Harsh winter weather and heavy rains can wreak havoc on gutters. It’s important to watch for problem signs early to prevent extensive home damage.
“The best analogy I could have is checking the oil on your car,” said Paul DeMars, president of PineBlock. “There are certain things you should always be looking for even if you don’t think you have an issue.”
Demars suggests looking up, looking down, and looking around to check for gutter issues.
- Look up at your roof overhang to make sure there’s no black, moldy, deteriorating wood. That’s a sure sign of gutter issues.
- Look down to see if there is a line in the dirt parallel to the gutter. This means water is falling onto dirt and creating a chasm.
- Look around and pay attention to the downspout. Look where the downspout goes into the ground. If there is water bubbling up, that’s often a sign of a clogged downspout or drain system.
Gutters functioning well take water off the roof and away from a house. If gutters aren’t functioning properly, water is soaking into the wood near the roof or spilling over on the ground adjacent to the house. Water can then flow into the foundation or crawl space and soak into the siding.
“Unless you really realize what you’re looking at, people just kind of assume that just might be a natural state, and it’s certainly not,” Demars said.
PineBlock fixes problems so they don’t happen again and focuses on a permanent solution. The company uniquely installs covers at the same angle as the roof, so gutters become an extension of the roof. This allows debris to slide, blow or wash off. The gutter system itself is completely covered, so nothing gets into the gutter. This solves the water to roof contact, splashing, and downspout issues.
“We’re very proud of the fact that we’re the only company out there that actually says in writing that the water will come down the roof, go through the cover, into the gutter, and up into the downspout,” Demars said. This is important because competing products may have warranty loopholes that get them out of replacing or repairing extensive damages.
“Our angle is very important, and that’s what allows us to stand behind the product like we do.”
To learn more about this unique gutter system and the importance of checking your gutters, visit the PineBlock website.
Sponsored by PineBlock. Segment Producer Suzie Wiley. Watch New Day Northwest 11 AM weekdays on KING 5 and streaming live on KING5.com. Contact New Day.