Month: July 2021

There is no doubt that summertime has arrived. As temperatures reach higher digits, homeowners may not think that gutter issues could arise during the hot summer months. However, that assumption could not be more wrong. Every season brings about a whole new set of risks to your gutters and your home, including summer. Autumn brings falling foliage and winter produces icy snowy storms…

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This post first appeared on https://gutterpros.com/

There’s no getting around it: in order to attract the attention your building deserves, they all need to have absolutely stunning exteriors. Whether you’re the manager of a retail store, large commercial building, or apartment complex OR a regular homeowner looking to boost their “curb appeal,” beautiful exteriors are a must.

So, how can you get those gorgeous exteriors? Professional pressure washing is one of the best ways to deliver that shine—and if you’re in the Olney, Rockville, Gaithersburg, Bethesda, Frederick, Columbia, or Potomac areas in Maryland, Superior Pressure Washing is the place to go to.

The “Superior” Choice

Superior Pressure Washing is ready to tackle whatever exterior you need cleaning! Here’s what we can offer:

• House Washing. Don’t waste time with those other, unproven companies with their high-pressure, house-damaging jets of water. With Superior pressure washing, we use a gentle, soft-washing technique to remove those persistent stains and dirt buildup and restore your home to the look it deserves!
• Interior and exterior gutter cleaning. Without regular cleaning and maintenance, dirty or clogged gutters can become a serious problem for the long-term health of your house! Our experienced gutter cleaning services help protect your valuable investment.
• Flatwork and pool/pool deck cleaning. Sidewalks, driveways, pools, pool decks, or any other flat surfaces giving you cleaning trouble? We can help!

Along with that, we’re also proud to offer residential roof cleaning, gutter cleaning, and window cleaning—along with commercial concrete cleaning and complex cleaning. Got an exterior surface you need to get cleaned? We can help!

A “Superior” Edge

Ready to get started with Superior Pressure Washing? We have over a decade’s worth of experience delivering high-quality service to the great people of Maryland, Northern Virginia, and the DC Metro area—and always with a focus on the customer. Get a free estimate here!

This post first appeared on https://www.superiorwash.net/

Summer brings on plenty of new challenges for your gutters, which is why it’s important to provide them with proper maintenance. This will help ensure your gutters work efficiently throughout the entire season. It’s never a good idea to put off gutter maintenance, as this could result in major structural damage to your home. Read on to learn about the many reasons it’s a good idea to do gutter maintenance this summer:

• Summer storms can cause major issues: Maintaining your gutters during the summer can help protect your home against the effects of extreme weather. Gutters allow water to properly drain from your roof, preventing it from pooling along the sides. If your gutters get clogged, the water can’t drain properly. This might cause leaks that result in water damage or the growth of mold. It’s also a good idea to check your gutters after storms, as high winds can cause debris to collect in them.
• There’s a lot of debris during summer: Storms aren’t the only things that cause debris during the summer. Debris like limbs and leaves can easily accumulate in your gutters, causing blockages. If left too long, these blockages can become hard to remove. Some debris can turn into a gunky substance after a while, which can easily clog your gutters and cause water to collect on your roof.
• Gutter maintenance provides good protection: If you want to truly protect your roof, it’s important to maintain your gutters all year long. As mention above, clogged gutters can cause pooling water on your roof. Over time, this pooling water could result in leaks, which often leads to rot and other damage. Roof repairs often cost a lot of money to take care of, but you can avoid these expenses entirely by taking good care of your gutters this summer.
• Summer is a good time to remove nests: Birds and other creatures like building their nests during summer—and sometimes, they like to build these nests in your gutters. These nests can cause clogs, so it’s important to remove them as soon as possible. Be sure to wear proper protective gear when removing nests to prevent the transfer of dangerous bacteria.
• It’s easier to look for problems: With all the gunk and debris out of the way, you can easily notice spots of rust or cracks. Fixing these types of damage as soon as possible will prevent them from growing larger. It’s especially important to have your gutters fixed before the colder months roll around.

Call in a professional

If you’re inexperienced or just don’t have time to take care of your gutters, be sure to call in a professional to do the job. Gutter experts can easily clean and maintain your gutters once or twice a year, thus ensuring your gutters work efficiently. Investing in summer gutter maintenance also ensures you’ll catch any issues before they turn into major problems.

If you’re in need of professional gutter installation or repairs, contact the experts at L & S Seamless Guttering. We provide comprehensive gutter services for both residential and commercial properties.

