Don’t DIY: Benefits of Professional Gutter Guard Installation
Gutter guards, which are installed on top of your gutters to keep out debris, have gained considerable popularity in recent years. They’re a fairly simple fixture, and it is perhaps because of this simplicity that many homeowners believe they can handle the installation on their own. However, like many other DIY projects, a DIY gutter guard installation is a bad idea and can lead to serious, costly injuries. In this article, we’ll go over seven reasons why you should leave your gutter guard installation to the pros.
1. It Will Keep You Safe
The first and by far the most important reason is your safety. Gutter guard installation, as well as any other project that involves getting on a roof, presents many safety hazards. You’ll have to scale a ladder while handling power equipment and other tools, and even the most experienced weekend warriors can fall in this situation.
In fact, over half a million Americans are treated for ladder-related injuries every year, and roughly 300 of them die as a result. The yearly cost of ladder-related injuries is estimated to be $24 million, which includes medical, legal, work loss, pain, and liability expenses.
If you fall from your ladder while attempting to install gutter protection guards, the question isn’t whether you’ll fracture a bone — it’s how many bones. And if bone fractures are the only injury you experience after falling from a ladder, you can consider yourself lucky, as you could experience much worse, including concussions, paralysis, and even death. If you get an injury while trying to install your gutter guards, the cost of the medical bills will likely be much higher than the cost of hiring an expert to perform the installation for you.
When professionals install gutter guards, they do so with the following:
- Well-tested materials that they’re familiar with
- A support team that backs them up
- Thorough assessments of risk
- A clear start and finish time and date for the project
Experts can also see dangerous situations that DIY-ers may not. For instance, if your house is close to power lines, this could present a serious danger. However, many homeowners do not think about this. If you touch a power line by accident, whether it be with a tool, your body, or through some other type of contact, you could be facing serious injuries or even death. Gutter guard specialists know what dangers to look for to avoid injury and damage to your house.
2. It Will Save You Time
Installing gutter guards by yourself can take a lot of time to do right, and you likely have a lot of other activities on your plate, including work, school, and family obligations.
Even if you happen to be experienced with gutter guard installation, why not spare yourself the time, trouble, and potential injury by leaving it in the hands of professionals? They have the training, experience, and equipment to install gutter guards quickly and efficiently.
3. The Job Will be Done Correctly With the Right Tools
When you hire professionals, you save time, avoid injury, and have the peace of mind that the job is done correctly. Every step of the process is done professionally — they find a date and time that works for you, bring all the right tools for the job, and perform the installation quickly and without any injuries or damage to your property.
Professionals achieve these results in part because of the specialized tools they have to perform the installation and stay safe. Examples of these tools include items that allow them to reach things better and high-powered hoses that enable them to remove as much debris as possible from the gutters.
4. It Will Prevent Errors and Damage to Gutters
Installing gutter guards over aluminum gutters is an unforgiving task that allows for absolutely no error. Just one slipup could negatively affect the wind-uplift resistance of the system, as well as various other types of damage. If you want to avoid these undesirable outcomes and ensure the results are flawless, contact a professional.
In addition to messing up the gutter guard installation, you could also damage the gutters. When homeowners are high up on their ladder, they sometimes lose their balance and attempt to correct themselves by grabbing and hanging on to the gutter. The gutter, which is of course not designed to support the weight of a human, breaks off and travels with the person down to the ground, often together with the eaves and roofing material.
5. Your Gutter Guards and Gutters Will Match
While it may seem simple, finding the style and color of gutter guards to match the style and color of your gutters can actually be quite complicated. Gutter guard systems are available in such a wide variety of styles and materials that it can be difficult to know where you should start your search and which options best match your gutters. When you hire professionals to install your gutter guards, they can help you find a system that coordinates with your existing gutters or show you new gutter options with matching guards.
6. It Makes You Eligible for a Quality Work Guarantee
If you attempt to install your own gutter guards and make a mistake, that mistake is completely on you to fix. If you have a professional crew installing the guards, however, then they will protect their work with a quality guarantee. This means that if the gutters do not perform as a result of poor installation, you won’t have to worry about paying for the repairs.
7. It Won’t Void Your Roofing Warranty
Installing gutter guards means you’ll be working near your roof. If your installation inadvertently damages your roofing material in the process, this might void the warranty for your roofing material. As roofing warranties can last for decades, a nullified warranty should be considered a great loss, and one you won’t want to risk by installing your gutter guards yourself.
Hire All Seasons Gutters for Your Gutter Guards
All Season Gutters is a full-service gutter company that has proudly served the Central Pennsylvania region for more than 15 years. We offer a variety of gutter-related services, including installation of gutter guards, gutter cleaning, and replacement of fascia and soffit. We strive to provide every customer with the best possible service, which includes no-pressure estimates, exceptional materials, and superior installation. Schedule your free estimate now! We look forward to working with you.