Tuesday, November 9, 2010

We Are Booking Up Fast!

It's important to have all the necessary equipment in order to complete your eavestroughs safely and efficiently. A neighbor pondered at all our ladders and was quick to mention that it looked like we were holding up the side of this house. Lots of ladders make the job much easier for our installers and are made of fiberglass instead of aluminum for safety around power lines.

The first half of November has been great working weather in Toronto. The phones have been busy as homeowners realize winter may be just around the corner. We still have some openings before winter sets in. We work all winter long so not to worry if you book your project late. There is no sacrifice in quality by doing your eavestroughs in the winter. We can often give winter discounts for those who are ok with waiting until our season settles down. Just let us know when we come to estimate so we can price it both ways.
If you have a home in Scarborough, North York or another area of in or near Toronto and are interested visit http://www.eavestrough.ca/ or call us at 416.615.0443 for a free estimate.

Monday, November 8, 2010

Warm White LED Soffit Lighting in the GTA

Today we completed another soffit, fascia, eavestrough and LED light project, in Scarborough. I want to show a couple of pictures of the end result. The lighting project consisted of only four recessed LED lights but had a big effect. It really created that wow factor in terms of curb appeal. Installing new eavestroughs and/or soffit and fascia is the perfect time to install a low voltage light system.



LED soffit lighting eavestroughs low voltage
LED soffit recessed lighting low voltage Toronto North York Scarborough LED pot lights vary in cost from about $200.00 to $300.00 per light installed depending on the quantity and level of difficulty.

Visit www.eavestrough.ca or call our office at 416.615.0443. for free estimate.


We provide a full Exterior LED Lighting service when you have us do your eavestrough work in Scarborough, North York and other areas in and near Toronto.  If you want to purchase the LED product to install yourself directly, go to www.delphitech.com and check out there online store.

Friday, October 22, 2010

How To Install LED Soffit Lighting

We have been getting a lot of interest, from around Scarborough and Toronto as well as farther away  about our LED soffit lighting and thought it would be good to put up another post which gives more information about them.

The new generation of recessed lights are warmer in colour making the longevity and energy efficiency of LEDs even more appealing.

At about $200.00 to $300.00 per light installed, the lights are not for the price sensitive but are great for the Toronto homeowner who plans on staying in their home for awhile. They are perfect for highlighting an entrance and or security lighting.

With a life expectancy of 20 years plus (100,000 hours), there will be many years to appreciate the unique look, flexibility of placement and energy savings.

If you are handy and can do the installation yourself then here is a direct link to the manufacturer as we supply and install only.  www.delphitech.com

A video for you to see how we easily install a LED recessed / pot light into an existing aluminum soffit:




A video of how we make the connections:





This Toronto video shows how to decide where to place the lights at an entrance area and also how to run wire in the existing soffits:






A video of how we configure the power source and automatic timer. The best location is in a garage or in a utility room. All that is required is a spare outlet that we can plug this unit in to.



We do installations here in the Toronto area. Visit our website at http://www.eavestrough.ca/

Sunday, October 10, 2010

North Shore Eavestroughing at the Home Show with Jay Purvis of the HGTV show The Fix

Eavestrough leafguard downspouts Toronto Recently we were invited to a Home Show to speak with a panel of experts to give advice to homeowners on renovation dos and don'ts.

It was hosted by Jay Purvis of the HGTV show The Fix
http://www.generalpurposepictures.com/thefix/meet.html

We were happy to speak on the importance of a proper functioning eavestrough and leafguard system on your home. We gave tips and advice on how to prepare your gutters for the winter season.

North Shore Eavestroughing works in Scarborough, North York and other areas in and near Toronto.
Visit www.eavestrough.ca for more information or to contact a rain water management professional.

