October 12, 2011

Tight Budget? Save With Gutter Programs

A few times this fall, I’ve been asked to provide a quote for a partial clean at a strata. I’ve been happy to do so of course, but quickly found that if a strata is expecting to need a partial clean later in the year in a problem area, going with a gutter program can easily save them hundreds of dollars.

Our standard 1x gutter cleaning service price includes everything youd expect from a single servicing of the gutters at a strata. The program price is usually around $200 more, and includes 3 free visits within a 12 month period after the first visit in which the gutters are completely cleaned. Separately, a visit to do a partial clean can cost up to half the price of the full 1x clean, and is going to cost a minimum call out charge at least. This is usually going to be well over $200. With the free visits included in the program, the strata saves the difference.

For example, one strata who requested a quote for a partial clean would need to pay $475 based on the labor involved in cleaing that area. With the program, they’d save $275, and still have 2 more free service calls in case any other service needs arose throughout the year.

So consider going with a gutter cleaning program if you’re trying to save money for your stratas using partial cleans as a discount idea to leave some extra dollars in the budget. You will save money.

September 20, 2010

Gutter Repairs

Sylvain 026We’ve had great success with repairing numerous problems with gutter systems at various stratas.  We’ve added an experienced member to our team to ensure most of these repairs can be performed.

Issues and Repairs:

Installed on an inproper angle causing overflow before water can drain down the spout.  (click here to view an article explaining this elsewhere  in our blog).    In many cases these sections can be adjusted so that the angle allows for proper water drainage.

Gutters pulled away from the fascia board causing leaks, and leading toward the gutter falling off the building.  In many cases these can be reaffixed, so long as the board itself hasn’t rotted out behind the gutter.  In some cases we can repair this as well, but a rotting fascia board should be replaced.

A hole in the gutter, causing a leak.  This can usually be patched, solving the problem without needing to replace the entire section of gutter.

Gaps in the seams where caulking has worn away, causing leaks.  Gaps and seams can be recaulked – but this MUST be done in DRY weather, in favourable weather conditions to allow the caulking to set.  These issues should be noted and then repaired in summer months.  Temperature ranges are more favourable and wet weather will just causing the caulking to run or drip out of the seam rather than repair it.

Clogged down spout, causing water to overflow over the lip of the gutter.  Clogs can be flushed out, removed with a drain snake or flexible tool.

Disconnected down pipe, causing water to spray against the building and around the foundation, rather than be carried away properly by the system.  These pipes can be reattached if still on site, or replaced.

Missing gutter inserts, causing the spouts to become easily plugged by leaves and debris which can cover the hole.  New inserts can be placed inside, helping keep the top of the spout clear and allowing the water to drain out.

We clean your gutters, and service them as well.  If you are having an emergency issue, call us.  Become more proactive this year and avoid the cost of emergency call outs, get your issues dealt with promptly and have a more comprehensive gutter service set up for your stratas.

June 7, 2010

Awnings – Architecture Changes Bring Challenges

Inward slanting awnings – this is a newer feature being found in Vancouver over the last couple of years.  I’ve heard (though I may be wrong) that this is due to a change in Vancouver building law which no longer allows rain to run off of a building awning and onto city sidewalk.  Instead, the rainwater is directed downward to a gutter running the length of the awning where it meets the building.  It then flows through a downspout into the city sewer system.

We had a question from a couple of property managers concerning this type of glass canopy that appeared to be leaking.  If there are drips coming from the bottom sides of such a structure.  If the gutter at the base of these awnings is not regularly cleaned, they may become clogged with leaves, debris, and garbage thrown from above or blown off balconies by the wind.   Cleaning these gutters should get rid of any leaks you may be having.

June 7, 2010

Overflowing Gutter Issues

“Why is this gutter still overflowing?  We repaired the caulking at the seams, repaired the downspout.  It (the gutter) has been cleaned, so why does it keep spilling over?”

This is a question we received from a property manager regarding a situation we’ve encountered often before.   The answer was confirmed on site by one of our gutter division technicians.

If gutters are not working correctly necessary repair may include reattaching damaged or disconnected downspouts or re-caulking leaky seams.  In the instance involved with this question, both items had been performed at this particular section of gutter, which was found to still be overflowing.  Then, investigation into additional factors occurred.

Bringing a hose up to the gutter and flooding it with water demonstrated the problem.

By doing this we ensure the downspout is draining properly by observing the water level, but it also demonstrates the angle at which the gutter is sitting.  This angle can be incorrectly set during installation, or can change as the building settles and shifts over time.  Watching the water level rise as the technician pumped it full of water showed that the gutter was sitting at the incorrect angle.  Water flowed to the end of the gutter that was capped, rather than to the end with the downspout.  Therefore, during heavy rain, the gutter would fill up and spill over rather than flow down and out the drain spout as it should.

My crude pictures demonstrate on a short length of gutter how the water always fills a vessel and yet remains level, regardless of the angle of the vessel (in this case gutter) in which it sits.   Take the example above of the second gutter above, and apply it to a long section of gutter, and you get something like this:

During heavy rainfall, water will accumulate faster than it can drain out, especially since the low end floods and fills first, only being allowed to drain once the water level rises high enough to start escaping through the downspout.

Solution: The gutter needs to be removed from the building, and reattached at the proper angle to allow the water to flow down and out through the downspout.

May 26, 2010

Andrew Achtymichuk – Property Manager AWM Alliance Real Estate Group

I have been using ServiceMaster for the past 2 years for cleaning the gutter, windows, ducts and carpets. They have always done an excellent job, very professional and if there has ever been a problem, they rectify it immediately. If I ever have a question that is in their field, their knowledge is second to none, ServiceMaster knows their job, inside and out.