Pre-Snow Gutter Cleaning is Important - Here's Why

The days are getting colder and we all know what means- snow. There are plenty of ways to prepare for it’s arrival: putting snow tires on your car, getting sand and a shovel to clear your driveway, stockpiling blankets and hot cocoa for cozy nights inside. But there’s a big preparation task you may be forgetting: cleaning your gutters. It’s important to have clean gutters before the snow hits to avoid damage to your home

Eliminate Pests 
A gutter filled with leaves and other debris is the perfect winter hiding place for bugs and other little critters. Plus, if the leaves allow for clogs and water pools in your gutter, you’re basically inviting mosquitoes to make a home there. Those unwelcome gutter guests can cause health issues, not to mention will be gross to handle once you do clean your gutters.

Break the Ice 
If your gutters are cluttered, melted snow will have nowhere to go and will end up turning to ice. If you have a lot of snow, this could lead to ice dams on your roof, which can put too much weight on your gutters causing them to break. Not to mention, ice dams will most likely force themselves under your shingles, causing damage to your roof.

Prevent Water Damage 
Once those aforementioned ice dams melt, the water that got pushed under your shingles will stay there and can cause damage to your ceilings and walls. Any other water that is stuck in your gutter can also pool around your house and flood into your basement or crawlspace, or even damage your foundation.

Cleaning out your gutters before snow hits will give you peace of mind knowing you’re protecting your home from potential damage. Let All Aluminum Gutters of West Babylon safeguard your home this winter by providing you with a professional gutter cleaning.

At All Aluminum Gutters, our mission is to serve our customers with the extensive knowledge and expertise we have gained in our industry, while continually offering them the finest in customer service. For any of your gutter cleaning or repair needs, call us at 631-816-2498.

What is an "Ice Dam," and Why Are They a Threat?

Icicles dangling from homes in the winter may paint a pretty picture, but they cause more harm than meets the eye. Icicles are a major sign of ice dams, which can be one of your home’s worst enemies. Learn more about ice dams and how to avoid the potential damage they cause during the snowy, winter months below.

What Is An Ice Dam?

Ice dams are continuous chunks of ice that form along your roof. Without proper removal, the ice that develops may grow large enough to prevent snow from melting and water from properly draining off the roof. If this happens, the water may back up underneath your roof shingles and make it’s way into your home.

Do You Have An Ice Dam?

Most ice dams develop on the edge of your roof, but they can form in other locations. It all depends on the slope, orientation, and style of your roof. Be sure to monitor all areas for signs of ice dam formations.

• Check your icicles - If icicles have formed at the gutters and there is no water trapped behind them, an ice dam has not formed. However, icicles are still a sign that ice dams are occurring. Whenever possible, remove icicles from the exterior of your home - but do not stand beneath them!
• Check for water stains or moisture - Check for water stains in your attic or along the ceiling of your home. This excessive moisture can be a sign that an ice dam has formed and water has come through the roof of your home. 

How To Stop Ice Dams

One of the best ways to prevent an ice dam is by simply keeping your attic and roof cold. After a snowfall, a cold roof will have a thick blanket of snow. A warmer roof, however, will have clear spots where the snow has melted and will have icicles hanging from the eaves.

1. Close up your attic bypass - In an average home, about one-third of the heat loss is through the ceiling or attic. Try fixing any air leaks caused by unblocked walls, gaps in drywall, and cracks around light fixtures. You’ll end up saving energy and reduce both your heating and air conditioning bills all while preventing ice dams!


2. Measure your attic insulation level - Check the amount of insulation you have in your attic. If you have less than eight inches, hire a professional to add more!


3. Add roof and soffit vents - This process will draw in cold outdoor air and flush out warmer attic air, cooling the attic and the roof in the process. 

Do you want to avoid this problem this winter season? Allow the professionals at All Aluminum Gutters to help! We will install a heated cable into your gutters to help prevent the formation of an ice dam and water entering your home. To learn more about our services, visit our website or call 631-816-2498 today.

5 Fun Ways To Upcycle Old Gutters

Gutters are best known for catching and redirecting rainfall, but that’s not all they have up their sleeve! When the time comes to replace your trusty gutters, think twice before you toss them in the trash. There are a few pretty nifty ways to reuse and recycle old gutters that you probably never even thought of.