Sunday, October 3, 2010

Onstage Connecting With Clients Event Hamilton

Small Business owners North Shore Eavestroughing Toronto This weekend North Shore Eavestroughing was invited to speak to small business owners at the Hamilton Ideal Home Show. It was an excellent opportunity to share the basics of social media to small business in Hamilton. It was a great success and we were thrilled to share the stage with media experts and contractors who are embracing social media.
(from left to right):

Tom Whitaker of Tiny Briefcase. A company who helps small business use technology to improve their business. www.tinybriefcase.com

Myself, Darren Perry of North Shore Eavestroughing of Toronto www.eavestrough.ca

Andrew Goodman, President of Page Zero Media and author of best selling book Winning Results with Google AdWords. A true expert on online pay per click campaigns. www.pagezero.com

Chris Healy also representing Tiny Briefcase.

Jerret Jastal of Stonecoat. An expert in resurfacing concrete outside and everything inside. www.texturock.com

Jeff Schnurr of Toronto Home Theater and Inview Marketing. www.inviewmarketing.ca

Definitely a great group of people and I highly recommend contacting them if you think they might be able to solve any of your problems.

Monday, September 20, 2010

Where to find quality eavestrough parts.

eavestrough downpipes materials Toronto












We often get calls to our office asking if we can retail eavestrough parts like downpipes etc. Since we are primarily a supply and install company we thought we would give a great contact if you were looking for quality parts and may just want to do a repair yourself.

Danforth Roofing is located at 3145 Danforth Ave near Victoria Park and Danforth Ave., Toronto

Their phone number is 416 699 7127.
















Danforth Roofing also has a metal bending shop that can custom bend any flashings etc that you might need. Wayne and the crew always give excellent service in the back shop.


















Tara is always professional and ready to look after customers at the front desk.















They have different colours and accessories for downpipes. They also make Y diverters if you plan on installing a rain barrel and want to have control over the water. With a Y diverter you can divert the water out the downspout when the barrel is full.

Danforth Roofing has been offering us excellent service over the years, making Y diverters we need for installing barrels. Danforth gives homeowners the chance to purchase eavestrough accessories that are of better quality than what they would find at the local hardware store.

If you are in Scarborough, North York, other areas in or near Toronto and need a full service company contact North Shore Eavestroughing for a free estimate.
Our website: http://www.eavestrough.ca/
Our email: info@eavestrough.ca

Sunday, September 12, 2010

Eavestroughing can be dangerous!

liability insurance safety on jobsite eavestrough toronto

I cannot stress the importance of hiring a contractor that takes safety very seriously.
Working on your roof or eavestroughs can be very hazardous. Its way too often we hear in the news about someone falling to their death while working at heights.

 
 
It is terrible to imagine an installer being seriously injured or losing their life on the work site. It is also important to realize that in the event of a serious accident the fines can be in excess of $100,000. and these fines are not covered by insurance.
Besides these very important issues, I believe that a person working on a home will do a much higher quality job if they are not hanging on for dear life. There are many installers out there that are working unprotected. Remember no one's roof, eavestroughs or Leafguard is worth losing a life over.

It's imperitive to hire contractors that work according to the law. Anyone working over 10 feet must be certified in fall protection, have the ropes and harnesses and use them!
Visit our website at www.eavestrough.ca

Super Strong Eavestrough

Evaestrough with AluRex TRex Leafguard Toronto Scarborough North York


Here are a couple of North Shore Eavestroughing installers hanging out in Scarborough. The good thing about our eavestrough system is that it can handle a great deal of downward force and is not affected by ladders laying against them. They will not loosen, as they are screwed tightly in place and never nailed in any way.

Our clients often joke around about being able to hang from their new eavestroughs and sometimes we feel up to proving that it's actually possible. (Do this in a low safe area if you decide to try)

We give new meaning to hanging around your home. Not only do we install a leafguard but a workout system as well. Now we have an excuse for skipping the gym.(Now I am joking about this part!)
Visit our website at www.eavestrough.ca

Downspouts Plugged, Solid!

leafguard eavestrough plugged Toronto Scarborough GTA
Its way too often that we find downspouts that are completely plugged with old leaf debris.
No wonder that some eavestrough systems have overflows like Niagara Falls!
The debris seen in this pipe may have been in there for many years. The company responsible for cleaning this eavestrough has neglected to check the downpipes from top to bottom for obstructions.
 