This post first appeared on https://lsseamlessgutter.com/

Gutter cleaning is a must on a spring maintenance to-do list, but it’s easy to understand why it’s one of the least favorite chores for many homeowners. Mucking out rain gutters is dirty, time-consuming and sometimes dangerous – yet necessary as well. You probably already know that the spring and summer months can bring trouble, especially if your gutters are already full of leaves. You can avoid major damage and the hassle of cleaning your gutters in the future by installing America’s #1 choice in gutter protection.

Why Customers Choose Gutter Helmet®

Many customers choose Gutter Helmet® for two main reasons: safety and reduced maintenance. As baby boomers age, they’re less likely to want to regularly climb a ladder to clean out their gutters. A gutter protection system can prevent aging homeowners from having to perform this distasteful task, and remove the risk of accidents that could occur while cleaning gutters.

The second motivation is reduced maintenance. Not only do homeowners who have Gutter Helmet installed avoid the need to routinely clean debris out of their gutter system, they also prevent the many problems associated with overflowing gutters, including rot and damage to their home’s exterior, basement, lawn and landscaping.

Did We Mention the Triple Lifetime Warranty?

Our Triple Lifetime Warranty means Gutter Helmet is covered by a lifetime material warranty against defects due to faulty material or workmanship, and a lifetime performance warranty to guarantee that it will never clog. The warranty is transferable to the new owner should you sell your home. All you have to do is submit the warranty registration when you purchase Gutter Helmet to take advantage of all the warranty benefits.

Choose Gutter Helmet® to Protect Your Home

More than one million homeowners have chosen Gutter Helmet® to protect their homes and families, and we hope you will too! Contact Gutter Helmet at (800) 824-3772 or submit our online contact form to connect with a certified Gutter Helmet dealer in your area.

The post Still Haven’t Cleaned Out Those Gutters? Let Us Do the Job for You appeared first on Gutter Helmet.

It is evident that summer is here. The temperatures are high, the air is humid, and it is time for family vacations. This is also a popular time of year where you will see reminders about fire prevention around your home. It is suggested that you remove dried yard waste, trim tree limbs that hang over your home, and cut back shrubs around your air conditioner. One common area that homeowners…

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This post first appeared on https://gutterpros.com/

Soffits and fascia boards are important to your home for many reasons. One, they help make it look great and can truly help complement the overall decor of your home’s exterior. Two, they help enclose the home from the outside — keeping pests and any weather at bay. They can also help increase ventilation into your attic, which can help increase its energy efficiency. And three, in certain areas of your home, your gutters are installed onto the fascia boards, providing key support for this important system.

However, fascia and soffit boards have to be replaced from time to time. Replacement often comes after noticeable damage has been discovered. Another time when it makes sense to perform fascia and soffit board replacement is if you’re getting new gutters.

In this post, we’ll further discuss the importance of fascia and soffit boards, why they matter to gutter installation and more. Here’s a closer look:

Fascia Board, Soffit Build-Out: A Key Part of Gutter Installation

Like we noted in the opening, gutters install into the fascia boards on your home — so these boards have to be in good condition in order to support the weight of the gutters. Even if your fascia boards are in good condition, it can still make sense to have them replaced when you’re getting new gutters to match any new color or design scheme that you’re aiming for.

The soffits are installed underneath the rafter tails of your home. Depending on the current condition of your soffits, the ventilation in your home and any problems your existing soffits may be causing in your property, it often makes sense to have the soffits replaced and built out at the same time you’re having the fascia board work performed.

Cost of Soffit and Fascia Build Out

The cost of any home improvement project depends on a variety of factors, and soffit and fascia board build-outs are no exception. On average, it costs anywhere from $20 to $30 per linear foot of soffit installed, but costs can vary based on material. Fascia boards generally cost anywhere from $15 to $25 per linear foot that is installed. Again, the cost can vary based on material.

Traditionally, soffits and fascia boards are made from the likes of aluminum and wood. However, there is a range of material options that property owners can select from for these build-outs today. Some of the more popular options today include vinyl and UPVC.

When to Replace Soffit and Fascia Boards

So how do you know when to replace soffit and fascia boards? Like we said in the introduction, sometimes it makes sense based on any other significant projects you’re carrying out around the home.

For instance, if you’re getting new gutters, it might make sense to look at replacing at least the fascia boards to match the color or style of your new gutters. If you’re having new siding installed on your home, replacing the soffit and fascia boards is typically part of the service that’s included in such work.

