Utah Gutter

Rain Gutters Salt Lake City Utah

Best of State 2019
9 Time Residential Contractor Winner
Phone: 801-803-6816

Tips for Managing Trees in the Yard

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Trees, in general, are a great part of the natural landscape of any yard. Trees provide shade, oxygen, and a pleasant aesthetic around the exterior of your property. Trees also provide a lot of leaves and can pose a risk to structures if they are damaged or destroyed during a storm. Overall, the benefits of trees far outweigh the potential disadvantages or risks, but you should always consider the placement of the trees in your yard–especially when planting new trees. The location and type of tree play a critical role in distribution of shade and leaves around your property. When planting trees, thinking about location and variety of tree is an important part of determining how the tree will function in your yard and, in terms of yard and gutter maintenance, how often you will be raking and clearing leaves.

 

Strategic Planting

 

 

Planting trees strategically will improve the aesthetics of your yard, as well as keep trees from growing into and interfering with utility lines, structural foundations, and roofs. Certain varieties of trees are best suited to certain parts of the yard, and certain sizes of yards. Large pine trees or willow trees may not be suitable for smaller yards where the space between the yard and the house is limited. These types of large trees are also not best suited to locations very near the foundation or side of the house. Beyond potential damage to your home from branches or collapse from high winds, large deciduous trees will clog your rain gutters with leaves that can impede water flow, become obstructions and cause ice dams in the winter. These trees near the home require regular leaf removal maintenance and can be problematic during thunderstorms. Often smaller, thinner, or less leafy trees are optimal.

 

Tree Trimming & Rain Gutter Maintenance

 

 
If you have a lot of leafy trees in your yard, keeping them maintained can be an ongoing challenge. You will need to ensure that branches growing near utility lines remained trimmed and that leaves are regularly cleared from rain gutters. Often problematic trees can be pruned by a tree service company or the power company if they are interfering with utility lines. You should still be aware of how and where the trees in your yard are growing and perform regular grooming on them when necessary. Part of this maintenance involves, inevitably, cleaning out your rain gutters. This is usually a fall activity when deciduous trees shed their leaves, but if there are pine trees near your home or your gutters have been neglected for awhile, you may need to do this task more regularly. Even thin pine needles can collect in and clog the gutters. Cleaning the gutters of leaves and other debris will ensure that your rain gutters function as they are meant to and are reliable year round.

Protection for Your Gutters

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The gutters of your home serve an important function in keeping your home protected from damaging weather. To keep this protection in your home, it is important to further protect your rain gutters from leaves, debris, ice, snow, and other dangers that may come this way. At Rain Gutter Specialties, we have three different systems to help keep damage from happening to your rain gutters. Choose the gutter protection system that will best suit your needs, ensuring your gutters will continue to serve your home.

 

Why Gutters?

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First it is important to examine what gutters do to protect your home. This protection is especially important during the months of the highest precipitation. Your roof is designed to allow rain to tumble down the sides, preventing it from pooling and causing damage. Without gutters, this water falls directly around the sides of your home, seeping into the foundation. Over time the seeping will cause damage, cracking the foundation and allowing water damage into your home. Gutters will be the first and most effective defense here.

 

Even with gutters sometimes these dangers can occur if the proper steps of protection aren’t taken. Because of this Rain Gutter Specialties has additional protection that can be added to your gutters. These three protections will keep leaves and other debris out of your gutters, requiring less time for you in cleaning them out.

