Gutter Cleaning “This Means War”
Gutter Cleaning – This Means War
We talk strategy regarding scheduling your gutter cleaning. Pre-emptive strike, the full scale ‘storm the beach’ attack, or a customized plan to defeat the onslaught of rain this fall and winter.
Gutter cleaning.
It’s like a war, and although I don’t usually like talking in war metaphors, for the sake of this article, I’m settling in the trenches for some real, honest talk about the yearly battle against the onslaught of rain, and the efforts made by your strata’s gutter systems to keep it contained and flowing away from your building’s properly. After all, you don’t want it spilling over and digging trenches at the foundation, or attacking the decks and entrance ways of the units.
If it does, you’ll be sure to hear screaming from those unit owners on the front line.
So, let’s take a look at how we traditionally approach this, and what works and what doesn’t. After all, if you want to achieve success, it is better to have the proper plan in place to win the battle.
Standard Service – 1 X Cleaning
“Storm the Beach”
Usually, this doesn’t work well.
A one time gutter clean is like throwing all of your resources at the battlefront at one time, hoping to eliminate all possible enemies you’re combating and win the war in one rush. The problem with this strategy is that the enemy is fighting a 12 month battle.
Issues With The Plan:
Timing
If the timing is off, this is pretty much guaranteed not to work. For gutter cleaning, this means if your strike doesn’t happen once the majority of leaves that may fall and plug the gutters haven’t happened, your efforts may be defeated in the near future by more leaves falling and filling the gutters. Too late, and water in the gutter troughs may freeze, not only making it nearly impossible to pull the leaves and debris out, but expanding the trough and potentially causing damage due to the excess weight, and swelling on the joints which damages caulking.
Reserves
If there is anything being held back, your efforts will be defeated. If we picture the trees as the enemy, they don’t all drop their leaves at once; different species shed at different rates and temperatures, and pine trees shed their needles year round.
To gutters, that means if there are any leaves left on the trees waiting to fall, there are potential clogs that may happen once the service is complete. That is why it could be a good idea to call someone similar to Phoenix Arborist who can remove the tree–Remove The Cause , The Effect Will Be Automatically Gone!
Instead of cleaning the gutter every time a leaf falls from the tree, consider opting for a better strategy (maybe something like removing the tree)!
Honestly, isn’t it time for a new battle plan?
Counter with your own reserves & strategy
Gutter Cleaning Program Care
This is why our gutter cleaning program was created. To win this war, we have changed the strategy to maximize the success rate.
Our plan; clean the entire system. However, have in reserve the ability to call in pre-paid and agreed to additional spot cleans to deal with those new problems that arise. Ever see a war movie where those in the trenches are begging the guy with the radio back pack to call in an air strike to come to the rescue?
This is your air strike – And we give you three of them with the program.
(We can adjust and have more than 3 where we think certain buildings will need them)
We also provide minor repair work to ensure the system is maintained, and can give you photo reports of any issues found. You see, we want you to win this war, and if you choose to recruit us, we want to help put the best, most effective strategy to win in place.
That’s why we have our technicians waiting to rush back in and solve problems as they arise at stratas on a gutter maintenance program. Those that see the value of this battle plan can have us swiftly strike the areas and eradicate the issues, getting the system running smoothly again, and working with the strata to win the war; without strata needing to worry about the cost.
Isn’t it expense?
Not really. We typically add only a small amount, less than one service call, on to the cost of a regular one time gutter clean. (Typical added cost for a program vs one time is $ 200.00 to $400.00)
So why isn’t everyone doing this?
Good Question
Timing Of The First Attack:
Schedule the first attack of the gutter cleaning based on your strata’s needs ahead of the start of the war. Don’t play the waiting game, study the enemy so you know the nature of its’ attack, and plan accordingly.
RECCOMENDED CLEANING TIME
Foliage Above Gutter System
Low Early Fall (Sept, Oct)
Medium Mid Fall (Oct, Nov)
High Late Fall Winter (Dec, Jan)
Extreme * Early Fall and Late Winter
* Some buildings require two cleaning services due to high amount of foliage, and varying type of species which shed through out the year.
If there aren’t many trees able to send leaves down into your gutters, then most likely the accumulation that has happened throughout the year can be removed prior to the start of the heavy rains. Booking your service early in the season ensures it gets done before service providers are swamped and the strata is left waiting until late in the war, as the troops are engaged elsewhere. You want to avoid the freezing problem – get the cleaning done early.
However, on the other end of the spectrum, if there are a lot of trees, especially of different species poised to plug up your system, it is better to wait until later so that as many of those leaves have come down as possible.
This is no guarantee of success, but the odds are more in your favour.
So based on results we’ve all seen year after year, isn’t it better to have a more robust battle plan? Don’t expect to win the war with one rush, but consider a measured, calculated, repeat approach that will eradicate the enemy over time; consider a program.