But there are other situations where it makes sense to replace your soffits and fascia boards outside of the aforementioned situations. Here’s a look at the situations you should note:

• If they incur damage: Mold, mildew and other stains can typically be easily cleaned off with a little bit of cleaning solution or elbow grease, but if you notice rusting or areas where the soffit is peeling away from the property or completely missing, repairs or replacement should become a priority.
• If your soffits and/or fascia are made of wood, you’ll want to replace them if rot is noticeable.
• If you have a pest infestation in your attic, it’s likely that the soffits and/or fascia were not installed correctly or have been damaged to the point where pests can invade.
• If there’s mold growth in your attic, it’s a sign that your soffits likely aren’t doing a good enough job ventilating to the attic. While professional remediation is likely necessary, it’s also important to take the necessary measures to ensure the mold doesn’t come back. Replacing the fascia to improve attic ventilation can help.
• Chipped or cracked paint is a sign of old fascia and soffit age. The older these building materials get, the more prone they are to fail.

Can I Replace Soffits or Fascia?

Often, it makes sense to let a professional handle replacement or new build-outs, simply because they’re often already at your home to replace the gutters or add new siding. Additionally, installing soffits or fascia incorrectly can lead to significant problems, such as home water damage, mold growth or a pest infestation. However, if you’re handy, don’t mind heights and have the proper materials, it is possible to carry out this work yourself.

For more information on fascia board and soffit board replacement, contact K-Guard today.

This post first appeared on https://www.kguard.com

Wood rot is a persistent problem that can eventually lead to structural damage. This is especially the case if the infected wood parts have been left untreated for some time. Here are some tips on how you can prevent wood rot from occurring in your home.

Know the Common Causes of Rot

It’s good to have an understanding of how rot develops in wooden materials. This way, you’ll get a better idea of how to properly care for your home. Typically, rot is the result of four basic factors: wood, oxygen, warmth and moisture. When these elements are present, fungi can grow and decompose the wood by using the cellulose and lining in the wood. This is how wood often ends up looking intact, but upon closer inspection, it is actually soft and rotten.

When planning for the maintenance of your home’s wood parts, it’s best to focus on the elements that you can possibly control. Oxygen and temperature are difficult to control, so you have to pay close attention to the moisture levels around certain parts of your home. Keep moisture at bay so that you can prevent or delay the decomposition of your home.

Pay Attention to the Usual Trouble Spots

Look out for the most common trouble spots. Make it a point to do a visual inspection of your home at least once a year. Check if there are cracks and holes in the caulking around your doors, windows and dryer vents. Inspect the areas under the eaves, around your fireplace and on interior ceilings to see if there are leak stains. Have a look at your gutters and downspouts, too. Leaking and sagging in these parts should be addressed immediately, either through repair or replacement. While gutter work can be easy DIY jobs sometimes, it’s still best to consult experts so as to prevent errors in diagnosing problems and identifying long-term solutions.

Invest in Preventive Maintenance

Clichéd as it is, prevention is always better than cure. That’s why you should invest time and effort in performing maintenance routines on a regular basis. The cost of doing maintenance work is a lot cheaper than repairs or replacements. By simply cleaning your gutters, for example, you can prevent clogs that could cause water to spill onto your fascia and siding.

Gutter Helmet® Piedmont is a locally owned and operated business. We provide a range of services, including gutter installation, gutter protection and more. Our team is composed of qualified workers who can ensure quality workmanship. Call us at (844) 204-1015, or fill out our contact form to request a free quote.

The post How to Prevent Wood Rot in Your Home appeared first on Gutter Helmet.

In a rush to fill the emptiness of a bare yard and provide their homes with shade to protect against the summer sun, many homeowners plant trees without first doing some research to find out what they’re getting into. Different species of trees have very distinct characteristics and require varying levels of maintenance. Here are some of the trees that have the potential to do more harm than good in your yard:

• Black walnut. Black walnut trees produce a toxic chemical that causes many plants growing under them to wither and die. While beneficial to wildlife, black walnut trees are messy due to their large leaves and falling nuts.
• Cottonwood. Cottonwood trees grow rapidly but only live an average of 30 years. Their brittle branches shed a lot and are very susceptible to storm damage. The cottonwood’s invasive root system has been known to crack sidewalks and foundations, and the large amount of cottony seeds released by the trees are unsightly and can clog mesh gutter covers and other types of filters.
• Maple. North America is home to around 150 varieties of maple trees, which are famous for their breathtaking fall foliage. However, the fruit of the maple takes the form of very mobile “helicopters,” “whirlybirds” or “spinners” that are known to fill gutters as far as a mile away from the tree.
• Mountain cedar. This native of the south-central U.S. releases massive amounts of pollen throughout the winter months, causing severe hay fever in many people. Even if you’re not allergic, your neighbors might be. Cedars also contain highly flammable resin, which can be a fire hazard.
• Mulberry. Certain varieties of mulberry trees produce a small, dark fruit that can stain decks and walkways.