 

Gutter Protections

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There are three main types of gutter protection offered by Rain Gutter Specialties. Each of these have been designed to withstand the elements, all while allowing water to enter your gutters and effectively drain down the right channels:

 

  • The Solution – this consists of a high quality aluminum design that prevents gutters from overflowing while still stopping leaves from entering. This system is ideal for both older and newer gutters as it can be applied to both. Rather than trapping leaves just outside the gutters, this system will stop leaves from getting stuck here.
  • Leaf Terminator – this system works similarly to The Solution, and is useful on both a residential and industrial level. This system has a water flow ridge and valleys which will prevent leaves from entering the gutters. They still will be able to withstand heavy rainfall.
  • Gutter Topper – the gutter topper is unique in design and comes from the experience of Rain Gutter Specialties. It is effective in keeping all debris out of the gutters, as well as withstanding winds and rains that reach up to hurricane levels. This gutter protection will last, delivering the best protection.

There are a few ways to better protect your gutters from the elements. Make the changes by adding this additional strength to your gutters, ensuring they will be prepared to stand during any weather situation without additional maintenance.

Reusing Your Rain Gutter Matter

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Reusing Your Rain Gutter MatterFall is coming fast and with that a need to prepare your yard for winter. One of the most important things to take care of is removing leaves, dirt, and other debris from the gutters. Rather than just throwing this organic material away, there are things that can be done to recycle and make this useful. Look into just a few of the ways you can reuse your rain gutter matter, making improvements in your yard. As you use this material, it is best for most of these projects to further cut up the material either with a leaf compost or by other means.

 

Fertilize the Lawn

 

 

Rather than using a leaf compost here, you can simply spread the leaf mixture across your lawn and go over it with a lawn mower. While leaving leaves that fall directly from your tree on the lawn without any change will be damaging, breaking it up will make it easier to decompose, bringing many benefits to your lawn. This will add nitrogen to the soil, all while still allowing oxygen and sun to come through keeping the grass healthy.

 

Mulch

 

 

Take the matter from your gutters and place them in with your perennial plants that will need to brave through the winter. the mulch can be used as a protection against the freeze while giving these plants extra nutrients. Be sure not to pile this on too thick right against the trunk of the plants, but instead around the bed to make them more effective. In addition to this, you can use this mulch on your garden after the harvest to keep the ground fertilized and ready for the next season.

 

Halloween

 

 

Halloween comes right around the time when gutters will need to be cleaned out and leaves are falling off the trees. Use this time to use both the matter from your gutter as well as these fallen leaves to create your halloween decorations. During this season there are halloween themed bags with anything from pumpkins to witches. These range in size, some coming as big as garbage bags. Stuff these full with the leave matter to get rid of the unnecessary as well as decorate your home. This will be beneficial especially to those looking to decorate on a budget.

While the rain gutter material can be damaging to your gutters, it will be beneficial to other parts of your yard. Make sure the material is far enough torn apart if you use it for fertilizer or mulch. Reap these natural benefits straight from your gutters.

Preparing Your Home for Fall

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Preparing Your Home for FallWhile the heat of summer is still upon us, soon fall will be here. Start thinking about your home preparations for this coming autumn, taking care of both the big and the little things. By making these changes around your home, the transition between these seasons will occur more seamlessly, keeping away the all too common problems.

 

Seal the Cracks

 

 

An alarming amount of energy is lost through your home every day through cracks in your home. This includes not only cracking in the foundation and walls, but the small space between windows and doors where air can escape. Before getting into the months where cold weather nips at the door, get these cracks sealed and the weathering strips between doors and windows replaced if they are out of date. This will help raise the energy efficiency of your home this coming winter, keeping your bills lower than ever before.

 

Get the Roof Checked

 

 

This is especially important for those living in an area that receives high amounts of snowfall every year. Rather than waiting to find out what damage will be delivered, get your roof checked during or right before fall. Remove any debris that has congregated here as well as looking for damaged shingles. Getting these small things fixed early will help avoid a bigger problem down the road.

 

Clean Out the Gutters

 

Fall and winter will come with an increase of precipitation that cannot be ignored. To keep the foundation of your home safe from water damage, make sure your rain gutters are in top condition. This includes removing debris from the gutters, and checking the downspouts for potential problems. During a rainstorm go outside and watch how the water falls off the roof. The majority should be flowing through the downspouts without any issue.