1. Extra Garage Storage

Let’s face it, no matter how organized you may be, you’ll always need more storage options in your garage. Give those tools and gardening products somewhere to rest -- for cheap!

2. Gardening Assistants

Strawberries are just one of the many plants that thrive better when hanging. If you’re not looking for a sweet treat, try mounting your old gutters on a wall or fence and growing some herbs.

3. Easy Bookshelves

Fill your child’s room with plenty of bedtime stories! Paint a pair of old gutters and mount them on the wall for quick and easy “library pockets.” Then, hit the bookstore to fill them with their favorites.

4. Crafty Organization

Books and garage goodies aren’t the only things that can be stored in your refurbished gutters. Craft supplies like ribbon can stack securely for ease of use.

5. Picnic Surprise

Wouldn’t it be nice if you could enjoy some time sitting around the picnic table next summer without having to get up to refill your glass. This fun table inset uses old gutters to create a built-in cooler. Talk about convenience!

How will you be repurposing your old gutters after upgrading to a new, seamless aluminum system this fall? We’d love to hear all about your upcycled creations!

All Aluminum Gutters is a full service gutter cleaning, repair and installation company serving all of Long Island, Queens, Westchester and The Bronx. For more information about our services, dial 631-816-2498.

Alternative Uses For The Leaves in Your Gutters

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

(631) 816-2498

It’s autumn and leaves are everywhere: In our walkways, blanketing our lawns and most often, piling up in our gutters. While cleaning leaves out of the gutters might not be your favorite DIY task, these easy leaf recycling tips for afterwards might help make some of your favorite gardening pastimes more prosperous.

Add them to the compost pile.

Shredded leaves are the perfect addition to any compost pile. After all, it’s free organic matter, that’s already on it’s way to decomposing. What more could you ask for? They’re a great source of carbon, and work best when layered with nitrogen-rich grass clippings and kitchen scraps.

Compost a separate leaf mold pile.

Contrary to what it’s unsettling name might have you believe, leaf mold actually isn’t a dangerous fungus, but rather a beneficial soil additive. Unlike a traditional compost pile, a leaf mold pile uses only leaves that decompose completely in 6-12 months. After the process is complete, leaf mold can be added to the soil around your plans to promote moisture and deliver nutrients.

Mulch around your trees and shrubs.

Skip the bagging step all together and scatter the leaves in your gutters right under your shrubs and into your shower beds. This will provide an added layer of insulation for the winter, and deter weeds from germinating.

Give your potted plants and bulbs a boost.

Layering some shredded leaves at the bottom of your planters and underneath the topsoil in your spring bulb beds can set your green thumb up for success. As the leaves break down, they’ll provide a continuous flow of nutrients to the roots. When planting bulbs, make sure to add an extra layer of leaf insulation above the top soil as well.

Are your gutters looking mighty full of leaves and debris this fall? If so, just give the gutter cleaning experts at All Aluminum Gutters a call. Serving all of Long Island, Queens, Westchester and The Bronx, there’s no gutter job we can’t handle!

To learn more about our gutter cleaning and repair services, visit us online or call 631-816-2498 today.

Why Do Leaves Change and Fall?

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

(631) 816-2498

The autumn season has been affectionately nicknamed “the fall,” and for good reason. As most of you would have guessed, this clever nickname comes from the act of leaves falling down from the trees at this time of year. So, while we understand why the season is called as such, not many people understand what makes the leaves change and fall in the first place. Allow us to explain.

The Color-Changing Mystery

When looking at the reasoning behind the brilliant changing leaves, the first thing we need to consider is the sun. In autumn, the sun is more scarce than in the summer. For that reason, the chemical reaction that occurs in plant leaves is altered. The bright colors that you see today were actually always present, just masked by the photosynthesis of chlorophyll -- which causes the usual green pigment to show. When chlorophyll production is halted, the carotene (yellow), anthocyanin (red), and tannin (brown) pigments become more predominant.