Eavestrough cleaning companies that use the practice of dropping marbles down the downspouts to see if they are clear has its limitations. At one property, in North York, we have found a pile of marbles on top of the debris at the base of the downspout. This means the eavestrough system has not worked for years and they have been billing the homeowner for cleanings.
This reinforces the need for some type of a leafguard to prevent debris from getting into your eavestrough and downspouts in the first place.
If you are unsure if your pipes are plugged and are unable to take them apart to inspect give them a tap and they should sound hollow. If they sound solid and hard, consider having a eavestrough cleaning company come in to take them apart, clean them out and reinstall.
If your plugged downspouts are older and you can afford it you might consider replacing the whole eavestrough system with leafguard and possibly larger downspouts.

How to guarantee a flood in your basement!

Rainwater management downpspout clay pipe flooding Toronto



If you have a downspout that looks like this one you might want to give some serious consideration.

This downspout connects into an old clay weeping tile. These are prone to crack, deteriorate, and plug with debris and tree roots.

Can you imagine what could happen if this clay pipe fails during a heavy rain? It very likely would flood water right into this window well.

If the window well cannot drain the water away quickly enough, water will build up and fill the window well. Most old basement windows are far from water proof and will allow water to enter the basement.

When designing a new eavestrough system for this home every effort must be made to move this downspout to a new location. One that is safer and will not put your basement at risk of a flood. We have rectified situations like this in Scarborough and North York as well as other areas of Toronto. If the property allows try to keep downspouts away from window wells.

Visit our website http://www.eavestrough.ca/

Improper Gutter Causes Roof Damage

Eavestrough water should be contained in downspout gutters Toronto We happened to look next door at this home during an eavestrough project in Toronto and saw some very evident problems.

The eavestrough has an open end which dumps water onto the roof instead of channeling it to the lower eavestrough via a downspout.

Over the years the high volume of water near the end of this gutter has slowly eroded the surface of the asphalt shingles.

You can see the layers of newer, different color shingles that have been installed to probably stop a leak into their home.

This probably was not enough to fix the problem as it seems that someone poured a bucket of black tar down the roof out of desperation.

Never allow a high volume of water to flow down your roof like this or you can expect premature roof wear.

When hiring a contractor to work on your home ensure that they have a "do it right do it once" attitude just like Mr Holmes says.

Visit http://www.eavestough.ca/ for more information.

Saturday, September 11, 2010

Giant Pipe Cleaner Leafguard!

leafguard system pipecleaner style toronto eavestroughs
Now as I stated in earlier blog posts, I am a big believer in leafguard if you have trees on your property and any brand is better than nothing when it comes to reducing the frequency of cleaning.

However I may want to take that statement back if the new products entering the market place get any more wild than this.

We found these that resemble large pipe cleaners that you shove down into your eavestrough.

Sure they may be super easy to install but they seem to be great at catching and holding on to debris with all their little tentacles.

Not only that but the home we found them on looked a little funny from the street as they were poking out the top of all the eavestroughs.


pipe cleaner style leafguard


Visit our website at www.eavestrough.ca

Custom onsite metal fabrication.

Aluminum fascia, eavestroughs gutter leafguard
We have fully equipped trailers that come with 10 foot metal brakes to allow for any custom metal bending required.
Often eavestrough projects require aluminum fascia, flashing or drip edge to be fabricated on site. This ensures an exact, precise fit.
Tony is shown here in this picture bending some flashing to finish an eavestrough project in Scarborough.
We provide our installers with all the best equipment. As the saying goes in the construction world we are only as good as our tools. It's important to hire contractors that have all the necessary equipment to complete the task at hand - no matter what the trade.
Visit our website at www.eavestrough.ca

Silly stuff we find in eavestrough!

