Year: 2017

Suck It Up! Gutters & More2017
04 Oct 2017
October 4, 2017 0 Comments By s_13guttr gutter , ,

Fall is here in Raleigh

Football has started, the air is crisp, and the leaves have begun falling in Raleigh! When your gutters get full, its important to get them cleaned out so they can continue to drain water away from your foundation. For most homes, we recommend cleaning after the majority of the leaves have come down in the fall, then again in the spring so that you can be ready to handle the tremendous spring rainstorms that we have.

Call us today to get on our list for fall cleanup. We’ll come out and clean your gutters from the ground using our professional equipment. We won’t be up on your roof causing unnecessary mess or risk, and we can show you the completed job using our wireless video equipment.

It’s a safe and easy job with Suck It Up Gutter Cleaning

25 Jul 2017
gutter guard
July 25, 2017 0 Comments By s_13guttr gutter ,

Gutter Guards

We recently were on a job where the homeowner had gutter guards installed.  The guards deteriorated in the sun and very small bits of debris were allowed to fall through into the gutters over a period of several years.  This debris accumulated and eventually seedlings were able to take hold.  We are now in the process of removing these guards and cleaning the gutters.

For the price of gutter guards, most homeowners would be much better off just having our services performed annually or semi-annually.  It will save you many hundreds or thousands of dollars up front, and being on a regular schedule can help prevent this sort of issue that requires a more in-depth and more costly initial cleaning.

 

clogged gutter guard

15 Jul 2017
splash block
July 15, 2017 0 Comments By s_13guttr gutter , ,

Gutter Splash Block

 

Many times we see splash blocks installed backwards, with the opening facing towards the house.  The picture above shows the proper way to install them, so that water flows AWAY from your foundation.  People often have them backwards when grass seed is applied so that it doesn’t wash away, then don’t ever turn them back around.  This causes water to back up near your foundation instead of flow away.   Keep your foundation dry and prevent erosion by checking your splash blocks, making sure they are centered under your gutter, and pointing away from your home.

17 Jun 2017
SkyVac Gutter Cleaning
June 17, 2017 0 Comments By s_13guttr gutter , , , , , , ,

Gutter Downspout Clearing

What a weekend we’ve had in Raleigh so far!  Temperatures have been steady near 90, but this morning we were treated with a dramatic cool-off following a couple of intense thunderstorms.

After we had completed 2 houses that had several years of neglect, the rain came DOWN.  Fortunately this storm happened right as I was leaving the 2nd job, and was heading to the 3rd.  The 3rd customer is a regular maintenance customer that has their gutters cleaned bi-annually.  When I arrived, there was a literal river running down the sidewalk, and the gutter over the main door was overflowing.  A quick look with the SkyCam revealed that the only issue was a clogged downspout on the 2nd story.  After the water flowed out, the remaining grit was removed and it was on to the next job!  Take a look at the video to see how the SkyVac made quick work of a clog.

 

17 Jun 2017
Gutter cleanings using SkyVac
June 17, 2017 0 Comments By s_13guttr gutter , , , ,

Gutter Vacuuming vs Roof Walking

Today I was called out to a job where a father wanted to get the gutters on his home cleaned in order to reduce mosquito holding areas in preparation for his daughters birthday party.  This customer was very knowledgeable in his options for gutter cleaning, and he specified that what stood out about Suck It Up Gutter Cleaning was that we removed the debris and wouldn’t get his nice clean deck all dirty.  After completing the job, we were chatting, and he made a striking comment:

“I could have gone with the guys that go through the neighborhood and charge $40 to walk across the roof with a leaf blower, but then I’d have to spend hours cleaning my flower beds and pay someone to wash the siding”.  

This is not an uncommon comment from someone who has had to maintain gutters in the past, but it may strike new homeowners as a way to SAVE money.

Suck It Up Gutter Cleaning offers a premium service, and yes, we do charge more than “Roof-walkers”, but by taking more time and using the right equipment, we are saving you from having to perform or hire out those ancillary services.