And Why They All Fall Down

Now that you understand where the vivid colors come from, you’re probably wondering why they have to be shed in the first place. Couldn’t they just continue on their merry green to orange cycle throughout the season? Unfortunately, the answer is no. Believe it or not, the deciduous trees that shed their leaves in fall are actually doing so for protection from harsh weather conditions. You might be thinking, “but wouldn’t leaves keep them warm?” On the contrary, leaves are most susceptible to damage. Shedding them minimizes the amount of seasonal damage and allows the tree to preserve water and energy throughout the season.

Regardless of why they change or fall, one things is for certain… when they make their way into your gutters they can sure wreak havoc! Don’t let your gutters suffer this season. Call All Aluminum Gutters and request a professional gutter cleaning today.

For more on our gutter cleaning services or to schedule an appointment, call 631-816-2498.

DIY or Don't? Avoid Risky Gutter Repairs

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

(631) 816-2498

The DIY home improvement trend is huge right now. Heck, it’s even got it’s own network! But before you set out to fix a faulty gutter on your own, ask yourself these three questions:

Is this a dangerous task?

Think about the risks involved with the repair job you’re looking to perform. Some gutter jobs are bigger than others, and therefore can be more dangerous. An estimated 500,000 people are treated for ladder-related injuries each year, and approximately 300 of these are fatal.

Do you have the right tools?

If you don’t have the right equipment, not only are you escalating the risk factor, but you’re also setting yourself up for a failed DIY attempt. Calling a professional will ensure your gutters are repaired with precision, using only the perfect tools for the job.

Will the money you save be worth the trouble?

A good gutter repair job takes a lot of time, energy, and patience. That being said, sometimes it’s worth it to call in the professionals based on those factors alone. Also think about what will happen if your repair doesn’t go according to plan. Will you be spending more money in the long run to fix an even bigger issue? Most likely, yes.

At the end of the day, unless you’re knowledgeable and experienced with gutter installation and repair, we suggest calling in a professional contractor. At All Aluminum Gutters, we understand our customers want to fix their gutter in the most cost effective way possible. That’s why we offer free, no-obligation estimates and promise to beat any written estimate you provide.

For more information about our affordable gutter repair, installation and cleaning services, call 631-816-2498 today.

6 Spooky, Scary Gutter Surprises

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

(631) 816-2498

Excited to curl up this weekend with your favorite candy, your hero cape and a long, long horror flick marathon in celebration for the holiday? Here at All Aluminum, we love Halloween and horror just as much as the next guy, but we draw the line when the bumps in the night are coming from our gutter system!

Slugs: If you’ve ever had the misfortune of stepping on an unsuspecting slug in the dark of night, you know first hand how icky their slimy, soft texture can be. Now, imagine a colony of slugs slithering through your dirty gutter system. It’s enough to send shivers down your spine!

Spiders: While they may be the perfect decoration item for this spooky, scary time of the year, they’re definitely not a pest you’d want nesting around your home. Sure, a few spiders are good for natural pest control, but an entire colony residing in your eaves is a creepy though.

Centipedes: As if eight legs wasn’t enough, let's add about a hundred more! While they’re generally harmless, like their gutter dwelling friends the slug and the spider, they’re still not getting an invite indoors any time soon. Unfortunately, if they take up residence in dirty gutters, they just might enter unannounced.

Mosquitoes: We realize it’s the off-season for these tiny vampires, but nonetheless, they’re definitely up there on our list of “least favorite insects.” To make matters worse, they thrive and breed in standing water. That means your gutters are a prime target if they’re not draining correctly.

Termites: The jaws, or mandibles, of these tiny creatures are strong enough to chomp right through the wood of your fascia boards. But they won’t stop there. Once inside your walls, termites will eat their way right through your beams, compromising your home structure.

Mice: Cute and furry, yes. A pleasure to have living in your gutters and eaves, no. Like the other critters mentioned above, mice not only leave droppings and contaminate your home with disease, but they can attract larger predators as well. You certainly don’t want a family of raccoons nesting up there with them!

Mold: Last, but certainly not least, damp, rotting wood’s favorite companion: mold. Not only does it cause irreversible and costly damage to you home, but it can compromise your indoor air quality and the health of your family members.

Do yourself a favor. Keep your home and family safe from spooky, scary gutter dwellers with a hearty gutter cleaning from the professionals at All Aluminum Gutters. At least that’s one thing that won’t be frightening you this Halloween!

For more information about our gutter cleaning services, visit us online or call 631-816-2498.