Toronto eavestrough North York Scarborough  Gutter
Toronto North York Scabrorough Gutter eavestrough

Over the years we find all sorts of interesting things in the gutter. Most often it's tennis balls or other things children tend to toss around the yard. I guess it's another reason why you might want to consider a leafguard. It could be a ball, a mess of leaves or an action figure; they all can plug the downspout and create an overflow situation.
I realize this post is more for entertainment than education, but hey you have to have a little fun in our business. If anyone else has found something interesting in their gutter feel free to comment below.
North Shore Eavestroughing tries to make the best of an often unexciting topic. We are passionate about eavestrough and that's a good thing if you plan on becoming one of our clients! We work in Scarborough, North York as well as areas in and near Toronto. 
Visit our website at www.eavestrough.ca

Signs of a major downspout leak!

Home badly in need of new eavestroughs green mold on wall Major downspout leak
If you look around the exterior of your home after a rain and see wet patches on the wall you may have a serious eavestrough/downpipe problem.
The upper downspout elbow shown in this picture is dumping water onto the roof and wall. It's easy to see the large wet spot on the wall. In this case it has been happening so long that the water has allowed for a green stain to develop.
This situation can cause:
 
1. Water to which through the wall and create a mold growth on the interior side of the wall.
 
2. A leaky basement because its obvious water is not being directed into the lower eavestrough properly. This water is running down the wall and depositing near the foundation which can enter into your home.
3. Damage to the exterior finish of your home.
This can be easily corrected by using downspout to properly connect upper downspout to the lower eavestrough and contain all the water. If you are handy some repairs are easy to do yourself and can save you lots of money down the road. Many basic eavestrough supplies can be found at the local hardware store. Although the supplies at these stores are not of professional quality they will work fine for a small fix up like this. We work in Scarbrough, North York as well as other areas in and near Toronto. For a major overhaul of your old, tired rainwater system visit http://www.eavestrough.ca/.

Friday, July 23, 2010

How not to do a downspout

How not to install downspouts Toronto This picture pretty much speaks for itself. You can not have proper functioning eavestroughs if there is a restriction with a downspout. In this case the company that did this handywork may not have realized how this entire system was basically shut down due to how the downspout was squeezed and jammed into the small galvanized downspout that goes through the roof. We had to redirect this downspout completely as the pipe through the roof was way too small.
Performance of an eavestroughing system can be jeopardized and prevented from flowing properly as a result from leaves caught in the downspout and also using downspouts that are too small for the square footage of the roof.
Downspouts of proper size and clear of debris are key to controlling water around your property.

Visit http://www.eavestrough.ca/ for our contact information and to arrange for a consultation with one of our eavestroughing professionals. We service Scarbrorough, north York and other areas in and near Toronto

A Very Well Known Toronto Eavestrough Company Did This!

Brackest on eavestroughs shoddy work
Just a quick entry here to display some more handy work of a well known roofing and eavestrough company here in Toronto. Now I don't want this blog to be focused on just other contractors shoddy work but I have been seeing so much of it lately that I feel compelled to share some of it.

I think some companies forget that they are only as good as their last job.

In the top picture the fasteners that hold the eavestrough on are about 4 feet apart when they should be no more than 2 feet apart.


Shoddy work Toronto This same piece of eavestrough was cut a couple of inches too short and instead of making a new piece they inserted a filler piece which doesn't look so nice and may be prone to leak.



Messy caulking job done other company This picture shows a mess of caulking that needed to be spread out to cover the extra seams created by the eavestrough being too short.

This Scarborough homeowner has paid top dollar for her eavestroughs and will have to live with eavestroughs like this for many years to come as like most people cannot afford to do them all over again.

I advise homeowners to educate themselves before going ahead and hiring a contractor. I realize this can be difficult as everyone is always claiming to be the best at what they do. Take some time to do some research on the task at hand and the contractor as well. Ask lots of questions and see how they respond. Do they have the patience or interest to spend some time with you answering your questions? Do they know their product inside out and backwards? Do they seem passionate about their work? I believe that if you do not rush the process and invest some time on your end, it will pay dividends. Visit our website at http://www.eavestrough.ca/

Monday, July 5, 2010

Flashing - What is it?

