Get Into Gutters and Up Your Cash Flow

April 2, 2021

Gutters Do More than Keep Heads Dry

As all Roofing Contractors know well, gutters aren’t just up there to keep dripping water off homeowner’s hairdos as they leave or enter their houses. Gutter systems serve one of the most important roles in preserving the structural integrity of a building. They do so by channeling water from the roof to downspouts that direct runoff away from eaves and, most importantly, from a structure’s foundation.
The fallout from a dysfunctional or nonexistent gutter system can be serious. The simple and relatively inexpensive repair to, or addition of, good gutters can save thousands of dollars while ensuring a healthy atmosphere inside a home or building. When water drainage from a roof is insufficient or flowing freely to randomly cascade from eaves, trouble can ensue…

Pitfalls of a Faulty Gutter System

  • Water settling along a foundation leads to moisture intrusion in basements and crawl spaces which can cultivate mold and algae. This not only causes a rank odor, but it’s bad for anyone with allergies and can be dangerous!
  • Water damage and rotting of wood fascia – the boards that run along the lower edge of the roof.
  • Unsightly, misaligned or hanging gutters which can also damage the soffits beneath roof overhangs.
  • Rainwater which is not directed away from a structure can find its way behind siding and walls, resulting in swells and warping.
  • Improperly functioning gutters can dump water onto outdoor common areas.
  • Clogging of gutters that are not angled properly causes back-up and spillovers that can damage interior areas.
  • Missing or leaky gutters can lead to landscaping damage around a home and eroded “trenches” that hold water and breed mosquitoes.

Help Property Owners Prevent Loss Due to Poor Gutter Systems

Property owners who don’t have a well-functioning gutter system need a roofing contractor with the right skillset to correct the situation by installing new gutters or repairing their existing system. Contractors like you can also save people the time, risk, and messiness of getting up a ladder and on their roof to clean and unclog gutters. Providing property owners with gutter services is another selling point of your company and a decent revenue source, as well. There are several types and styles of gutter materials, some of which might take special skills, treatments, tools, and equipment.

Types Of Roof Gutters

  • Aluminum
  • Vinyl
  • Zinc
  • Steel
  • Copper
  • LeafGuard Gutters
  • Seamless Gutters (aluminum, copper, painted steel, or zinc).
Gutters also vary in water-channeling capacity, normally defined in terms of 5” and 6” gutters. These dimensions refer to the width of the opening along the top of the gutter. Six-inch gutters are usually used on commercial buildings, while 5-inch gutters are most often used residentially.  There are also K-style gutters and half-round gutters, referring to the contours of the gutter itself.  Because of its shape, a K-style gutter is less likely to bend when confronted by severe winds, heavy ice or snow, or impact from fallen tree limbs. This shape also allows for a lighter material to be used in the gutters’ fabrication. Less weight means less stress on the fascia and rafter tails of the home or building onto which gutters commonly attach. 

Leaf Guards and Filters

In 1992, Englert – the 50+ year old manufacturer of metal roofing and gutter systems – developed the only patented, one-piece, seamless leaf-shedding gutter system. The following year, Englert put their innovation on the market…and the rest is history. The LeafGuard® gutter system revolutionized the industry. Seems like a no-brainer, right? Who wouldn’t want a gutter system that could prevent leaves (and errant baseballs) from necessitating a trip up a dangerous ladder in order to remove such obstacles? Other manufacturers soon followed suit, and now many types of leaf filters and “gutter tops” are available that fit standard gutters.

"The biggest benefit that sold me on LeafGuard was the fact that my husband would not have to get up on a ladder and clean the gutters anymore.”

Hi-Tech Roofing Pros Give Property Owners the Fastest, Most Accurate Estimates for Gutter Work

Roofing specialists who use the iRoofing app for measuring, estimating, and coordinating roof and gutter projects can create a professional roof report that includes the gutter materials needed.  As a roofing contractor, you show homeowners a virtual blueprint of the proposed project with a careful breakdown of gutters, gutter tops, ridge vents, and ice & water shields. Using the app, the items on your detailed roof report can then be instantly translated to an accurate estimate, thus preventing over- or under-ordering of materials. Your gutter system’s cost estimate will be based on your company’s specific pricing, mark-ups, mark-downs, waste factor, and labor costs. Avoid surprising property owners with expenses they didn’t bargain for because of common oversights!  Once you get a customer’s sign-off on a project, you can zip a purchase order off to your distributor, so project materials arrive at the job site without delay.
  • Present virtual blueprints of a roof or gutter project
  • Get accurate, line-item estimates with your pricing
  • Avoid overlooking needed parts 
  • Pick out your customer’s preferred roof materials and colors from the iRoofing app’s digital catalog of leading manufacturers
  • See roofing materials perfectly superimposed on an image of your client’s home with the app’s Roof Visualizer
  • Sign a contract, digitally, on the spot
  • Have your materials ordered right away so a project can start without delay

Use iRoofing - Be a Hi-Tech Contractor!

Roof Oils? What’s That All About?

Leaves and debris aren’t the only things that can compromise a gutter system. If you have a client who has asphalt shingles, as most property owners do, they’re made with petrochemical oils that help the material withstand hot and cold temperatures. Roof oils gradually seep down from the shingles which can cause leaf guards to become clogged. Innovative gutter engineering by MasterShield® offers a solution to this problem in the form of a patented, self-cleaning micro-mesh filtration on a gutter guard. This advanced gutter technology utilizes the same principle as a tent. Tent material keeps water from dripping inside, but if you touch the tent from the inside, a bit of water is released. MasterSheild® uses this same concept to release oil build-up that could otherwise fill the tiny holes of a gutter guard. 

Helping property owners with gutter installation, replacement, and repairs is a big “plus” when it comes to getting your foot in the door. Properly laid and precisely angled gutters can really extend the life of a new roof you’ve installed, as well. Consider offering gutter services if you don’t do so already. It can help you market your brand and help ensure long-term customer satisfaction with new roof installations you’ve performed.  A long-lasting roof depends on high-functioning roof drainage, so get onboard with gutters!

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