Serving Grand Rapids
and nearby areas
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"Happy Window Cleaning provides the best views"
Roof Gutter Cleaning
Importance of cleaning your roof gutters:
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Prevent Roof Damage. Water pools inside the gutter and it will flood over at the bottom of the roof.
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Prevent Pest Problems. Insects, birds, and rodent can make their homes in a gutter clogged with leaves and debris. They can also find their way into your home through the gutter system. A clogged gutter is a common cause of pest infestation in your home.
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Prevents Basement Flooding. When the rainwater is blocked, and it overflows the gutter, it collects just above the basement of the home. It will affect the foundation of the house over time; the water will leak inside the basement. It can cause a severe flood and also can lead to the growth of mildew.
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Prevents the Unsightly Appearance of Your Property. The debris and leaves are clogging your gutters can be visible to other people. The water can also stain the siding of your home. These will make your home appear old and worn out.
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Prevents Damages to Gutters. Debris in the gutter can corrode the gutter.
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Cost-Effective. Regular cleaning of your gutter can help eliminate unexpected expenses and inconvenience of replacing your roof or repairing the damaged foundation.
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Winter: Prevent an ice dam. In winter months, the water will freeze and either pull the gutter off or can cause an ice dam that will leak into the walls and cause the water to run down the side of your home.
When is time to clean your roof gutters?
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Pools of water on your lawn, near your foundation, or on your driveway. All of these are signals that water isn’t draining properly. It might also mean your downspouts aren’t connected properly.
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Dripping gutters or gutters which aren’t draining at all. If water isn’t draining smoothly, it probably means you’ve got a clog or a leak somewhere in your gutters.
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Water where it shouldn’t be. Are there drips inside your house? Pools of water in your basement? These are major warning signs: Your foundation or your roof could be at risk.
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Signs of animal life. Are you seeing bugs in your house? Hearing mice in your attic or walls? These critters could be nesting in clogged gutters.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Why is it important to clean roof gutters?
A: The following are some of the reasons why you should have your roof gutters cleaned on a regular basis:
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1. Prevents Roof Damage. Water pools inside the gutter and it will flood over at the bottom of the roof.
2. Prevents Pest Problems. Insects, birds, and rodent can make their homes in a gutter clogged with leaves and debris. They can also find their way into your home through the gutter system. A clogged gutter is a common cause of pest infestation in your home.
3. Prevents Basement Flooding. When the rainwater is blocked, and it overflows the gutter, it collects just above the basement of the home. It will affect the foundation of the house over time; the water will leak inside the basement. It can cause a severe flood and also can lead to the growth of mildew.
4. Prevents the Unsightly Appearance of Your Property. The debris and leaves are clogging your gutters can be visible to other people. The water can also stain the siding of your home. These will make your home appear old and worn out.
5. Prevents Damages to Gutters. Debris in the gutter can corrode the gutter.
6. Winter: Prevent an ice dam. In winter months, the water will freeze and either pull the gutter off or can cause an ice dam that will leak into the walls and cause the water to run down the side of your home.
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Q: Isn’t roof gutter cleaning expensive?
A: Having your roof gutters cleaned on a regular basis (at least once or twice a year) is actually cost-effective. Regular cleaning of your gutter can help eliminate unexpected expenses and inconvenience of replacing your roof or repairing the damaged foundation.
Q: What are the signs that I need to have my roof gutters cleaned?
A: The following are signs that you are due for gutter cleaning:
1. Pools of water on your lawn, near your foundation, or on your driveway. All of these are signals that water isn’t draining properly. It might also mean your downspouts aren’t connected properly.
2. Dripping gutters or gutters which aren’t draining at all. If water isn’t draining smoothly, it probably means you’ve got a clog or a leak somewhere in your gutters.
3. Water where it shouldn’t be. Are there drips inside your house? Pools of water in your basement? These are major warning signs: Your foundation or your roof could be at risk.
4. Signs of animal life. Are you seeing bugs in your house? Hearing mice in your attic or walls? These critters could be nesting in clogged gutters.
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Important: don’t wait for any of these signs to manifest before you schedule for roof gutter cleaning. Remember, prevention is always better than cure.
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Q: What can Happy Window Cleaning do for me?
A: We clean out gutters that are reachable with our ladders, up to about twenty-one feet. When we do so we make sure that the drainage is working and we clean out the bottom as well as the top of the conduit.
Q: Do you advise the installation of gutter covers?
A: Read the consumer reviews before you purchase. Based on our observation, some customers are satisfied, others are not. All we can say is that there is no such thing as maintenance-free gutters.