Flashing Eavestroughing properly installed gutter Toronto Flashing is a strip of aluminum that is installed for a couple of different reasons. It can be used to bridge the gap between the metal drip edge under the first row shingles and the top of the eavestrough.(picture on left)

The picture here (to the left) of a home in North York, shows a large gap of wood fascia that is vulnerable to water damage and leaks behind the eavestrough. Usually the gap is not this big but regardless of the size it's important to consider covering none the less. Often the wood is not even painted and may never get painted as most painters do not paint above the eavestrough. If you have aluminum fascia and it extends well up under the shingles then there is no fear of rotting wood, but you still may have drips between the fascia and eavestrough.

Shown here is a simple piece of aluminum flashing.

Aluminum flashing eavestrough gutter Toronto



Flashing is also installed to prevent water from running behind your new eavestroughs due to shingles that may be curled down. (Curled down shingles can be prevented if the roofing company uses a drip edge, which we highly recommend. Do not allow a roofing company to leave the shingles extra long and let them fold down into the eavestrough.) It's surprising how many roofing companies think this is acceptable. Here is the link to our blog post explaining drip edge: http://torontoeavestroughing.blogspot.ca/2010/03/drip-edge-why-its-critical.html

Here is a picture of shingles that have curled down on a home in Scarborough.

Curled shingles water behind eavestrough gutter Toronto



When these shingles were new, they were not curled like this and did not let water run behind the eavestrough like it does in the picture below. Many years in the sun allows them to curl down under their own weight. Since eavestroughs are not actually sealed/caulked to the wood or aluminum fascia, proper water flow into the eavestrough depends on proper shingle overhang.

replace eavestroughs fascia Toronto Scarborough North York GTA
 

Below we show how the piece of flashing extends over the back of the eavestrough and up under the curled shingles.
Flashing installed to prevent water going behind eavestrough GTA



The metal flashing must slide up under the drip edge (if you have drip edge) or curled shingles and extend down over the back of the eavestrough.

FAQ : How much flashing will I need? If you need to flash an existing eavestrough system then a simple inspection will reveal how many feet you need. The places where the shingles curl down and overlap the back of the eavestrough will not need flashing.  When we price flashing with a new eavestrough system we allow a per foot price as there is no way of determining how much is needed before the new system is in place. This is because there is no way of determining when the eavestroughs will come out from under the curled shingles due to the way the eavestroughs slope down to the downspouts. An average home may need 40 to 100 feet to prevent drips if the shingles are curled down. Flashing starts at $2. per lineal foot depending on installation difficulty.

This video shows how water runs off a shingle. It refers to drip edge but once the shingles have curled down it's easier and cheaper to resolve the problem with flashing. Sometimes the curled shingles do not lift easily (they become brittle or stiff and may crack if lifted) to slide a drip edge onto the roof deck. Flashing is easier and will reduce the chance of damaging the shingles when the metal is being installed.





Its our view at North Shore Eavestroughing that a educated consumer will help raise our industry standards. Visit www. eavestrough.ca for more information. Do you live in Scarborough, North York or other area in or near Toronto, get in touch so we can provie you with a quote.

Tuesday, May 4, 2010

All Our Work Is Water Tested

water test eavestrough installation Toronto Scarborough North York North Shore Eavestroughing has now incorporated a water test to all our eavestrough work. This simple test is standard to ensure that all corners are leak free when we leave your property. It serves as a double check to our high standard of work. We want to ensure that all your new eavestroughs work as promised. It's a quick test which if it uncovers a small drip can be remedied on the spot before leaving your home. This saves you time by not having to call us if there is a small problem and us time by not returning to do any repairs. Its a win win. Our teams have water stocked in our trailers in the event there is no hose available to use. This is another example of how we aim to create a positive client experience for everyone who comes in contact with our company! Visit http://www.eavestrough.ca/ for a free quote! If you are in North York, Scarborough or live in or near Toronto we would lvoe to provide a quote for you!