 

Get the Driveway Repaired

 

Winter can be hard on your foundation and driveway. Cracks that have already begun to form will be made worse because of the cold. When water makes its way into these cracks, the cold will freeze it and cause more damage to be done. While the initial cost of repairing your driveway might be high, the lasting benefits will be well worth it.
Start thinking about the maintenance issues you will need to attend to this fall. By taking part in each of these checks, you will lessen the damage that fall and the subsequent winter can deliver. Better protect your home from damage now before the weather starts to shift.

When to Upgrade Your Gutters

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Gutters are made to last, taking the most damaging part of the storm and protecting your home from damage to the foundation. After a number of years, your gutters may begin to wear, requiring an upgrade. This depends on the type of climate and weather environment you live in, the quality of your gutters, and whether or not they were properly installed. Watch your gutters to help you identify when it will be time to upgrade.

 

Maintenance

 

 

While there are some situations that cannot be helped, there are steps you can take to better keep your gutters in the best shape. Rain gutters that have been filled with leaves, dirt, trash, and other debris will do no good, causing water to flow off the sides of the home as they would even without the gutters. If you do not have a gutter topper, make sure to clean out the gutters of your home at least once a year. This will help prevent damage from being sustained, as well as keep them working better for longer. Make sure to be cautious while taking care of this task as an alarming number of accidents occur during the process. Never get on a ladder or up on the roof unless you have someone there with you to help in case of disaster.

 

Examine Your Gutters

 

 

Most gutters will last between 20 and 40 years depending on the care that is put into them. If your gutters fall within this time period, it is crucial to start checking them to ensure they are functioning properly. To do this it is important to:

 

  • Take a good look at the gutters from every angle. Look for rust of galvanized steel gutters, particularly on the bottom. Make sure there are no sections that have split or have started to sag.
  • Take another good look at the gutters while it is raining. Look and ensure they are doing their job, diverting the rain away from the foundation of your home. Here it is important to look for leaks, and ensure the water is flowing out of the downspout as it should.
  • If you do notice any problems during this time, evaluate them. Are these problems severe enough that new gutters will be necessary, or can they be fixed and made to last? There are some situations where the gutters can be fixed by do-it-yourself means, others will require much more work to get them to the shape they need to be in. Examine your gutters on a case by case basis to determine what will be needed.

Pay attention to your gutters, their effectiveness, and how soon they will need to be updated. By being aware of these things, your home will be better protected from storm damage no matter what comes your way.

Repurposing Your Rain Gutters

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Repurpose Your Rain Gutters (11)

Do you have old and unused rain gutters littering your yard? These eye sores don’t have to be useless forever. Try these ideas to repurpose your old rain gutters after you upgrade. No matter your style or the home projects you are looking for in your home, there are things that can be done with upcycling and repurposing. Try out some of these ideas for creative and practical uses with your upcycled gutters.

 

Gardening

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For many, finding space is one of the hardest parts of gardening. For those who have limited space, gutters are not only a fun design, but a way to get the most from the area you have. Start out by placing the gutters in horizontal rows along the sidewall of your home, fence, or other area you want to place these. This is perfect for those who don’t have an excessive amount of time to dedicate to their garden to more easily manage the section.

 

Book Shelf

 

 

Children’s books are different from adult books in many ways, one of which is the focus that is placed on the cover design. In your child’s bedroom, use rain gutters to display these books in a fun and unique way. Make sure these gutters are clean and freshly painted if they are going to be coming inside, then hang them from the walls. Here you can place the books so way they are all displayed along the walls. This is a fun way for your child to get involved with reading, allowing them to choose from their favorite books at any given time.