If you choose one of the better products on the market, and your home does not sit under a canopy of trees then a gutter guard system should work. Moreover, properly installing a gutter guard, will decrease the frequency of necessary cleaning and maintenance required. However, because of the varying kinds of roofing on homes and architectural settings, not every home is a good candidate for gutter guards. But they do work for some people.
Q: My gutters have gutter guards/screens. Are you able to remove them?
A: There are many kinds of gutter screens. Some can be removed easily; others are riveted, screwed, or nailed on. If removing the screens is required, it is an additional cost for the time it takes to take them out and put them back on which can be extensive. Depending on the type of fasteners involved having gutter guards may take as much as ten times longer in terms of labor costs to clean and maintain.
Q: How long does a gutter cleaning take?
A: The time it will take to clean your gutter depends on the size of your home, and how much debris has accumulated in your gutters. A small home with little to no debris could be done in as fast as 20-30 minutes. However, a smaller home with a lot of debris could take 60-90 minutes depending on what type of debris is in the gutters. Larger homes (5,000 sq ft plus) could take as long as 2-3 hours if there is a lot of debris. Having gutter covers on your gutters, or if your roof is not walkable, will both add a lot of time to the gutter cleaning process.
Q: What does a gutter cleaning consist of?
A: The gutter cleaning service Happy Window Cleaning provides is bagging and removing the debris from the insides of the gutters and downspouts. We use water to flush the gutters and downspouts. This is to ensure proper water flow throughout the entire gutter system and prevent damages that come from clogs in the gutter. Blowing the entire roof is not included in the service we do clean the leaves out of the roofing valleys and around the perimeter of the gutter. That way that debris doesn’t go straight into the gutter during the next rain. We do not provide bags whenever we do gutter cleaning services.
Q: Are all gutters on my home included during a gutter cleaning? What about the downspouts, are they included?
A: Unless you specifically say so, all gutters and downspouts on the entire home are included with gutter cleaning services.
Q: Is my detached garage or shed included in my gutter cleaning service?
A: Unless you specifically request so, our estimate for gutter cleaning does not include any detached structures. If you want detached structures done as well, please let us know so we can give you the right estimate.
Q: When is the best time of the year to get a gutter cleaning?
A: The best times of the year to have your gutters cleaned are at the end of fall, and the end of spring.
For our customers that only require one gutter cleaning per year, we always suggest getting them cleaned at the end of fall. It’s important to wait until the trees have dropped all their leaves before you clean the gutters. The idea is to wait as long as possible but get it done before the freezing temperatures set in. If you need two cleanings per year, then the end of fall and the end of spring are your two best times. Just like in the fall, trees drop a bunch of debris in the spring. Like flowers, seed pods, and pollen. For the spring, we always suggest the end of May thru the end of June.
Q: Do they walk on the roof when cleaning gutters?
A: Unless certain situations require our crew will not walk on the roof such as if the roof is too steep, if the roof is slate or cedar shake, or if the roof is covered in moss or generally in bad condition overall. Needless to say, if your roof is in poor condition, then the crew will likely not walk on it at all. Be sure to let your gutter cleaning crew know when scheduling your service, that you do not want them walking on your roof.
Q: What types of cleaning chemicals are used during a gutter cleaning?
A: We do not use any cleaning chemicals when performing gutter cleanings. In fact, most gutter cleaning companies do not use any chemicals when cleaning the gutters.
Q: Do I need to be home during the gutter cleaning service?
A: Most gutter cleaning companies do not require you to be home for your gutter cleaning services. Since the gutters are all outside of your home, they do not need access to the inside of your home. At Happy Window Cleaning we send out before and after photos once the job is complete that way if you’re not home, you still have proof that we completed the job.
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Q: How much will it cost?
A: Beware of the lowest bidder! Happy Window Cleaning may not be the lowest bid, but will always be the company that provides the highest level of value, service, and professionalism to the customer. We work hard to find the right price for each project. Our rates are reasonable, and rightly so since we pay our employees well, and in order for us to achieve financial sufficiency. Our rates are set to leave something left over after direct costs and overhead so we can continue to thrive in this industry.
We provide free, prompt, and no-hassle written estimates. Contact us for an appointment so we can discuss your expectations and preferences and give you an estimate on any or all the above-mentioned services.
We understand that you cannot climb the ladder to check if the work was done so we take pictures of the finished product and the debris gathered from your roof gutter(s) and send them to you via text or email.
Let us give you a free estimate.
Click here and fill the form.