How Can Heat Tape Protect My Gutters This Winter?

All Aluminum Gutters
531 Sunrise Highway, West Babylon, New York 11704

(631) 816-2498

Heat tape or heat cables are easy-to-install electric cables that are generally placed around the edge of the roof or run inside gutter systems. Their main duty is to help stubborn snow and ice melt away by producing electric heat either constantly or via a self-timer. Installing heat tape can help keep your home safe for the winter, and here are three specific ways how:

1. Minimizes damage to your roof. When water freezes it begins to expand. That means, if your roof has any minor cracks or breaks and water happens to get inside from collected snow or ice, the gaps will widen over time causing more damage. Heat tape keeps melting moving, reducing the chance for freezing and expansion to occur.

2. Prevents mold and mildew. As water sits on your roof or within your gutter system it has the tendency to grow mold and mildew which can be very dangerous to your home and your health. Keeping snow and rain draining properly from your roof will be a great asset in preventing this dangerous winter weather complication.

3. Keeps gutters clear of ice and snow. The main reason for water damage during the winter is clogged or frozen gutters. When your gutters are unable to drain water and melting snow away from your home, you’re left with a wide variety of possible detrimental outcomes. In addition to the problems that stagnant snow and ice present for your roof, overflowing due to a clog can cause structural and siding damage as well.

Before you go ahead and install heat tape this season, make sure you give your gutters a good once over and fix any existing damage that you find. If you need some help, remember that All Aluminum Gutters is open Monday-Friday from 8:30 a.m.-6 p.m. for your convenience. Serving Long island, Queens, Westchester and the Bronx for over 30 years, there’s no gutter job we can’t handle!

To learn more about our gutter cleaning and repair services, click here or call 631-816-2498. We even offer free in-home consultations and estimates!

3 Reasons Your Downspouts Don't Work

All Aluminum Gutters
531 Sunrise Highway, West Babylon, New York 11704

(631) 816-2498

Downspouts are an important part of your gutter system. While gutters themselves serve to collect rainwater and usher it towards a central location, the downspout itself is what carries water down and away from the home for protection. If you notice that your downspouts aren’t working up to par lately, here are three of the most common reasons why that might be:

1. They’re Dirty - The number one reasons for malfunctioning downspouts and gutter systems in generally is a clog from built up debris. While your gutters may look neat and clean, your downspouts are enclosed, making it easy for you to miss the build up. Make sure to clean out your downspouts each season as part of your gutter cleaning process.

2. They’re The Wrong Size - If your downspout is too small in width it has a better tendency to become clogged. Smaller downspouts are also unable to carry water away from a home as quickly and efficiently as larger ones would. In addition, if your downspout are too short they will not be able to redirect water properly away from your home.

3. There Aren’t Not Enough - Depending on the size of your home, you may need multiple downspouts in various locations. Some people make the mistake of only installing one or two, but when heavy rainfall hits the system is not able to funnel water down and out fast enough, causing overflow to occur.

If your downspouts are malfunctioning it’s important to identify the issue and correct it right away in order to keep your home safe from potential water damage, foundation damage, flooding and more.

Whether you’re in need of gutter cleaning to clear out clogged downspouts or gutter system repairs to correct the issue, All Aluminum Gutters is here to help. Serving Long island, Queens, Westchester and the Bronx for over 30 years, there’s no gutter job we can’t handle!

To learn more about our gutter cleaning and repair services, click here or call 631-816-2498. We even offer free in-home consultations and estimates!

5 Creepy Critters That Hide in Your Gutters

All Aluminum Gutters
531 Sunrise Highway, West Babylon, New York 11704

(631) 816-2498

Keeping your gutters clean benefits your home in more ways than one. On one hand, it keeps debris from causing clogs, overflow and damage to occur to gutters, which can then cause costly damage to your home. On the other hand, it helps prevent unwanted house guests from taking up residence within your home’s exterior. To prove it, here are five of the most common critters that can be found hiding in an uncleaned gutter system:

1. Spiders - While they may be beneficial in keeping other pests at bay, no one can deny that these eight legged arachnids are some of the creepiest critters around. Still, they just can’t resist the cool damp climate that gutters provide!

2. Snakes - Since snakes are cold-blooded, they’re not a predominant problem in the winter. However, during the warmer months it’s not uncommon for snakes to crawl up your gutters in search of a mid-day snack.

3. Centipedes - Although centipedes have not been found to be dangerous, they can have anywhere from 30 to 100 tiny legs creeping and crawling all over your home. Dirty gutters present the perfect habitat for these scary scurriers, but eventually they’ll find their way inside as well.

4. Rodents - Cute and furry? Yes. Friendly and welcome? No! Rodents like squirrels, mice and rats can take up residence in your gutters, bringing with them filth and disease. Plus, they attract snakes, and other larger pests looking for a tasty treat.

5. Birds - Much like rodents, birds will often nest in gutters causing them to clog and stir up a ton of problems for your home’s drainage system, exterior siding, foundation and more. Plus, they can be riddled with bacteria and disease.

While gutter cleaning is important, it’s also s a dangerous, dirty and difficult job, which is why we suggest leaving the gutter cleaning and gutter repairs to the professionals at All Aluminum Gutters. Serving Long island, Queens, Westchester and the Bronx for over 30 years, there’s no gutter job we can’t handle!

To learn more about our gutter cleaning and repair services, click here or call 631-816-2498. We even offer free in-home consultations and estimates!

How to Hang Holiday Lights on Your Gutters

All Aluminum Gutters
531 Sunrise Highway, West Babylon, New York 11704

(631) 816-2498

It’s the most wonderful time of the year: The time when beautiful holiday lights begin popping up all over town to celebrate the season. If you’re planning to tackle your outdoor holiday decor this weekend, it’s important to remember to be careful when hanging lights from your gutters. Using the proper hooks and clips can make all the difference aesthetically and can save you a ton of money on costs to fix gutter damage caused by your holiday light display.

Here are two of the most popular types of fasteners to have your home looking festive, while keeping your gutters safe:

1. S-hooks can be fastened just over the lip of the gutter with the upper part of the s-shape, allowing the lower portion to hang downward. On the lower end of the hook is a clip, which makes hanging strings of holiday lights by the wire simple, safe and secure. If your gutters have a lip off ¼ inch or less, s-hooks are a great option for you.

2. Gutter clips are another safe alternative for hanging holiday lights. They can clip right onto gutters of all shapes and sizes, and allow you to position each light bulb precisely, giving your home a streamlined professionally decorated look. These clips are best used for C7 and C9 sized light bulbs.

Before you begin hanging, remember to check your light strings for blown bulbs or broken wires. There’s nothing worse than doing all that work, only to have to take them down and do it all again!

All Aluminum Gutters is a full service gutter cleaning, repair and installation company, servicing Long Island and all of New York City. We also provide siding repair and installation in a variety of styles and material options. To learn more about our services, click here or call 631-816-2498 to speak with a representative and receive a complimentary consultation and estimate.