Q. What advice do you have for a customer looking to hire a provider like you?
A. Make sure you are aware of the types of services available. It's good to get your downspouts flushed with every clean, especially in the spring. Also, make sure the service provider is insured and has worker's comp. Anyone can clean gutters, but doing well is what we do best!
Q. If you were a customer, what do you wish you knew about your trade? Any inside secrets to share?
A. Gutters typically need cleaned twice a year (in the spring and fall). Also, downspouts get clogged rather easy with storms and may need cleaned when you see water gushing over the gutters. Finally, gutter cleaning is a cheap, yet effective form of insurance for your house. Dirty gutter cause all kinds of household woes!
Q. What questions should a consumer ask to hire the right service professional?
A. 1. How long have you been in business?
2. Do you have insurance and worker's comp?
3. Ask for the scope of work being done (most companies just clean the gutters and do not flush downspouts).
Q. Do you have a favorite story from your work?
A. We get asked to do some very interesting things in our line of work. The weirdest was when a customer asked us to clean her dad's house without telling him. She said the gutters needed cleaning, but that he'd never let anyone do it. She also told me that he was liable to shoot me if he saw me. This was a challenge that I didn't want to back down from. So as I was cleaning the gutters, as quietly as possible, a gust front blew in and knocked my ladder down. Within thirty seconds it started hailing, raining, and lightening. It was horrific! Needless to say, I used my gutter ninja skills to jump to a tree and swing to the ground. That was the craziest thing I've ever had to do for customer satisfaction.
Q. Write your own question and answer it.
A. I hear a lot about gutter guards, considering how much they can cost, are they worth investing in?
The answer to the question is yes! Gutter guards can be very helpful in staying the hand of debris that can get in your gutters. The problem is that almost all gutter guards still allow gutters to eventually fill up with debris. We have products that work well in slowing this process, but we still recommend yearly maintenance to keep roofs clear and gutters free and flowing.