And that doesn’t even take into account the significant cost that would be incurred by the homeowner if one of those roof-walkers were to fall from your roof!  Just ask your insurance agent!

Just like the old saying from Ben Franklin goes, “The bitterness of poor quality remains long after the sweetness of low price is forgotten”.

Remember that, and give us a call to get the job done, without making more work or expense for you!

18 May 2017
May 18, 2017 0 Comments By s_13guttr gutter , , ,

Ladder Safety

ladder safely locked to wall - skyvac

Today we were in one of the leading manufacturing facilities in the world in Raleigh, NC.  This is a major employer and seen as one of the safety champions in the industry.  As we were walking thru their facility, we noticed that all of their ladders were chained to the wall and locked off.  They do not allow employees to use ladders without the written consent of safety, and after completing required training for them AND their spotter on the ground.  Quite simply, they do not allow people to use ladders unless it is a last resort.  This is called a “Ladders Last” policy.

We have adopted this mentality at Suck It Up! Gutter cleaning in order to protect us, AND to protect our customers!  If big business is doing everything they can to remove ladders from their service requirements, shouldn’t you be thinking about the same around your home or business?

We don’t want to have to leave the safety of the ground, period.  We have great insurance coverage that covers our customers in the very rare event that we DO have to get on a ladder, but by using our SkyVac, we are able to avoid that on >95% of our service calls.

Why considering putting your family or business at risk by hiring someone on a ladder or a “roof-walker” to clean your gutters?  Do you know if their insurance is up to date?  Does it include a “ladder exclusion”?

If you are serious about getting the job done right, while protecting your home, family, or business, do what the best folks in the industry do and give us a call.  We’re happy to show you our insurance documents AND we’ll be able to clean your gutters from the ground.  Everyone goes home safely, and liability risks are all but eliminated!

13 May 2017
Gutter cleanings using SkyVac
May 13, 2017 0 Comments By s_13guttr gutter , , , , , ,

Gutter Cleaning – Debris Removal in Raleigh and The Carolina Coast

Recently we have been doing a LOT of work for apartment buildings and HOA/Condo units in the Raleigh and Wilmington/Myrtle Beach areas. On average, we have been removing >50lbs of debris from gutters! That is DRY weight! This amount of debris can cause water to pool in the gutters, creating much more weight being held up by gutter brackets.

Having regular gutter cleaning maintenance from Suck It Up Gutters can help keep the water flowing and prevent unnecessary weight from being placed on your gutter brackets, ultimately resulting in the need for costly and dangerous repair. We recommend twice yearly cleaning, or more if you are in an area prone to regular pine needle and leaf dropping.

Regular maintenance will also prevent gutters from overflowing, which can cause erosion issues around your home foundation, which can require an even more costly repair!  Rely on the Suck It Up Gutter crew to help keep your home in great shape, with less overall cost, and MUCH less risk!

SkyVac Gutter Cleaning
SkyVac cleaning debris from gutters in Raleigh and Myrtle Beach
23 Apr 2017
clean roof valley
April 23, 2017 0 Comments By s_13guttr gutter , , , , ,

Cleaning out your roof valleys

We clean more than just gutters. The other day we were called out to remove debris from a home with several roof valleys. Leaves, sticks, and pine stray had piled up to ~4″ deep since the last cleaning (previous year).

Look at the pictures and you can see the difference. Properly cleaned valleys can aid in all-around good drainage of your roof. You can even see in these pictures that after the debris was removed, the shingles were clearly still wet, even though the rest of the roof was dry. Consistently wet areas on a roof can lead to premature roof failure, so keeping these areas clean is critical.

We use our special tools to clean the valleys without getting up on a ladder. Our equipment also allows us to clean without dropping the debris on your flower beds, decks, and driveways. Between the benefits of clean valleys and the peace of mind of having Suck It Up! safely perform your work, it’s an easy decision to give us a call!

Roof valley with leavesclean roof valley

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