 

Computer Organization

 

 

The cords and wiring needed to run your computer, speakers, and printer can result in a disorganized clutter, causing more problems than they solve. If you have found it hard to keep the wires from tangling, try placing part of a gutter beneath your desk. This is a great catch to contain all the wiring, keeping it out of sight and out of the way. By doing this, you will find it easier to keep this part of your home clear and clean.
There are many different uses for your old gutters once you upgrade. Make sure to take advantage of these when switching. Put together an upcycling project that will not only be fun to do, but will also make a positive improvement to your home.

Rain Gutter Aesthetics: Install a Rain Chain

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Improving the aesthetics of your rain gutters is a simple as installing a rain chain. These simple devices also serve a practical purpose of keeping water runoff away from accumulating at the foundation of your home. Rain chains come in many different styles and can even be constructed at home from materials like ceramic disks or metal cups. These chains improve the look and feel of your roof and gutter. Of course, the biggest benefits to improving the aesthetics of your roof and gutter is also being able to conserve and re-purpose water coming off your roof and through your gutters. Here is a look at some of the tops benefits of rain chains.

 

Redirects Runoff

 

 

Redirecting water runoff from the roof away from the foundation is important to protecting the foundation from damage due to water accumulation from heavy rains. In essence, the rain chain functions in place of the downspout to carry water off the roof and direct it away from the foundation. This alternative to the downspout is more decorative and easy to put together and install. This water runoff can then be directed to a vegetated or rocky landscaped area to further help manage and re-purpose water flow. Make sure the rain chain has enough clearance from where you attach it to the ground to effectively control runoff. Measure the area where you want to install the chain. Too high and the water will splash from the chain; too low and the water can pool out of the bottom of the chain.

 

Easy to Install

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The rain chain is typically installed from the opening where the downspout of the gutters is located. Installation is simple and straightforward since all that is required is removing the downspout and placing the top of the chain over the hole. Most rain chains come with a gutter attachment piece to place on top of the chain over the hole. This enables water to be directed freely into the chain. An installation kit can also be used to reduce the size of the hole and better direct water into the chain if the hole and the chain are not the same size. Many of these kits have outlet tubes that can be used to keep water from flowing on the underside of the gutters and dripping outside the chain after installation.

 

Stylish Gutters

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Once the chain is installed, there are a few options for what to do with the area at the bottom of the chain to further improve the aesthetic of the area. Incorporating stoneware or ceramic pots for the water to flow into can add a decorative flare to the chain. You can also construct a small square area at the base out of wood and fill it with rocks or plant vegetation to mitigate the water runoff. With the right kind of landscaping and decorative touches to the chain and surrounding area, you can vastly improve the aesthetics of the gutters and exterior corners of your home.

Different Roof Types and Pitches: Pros & Cons

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Untitled design (9) Roofs are probably the most important component of a house and come in a wide variety of materials, styles, and of course, pitches. There are distinct advantages and disadvantages to the many different varieties of roofs–with much of this dependant on the specific climate of the region and location of the house. Roofs with little to no pitch constructed from clay tile, for example, are best suited to warmer, more temperate environments. Sharply sloped roofs are commonly found in more alpine environments to prevent the weight of snowpack from damaging or collapsing the roof. Here is a more detailed look at some roof types and the pros and cons of each.

Flat Roofs

 

These roof designs are pretty self-explanatory since they feature very little pitch. These roofs are easier to construct than any roof with a slope and they are more accessible, safer, and easier to work on than steeply sloped designs. This roof design, however, often requires more maintenance since debris can gather on top with nowhere to go. Weight from snowpack and water can also be issues since there is no way precipitation can runoff. Leaks and structural weakening can be problematic if the roof is not properly reinforced.

Pyramid Roof

 

This type of roof is typically used in small portions on certain parts of the home or on smaller structures like garages or guesthouses. The roof design is characterized by four evenly sloped sides meeting at a single pinnacle point. These roofs are aesthetic and are reliable designs on smaller parts of the house to accompany other roof types, such as flat roofs, rather than as full roofs for the entire structure.