Monday, May 3, 2010

3 Reasons Why A Roofer Shouldn't Do Your Gutter

roofers installing eavestrough Toronto gutter This is quite possibly the worst gutter job I have come across. A roofing company sent a roofer and totally botched it. We completely removed it all and started fresh as there were too many mistakes to fix.
Badly sloped eavestrough Toronto   specialized trainingThe gutter also had a huge amount of grade to the downspout making it very unsightly.


incorrectly to do eavestrough corner gutter Toronto
The person fitting these corners, in North York, had no idea how to properly do a mitred corner. Too many joints, too many screws and caulking to hide where the corner did not fit properly.


This is prime example of why we tell potential clients not to hire your roofer to do your gutters. Its not easy to do a professional install without specialized training. This is also the main reason why when you hire a roofing company to do your gutters they subcontract it out because they lack the trained personnel and equipment to do the job right. There is a reason we do not do roofs and for the same reason roofers should not do gutters!
Roofing and eavestroughing are independant of each other. If the roof needs replacing then it's best to do the roof work first if possible.
Visit our website www.eavestrough.ca

Tuesday, April 6, 2010

Reduce your liability when hiring a contractor

liability insurance eavestrough installer Toronto Ontario law

Most people do not realize that when you hire a contractor to work on your home, in Scarborough, North York or Toronto it temporarily turns into a construction site that must follow Ontario law. A homeowner can be considered the general contractor of the project in certain instances which means you must be aware of certian rules and regulations.

Just because a contractor has liability insurance does not mean you should not be concerned with how the work is performed on your home. If a serious accident were to occur the fines can easily be 100,000.00 with a portion potentially being on the homeowner's shoulders. These fines are not covered by any insurance.

One of the ways North Shore takes extra care to reduce your risk by using fall arrest equipment on all projects over 10 feet high required by law. This keeps our team safe from harm and reduces your liability. Its a win win!

Always ensure that this safety factor will be carried out by your contractor before the work starts. Keep in mind fall protection is not enforced in most roofing and eavestroughing companies in Toronto. Check out their marketing material and if all their pictures show unprotected workers then the chance of them being safe on your project is slim to none. Remember that you are in charge of who you hire to do the work and insist they work safe on your home. In my opinion, any company that leaves safety to chance is probably skimping on other areas too.
Visit our website at www.eavestrough.ca

Certified Eavestrough Professionals

eavestrough warranty workshop Scarborough Toronto

We are getting ready for our busy spring season and much goes on behind the scenes to ensure you get the best possible eavestrough project. In order to serve our customers to the highest level we spend many hours of training in our shop, in Scarborough. After careful training and review for all our team members you can feel confident in our craftsmanship. The biggest and most important variable in our industry is the quality of the installation. Too many companies do not give formal quality training and it is the homeowner who suffers with a poorly done job. Our operation is fully equipped with training modules and a fully systemized way of doing things. We back up all our installs with a industry leading 10 year workmanship warranty!
Visit our website www.eavestrough.ca

Sunday, March 14, 2010

Drip edge. Why it is critical.


Drip edge is a metal flange that is installed under the first row of shingles. Shown below in black below, it serves a few different purposes.


prevent animals from getting into attic drip edge proper roof edge Toronto



 It provides some support to the shingles so that they do not curl down over the years and cause cracking of the shingles and potential water to run down behind the eavestrough. It also creates overlapping of the wooden fascia that can be prone to rot due to water penetration. Another benefit is it can cover any small gaps between the roof deck and the fascia which will prevent animals from seeing an opening which they will then chew at until they are into your attic. Drip edge is also perfect for sealing the ice and water shield to. (Ice and water shield is a water proof membrane that roofing companies install before shingling and helps prevent water leakage in the event of an ice dam.)

Here is a simple metal drip edge: (Picture from Quinby Hardware)

Drip-edge roof edge eavestrough gutter Toronto
 

From an eavestroughing standpoint, drip edge is critical to provide you with a roof that will drain water off the roof and into the eavestrough properly. Some roofers that take the short cut of not using a drip edge will often leave the shingles extra-long so that they will sag down into the eavestrough. This will eventually weaken the shingles and hinder proper installation of any new eavestroughs you may be considering after the roof is done.


