.

Your Safety: Most would agree that gutter cleaning isn’t fun, but it’s also dangerous with climbing ladders and possible electrical shocks if you hit the wiring going into your home.  If you don’t clean the gutters, they become clogged and the water that doesn’t spill over and pool around the foundation will back up under the shingles and begin rotting the roof. A leaf guard will reduce the chances of these things happening.

Increased Home Value: Potential home buyers will be drawn to a home with clean and properly hung gutters, and leaf guard gutters can make them even more attractive. The funny thing about gutters, they aren’t noticed when they’re installed, but a home without them, gets noticed that it needs them.

Clogged gutters are worse than no gutters, but with a good leaf guard, gutters are a benefit. So, are leaf guard gutters worth the money? For the short answer, yes, if they are installed by an experienced professional.

Call The Gutter Guys have several leaf guards to chose from and the experience to explain the differences. Not only can leaf guards for gutters range greatly in price, they also range greatly in how they function. For a free consultation give us a call at 612-314-6770 or use the form below to send us an email.

So who is the best seamless gutter company in Delano MN? Of course we like to hope we are but let’s take a look at what you should be looking for in someone to install your gutters in Delano.

Like most people you probably started with a Google search of gutter companies in Delano. And, like most searches it most likely brought up many results. Here are some tips you should consider once you start making calls.

Be Leery Of The Company That Can Do Your Gutters Next Week

Any good, reputable company is usually 2 or more weeks out dependent on the time of year. Now, of course in our Minnesota winters installers may not be as busy but at least the summer months expect a couple weeks or more.

How Thick Is That Gutter Material Anyway?

Just like most products out there, gutters are not just gutters. The coil that is made to from a gutter comes in different thicknesses. Make sure to ask the company you call about this as thicker material will last longer and stand up better to our Minnesota seasons. Our standard gutter used by Call The Gutter Guys is the thickest gutter material you can buy.

Bigger Is Better

Did you know that downspouts (the part that runs from the gutter down to the ground and out) come in various sizes? Many companies will use smaller 2×3 downs to save a little money. While this size may be great in warmer climates they are not well suited for Minnesota. Let the company know you want the larger 3×4. Call The Gutter Guys uses 3×4 as standard.

To Flash Or Not To Flash?

If you look at your shingles you’ll notice a small piece of metal right below it. Typically that will be 1 to 2.5 inches. That piece is widely known as drip edge. Now, there are several styles of this and they all don’t work with gutters. Or at least not all should be used with gutters. To keep bids low, or worse case they just dont know any better some companies will fail to do this part correctly. The drip edge on most new homes is not compatible with gutters and should be replaced with your gutter job. To keep the bid down many won’t do it and don’t even bring it up. Ask the companies you’re calling if new gutter apron is included and if not does what you have work?

Explaining The Process

Whoever you have out (hopefully us:-) ) they should be able to describe to you in detail how they will install the gutters. Ask where the downspouts will be and why so you clearly understand where the water is being diverted too.

Our company, Call The Gutter Guys has installed gutters on hundreds of Delano homes and we always offer free estimates.