Protect Your Gutters With Gutter Helmet®

If you have existing trees that produce troublesome amounts of leaves, seeds or nuts, the Gutter Helmet® gutter cover could be the solution to your gutter maintenance problems. There are no vertical openings on Gutter Helmet rain gutter guard – only a 3/8-inch gap that lets water in while keeping out debris. Contact Gutter Helmet today at (800) 824-3772 or via our online form to request a free quote for this revolutionary gutter protection system!

The post 5 Trees That Don’t Belong in Your Yard appeared first on Gutter Helmet.

More and more homeowners are having rain guards installed on their gutters. But is this merely a passing trend? After all, installing these guards will cost money. Rest assured, though, that rain guards are an important investment in your home that can pay dividends for years to come—that’s why they’re generating so much interest among homeowners. If you’re wondering about the leading reasons to install gutter guards, read on for more information.

Maintaining safety

The reality is that cleaning gutters is a dangerous task. Many homeowners either do it themselves—getting up on the roof and risking their safety—or pay someone else to do it. You could easily fall off a ladder or receive an electrical shock from exposed wires.

However, rain gutter guards greatly reduce the amount of regular maintenance you need to perform on your gutters because they prevent the buildup of debris.

Preventing clogs

When you go with rain gutter guard installation, you’re going to prevent twigs, leaves, branches, dirt and other debris from clogging the gutters and downspouts. This, then, prevents you from inadvertently creating an environment that’s perfect for the growth of environmental hazards like mold, pests and mildew. These hazards can invade your home and become a major problem.

Structural integrity

Gutter guards are great for improving your gutters’ structural integrity. That means you’ll have years to come of proper water flow through the gutters. With improved performance comes an extended lifespan, meaning you won’t have to pay for costly gutter replacement for a long time.

Protecting your home

Rain guards improve the performance of your gutters. This leads to better protection for your roof because you’re reducing the chance that standing water will form and cause rot and mold growth.

On top of that, rain guards also play a role in protecting your home’s foundation. Clogged or faulty gutters are liable to direct water toward the foundation. Rain guards eliminate many of these common problems and allow the gutters to do their job: redirecting water away from the foundation into the yard. This is why rain guards can boost your home’s value in the long run.

An investment now that pays off later

The bottom line is that installing rain guards for your gutters now will protect your home, protect your gutters and protect you from the hazards of gutter maintenance. While there is an up-front cost, the long-term benefits provide tremendous value. This is why rain guards have become popular with homeowners across the country.

For the best in rain gutter guard installation, trust L & S Seamless Guttering.  We’re the region’s premier gutter contractors, serving both homeowners and business owners. Our team of talented technicians does it all, from installation and repair of aluminum and copper gutters to steel patio and carport covers. Contact us today to get answers to your questions about gutter services and gutter replacement, and we’ll also provide you with a free estimate for our services—we look forward to assisting you with your gutters!

This post first appeared on https://lsseamlessgutter.com/

Summer is the time to partner with your contractor to make your dream home a reality! Investing in home improvement projects requires knowledge and planning, however. Many improvements won’t add value to your home, and can even reduce the amount you’re able to ask for when you decide to sell (think swimming pools and sunrooms). 

On the other hand, projects such as the following can add significant value to your home:

1. Garage door replacement. A garage door replacement is the most lucrative home upgrade you can undertake. Remodeling magazine’s 2021 Cost vs. Value Report indicates a mid-range garage door replacement averages a high return nationally at 93.8%. This seems to indicate that replacements that generate curb appeal, such as installing a garage door and adding manufactured stone veneer on the exterior, are important to buyers.
2. Kitchen remodel. Keep your existing cabinet bases in place while replacing the cabinet and drawer fronts with shaker-style wood panels and new hardware. Replace old appliances with new models, which are much more energy-efficient. With a mid-priced sink and faucet, as well as updated countertops and flooring and a bright new coat of paint, a mid-range kitchen remodel can be a great investment.
3. Bathroom mini-remodel. A modern faucet, showerhead and other bathroom fixtures can change the look and feel of an entire room. A fresh coat of paint, a mirror to reflect and amplify natural light and tile or marble flooring can make a small bathroom appear more spacious and luxurious. Add a low-flow toilet that uses only 1.6 gallons of water per flush and you’ll also enjoy savings on your water bill.
4. Gutter protection. An important step in protecting your landscaping and home from overflowing gutters is a quality gutter protection system. Not to mention, many homebuyers are very attracted by the thought of never having to clean gutters again!

Find a Certified Gutter Helmet® Installer Near You

For more information on the cost of Gutter Helmet® products and to connect with a certified installer of the best gutter protection systems in your area, call (800) 824-3772 or submit our online form today!

The post 4 Small Home Improvements With Big Payoffs appeared first on Gutter Helmet.