A-Frame Roof

 

The roofline of A-frame roofs is sharply angled and begins near the foundation lines and meets at the top at a sharp point. These roof designs are popular and have an ancient architectural origin in China, Europe, and South Pacific islands as simple, utilitarian structures. While used as cheaper, efficient roof designs all over the world, A-frame roofs are popular and common in northern, alpine environments where heavy snowfall is common. These roof design are meant to be an efficient method of keeping heavy snowpack from weighing on the roof and causing damage.

Mansard Roof

 

This is a traditional French design of roof that features a pitch divided into a shallow slope above a steeper slope. The lower slope in this design is often steeper and more vertical than the upper. The upper is often not visible from the ground. This type of roof is a more elaborate design than is often found on large public buildings or large homes with a considerable amount of roof space. In these roof designs there is additional living and storage space at the top of the house.

The History of the Rain Gutter

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Rain gutters are a part of an external plumbing system that was developed as a necessity of a way of draining water. The history of the rain gutter, surprisingly, goes all the way back to the Roman Empire. Like many modern luxuries of infrastructure that we routinely take for granted, plumbing and drainage systems were used by the Romans to facilitate clean water transfer and water removal. While no single person can be credited with inventing the rain gutter, as it was more of a collective invention based on necessity, there are a few historical details around the emergence of an external channel for water to run off a building. Here is a brief overview.

 

History in the Gutter

 

 

As early as AD 47, the Romans are credited with having brought drainage systems to the British Isles. This included sewer systems and water management practices. By 1066, the Normans had invaded England and began reconstructing towns and cities. In these new constructions, many large buildings featured grand stone roofs and parapets that led to gutter drains that ultimately spit runoff water out of a stone gargoyle’s mouth. This was a crude, though architecturally unique way of disposing of water.

 

Downpipes soon began to be built to keep the water from running down the sides of buildings and damaging finishes. During the Middle Ages, gutters were made out of wood, clay tile, and lead and were made easier to attach to roofs with the increased use of tile roofs to prevent fires. As the centuries went on, lead became readily available to many people and the fashioning of rainwater goods like gutters with lead increased.

 

By the Eighteenth and Nineteenth centuries, cast iron had largely replaced lead as a prefered material of rain gutters and other goods. This coincided with the explosion of heavy industry–and soon the industrial revolution–throughout Britain and elsewhere in Europe. These cast iron fixtures would be used for the next couple hundred years.

 

The Twentieth century saw the popularization of plastics for rain gutters and other fixtures. In the aftermath of World War II, manufacturing was burgeoning and the use of plastics was on the rise. This made plastic rain gutters and downpipes more widely available as they were cheaper to produce and install than heavy metal. Today, rain gutters come in a variety of lightweight materials and styles, but still retain the same beneficial properties of the earliest drainage systems of centuries past.

Honoring Our Troops for Memorial Day

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Today is Memorial Day. Here at Rain Gutter Specialties, we would like to take a moment to remember this important holiday, and reflect on what it truly means. While many people will have the day off from work and school, take a moment between your activities to reflect on those who have died while serving as part of the United States Armed Forces. These brave men and women deserve to be remembered every day, especially Memorial Day.

 

Never Forget

 

 

The first Memorial Day was held after the Civil War as a way to remember the soldiers, both Union and Confederate, who died during this war. At this time it was known as Decoration Day, but this was soon changed. In the early 1900s, the day was designated to recognize all Americans who lost their lives during service in the military.

 

Traditionally on Memorial Day the United States flag is raised quickly the full height, then slowly lowered to half-mast. The flag will remain at this position until noon, when it is raised to full-mast. This symbolizes that the living will rise up to fight for liberty and justice, ensuring those that sacrificed did not die in vain.

 

No matter what your Memorial Day plans include, take a moment from your day to remember those who have died defending our country. Have a safe day today, and thank you to the Armed Forces currently serving for dedicating yourself so fully to our country!