Life happens!
We get sick, pets have accidents, kids skin knees, dinners get burnt, and cars break down. Life has a way of happening when we have the least amount of patience to deal with it. Home improvement products are no different. At Home Evolutions VA, we are not immune to this phenomena. As investigated in a previous blog, there is no such thing as the “perfect” product.
Fortunately for our clientele, we believe that our K-Guard Gutter System is “perfect enough” to be backed by the most comprehensive and lengthy warranty in the industry. To reiterate, Home Evolutions VA has chosen to offer the products and services we do to eliminate the angst when “life happens”, especially with our flagship product: K-Guard. Funny how a strong warranty can accomplish this! We proudly stand behind our product line, giving our customers the security they deserve in their investment(s) with us.
So, what exactly is a customer to do when “life happens” with the K-Guard Gutter System? Simply give us a call! Far more often than not, issues can be easily diagnosed and resolved in a timely manner with no charge (as promised) to our customers as our warranty specifies, especially on systems that have recently been installed. Sometimes adjustments need to be made once the product has been installed based on what the house presents. These “adjustments” to the installation of K-Guard are just part of the process of installing products that are customized to the individual home.
However, some customers occasionally encounter issues that are not warrantied. In these situations, Home Evolutions VA is happy to book a free evaluation with one of our knowledgeable Product Specialists to fully diagnose the situation at hand as needed. If any situation is a result of product failure or improper (unmodified) installation, it is a legitimate warranty claim and will cost nothing more than a phone call. If not, a solution will be offered at that time. In the spirit of transparency we’ve decided to share some of the more common non-warrantied “service issues” that some of our K-Guard customers encounter.
Noises coming from gutters
We sometimes receive questions referring to noises coming from a recently installed K-Guard Gutter System. Some customers report what sounds like a small “critter” running through the gutter. This is typically explained by the expansion and contraction of the aluminum, causing the metal to rub against the gutter bracket. The materials that make up the system are actually settling into their permanent orientation as the seasons change. Rest assured, this only takes a couple of seasonal changes to work itself out, and is usually finished by the first summer after installation. Once each bracket finds its natural resting place, the sounds diminish greatly. No need to worry, you won’t find squirrels making a home of your new gutters!
Water running behind the gutter
When customers notice water dripping steadily between the fascia board and the back of the gutter, this is most often due to insufficient shingle overhang over the gutter on a lower pitched roof, and the absence of Drip Edge. Drip edge is a smaller piece of metal that is extremely undervalued during a new roof installation. It’s an angled piece of aluminum (typically) that fastens under the first row of shingles and angles down over the fascia board in a manner that the back of the gutter can be tucked underneath. This prevents water from going behind the gutter and correctly transitions the water from the roof into the gutter, protecting the fascia board from untimely deterioration.
Drip edge is a roofing product that, when correctly installed, fastens under the shingles or metal.
The bad news: many roofing companies over the years have omitted the installation of drip edge or installed it errantly.
The good news: it can be installed after a roof installation, and usually without removing existing roofing products or gutter.
At Home Evolutions VA, our Product Specialists are trained to identify drip edge or the lack thereof. We make professional recommendations to install drip edge when it is absent. We are also prepared to offer this service as needed. Customers that decline the installation of drip edge should be prepared to experience this problem and find the need to have it installed sooner rather than later.
Water overshooting in valley areas
Roof valleys are areas where opposing roof lines transition together – think dormer or gable roof lines. This “valley” area will funnel a higher concentration of water at an accelerated rate of speed towards the gutter. This concentration of water is directly affected by the length of the roof valley itself, the longer the valley the greater the volume of water and velocity of the water channeled towards the gutter. No gutter system can “catch” all of the water in these extreme situations. However, the increased size of the K-Guard Gutter System can accommodate a “high flow opening” to greatly increase the gutter’s efficiency in these circumstances.
These openings are designed to allow maximum water infiltration and yet keep debris out of the gutter itself. Home Evolutions does NOT use roof diverters or splash guards to control the excess of water consistent with roof valleys. We believe these products trap leaves and debris on the roof itself causing premature deterioration of shingles. Our “high flow openings” have been proven effective under normal, even heavier, rain conditions. By the way, our Xtreme Gutter Guards are the only standard (non-hooded) gutter covers with “high flow openings” as an integral part of its system.
Water running over the hood overall
There are times when customers who have had K-Guard for several years or purchase a home with an older K-Guard System in place experience water running over the hood all of a sudden. This is typically an indicator that the gutters themselves need to be cleaned. Gutters are, obviously, an outside product and are subject to algae, mold, airborne dust, etc.build up over time. This is probably more noticeable on the areas of the gutter (like siding) that are on the North side or shaded areas of the home. This algae build up prevents the water from flowing properly into the gutter as efficiently as it once did. All the gutter needs is to be washed. There are a variety of products like siding cleaner that can rectify the situation without the use of a ladder. We do recommend that our customers use a cleaning product that doesn’t leave a film on the gutter hood if they prefer to wash their gutters themselves – like Mold Armor, which is available at Lowe’s and/or Home Depot.
Home Evolutions VA does offer Hand Washes for K-Guard Gutters as a service, and the results can be astounding. Most systems look brand new afterwards and proper functionality is restored. Due to the fact that K-Guard Gutters come with a very extensive warranty, many customers assume that washing the outside of their gutters is a part of their warranty. This has never been a warrantied service with regards to K-Guard. We try to clarify this by likening K-Guard to a higher end vehicle. One might own an expensive car with all the bells, whistles, and even very extensive (and expensive) warranty coverage, but that individual still has to wash the car. Fortunately, K-Guard Gutters don’t need to be washed weekly or monthly like a car. Gutters typically need to be washed every 3-5 years on average or longer depending on the direct sun exposure on the home.
At Home Evolutions VA we recognize that our customers purchase K-Guard in order to forget about getting on a ladder which is why, again, we offer K-Guard Washes at a reasonable price. To be clear, cleaning out any clogs to ensure proper functionality is ALWAYS under warranty on K-Guard systems no matter the age of the system….at no additional cost.
So, when “life happens” with regards to the K-Guard Gutter System, just give us a call. Far more often than not, our customers find that most issues are not a result of their prized gutter system, and if it is…they’re always covered. Home Evolutions VA is dedicated to our clientele (new and old) to rectify any issues (warrantied or not) with any of our products as quickly and thoroughly as possible for continued peace of mind.