Fortunately, it's simple and inexpensive to do when the roof is being replaced. Roofers can buy drip edge for less than a dollar a foot, is installed quickly and comes in various colours. Unfortunately, it is overlooked most of the time. I recently talked to a home owner who just had 3 roofing quotes and no one mentioned or offered drip edge. It was understandable that he was frustrated that he had to do his own investigating into drip edge to realize the potential benefits.

As seen in the picture below, there is no drip edge which causes the shingles to curl down allowing water to drip behind the eavestrough.

Water behind eavestrough Drip edge Toronto

 
This picture below of a home in Scarborough, shows the obvious gap between the roof deck and the top of the fascia. If an animal gets in there it will enter straight into the attic.

animals in attic Drip edge Gap between roof deck and fascia



The drip edge should extend about 3 to 4 inches up under the shingles and down 2 inches maximum over the fascia. Any more than 2 inches can interfere with eavestrough and leaf guard installation which may cause you to incur extra costs. One final tip is that the shingles should extend about 1 inch past the drip edge to ensure proper water flow directly into the eavestrough. It is much easier to have drip edge installed in conjunction with a new roof than trying to install it afterwards. It can be done afterwards, if the shingles have not become weak and brittle from curling down. If this is the case, the shingles may break off when trying to install the drip edge so it's best just to install it when doing the roof.

This final picture shows a potential problem with the shingles not hanging about 1 inch past the drip edge. The surface tension of the water will cause the water to travel backwards to the fascia/ eavestrough. The eavestrough is not always tucked up under the drip edge as shown because the eavestrough slowly lowers down to get proper slope. This can cause leaking behind the eavestrough and may require additional flashing work to make sure the water goes where it is supposed to.  See our flashing blog post: http://torontoeavestroughing.blogspot.ca/2010/07/flashing-what-is-it.html

Replace eavestroughs drip edge Toronto water behind gutter
 
Here are some videos we have done up relating to drip edge:
 

 

Visit our website at www.eavestrough.ca for more information.

Sunday, March 7, 2010

Choosing the best material for eavestroughs.

Seamless aluminum eavestroughing AluRex TRex Leafguard Scarborough Eavestroughs can be made out of a few different materials. The most common materials are aluminum, steel, copper and vinyl. Aluminum is by far the most widely used material in North America because it can be formed into a seamless eavestrough and will not rust. Steel and copper can also be formed into a seamless eavestrough but steel is prone to rust and copper is at a much higher price point. Vinyl eavestroughs cannot be fed through seamless eavestrough machines. Because of this they are usually purchased in 10 foot lengths at hardware stores. It's rare to see a professional using this product and is usually purchased by homeowners attempting to do it themselves. Recently, we completely stripped a home of all its vinyl soffit fascia and gutters. You can view a video on some of the pitfalls of choosing vinyl:




Aluminum also has many advantages. It comes in a wide variety of colors and is compatible with a wide range of leafguards which are also made of aluminum. Aluminum gutters come in mainly 2 different thicknesses so it's important to choose the one that best suits your needs.

The thickness of .023 gauge is the most common thickness for our region and allows for the widest colour selection. We install about 95 percent of our eavestroughs with this thickness. It is the thickness we used in the very top picture which shows us hanging from it. Keep in mind that the leafguard we used called T-Rex greatly responsible for making it so durable. This thickness is more than adequate for most residential applications. The .023 gauge can also be made more durable by installing more brackets used to fasten the eavestrough to the home. I see many eavestroughs in the Toronto that look good from the ground but upon looking in from above there were very few fasteners used. The type and number of fasteners is as or more important than the thickness of the aluminum.

The thicker version is .032 gauge and we recommend for homes or businesses that have steel roofs and have problems with snow slides. Often with these roofs, a ton of snow can release at once and play havoc with the eavestroughs. When the T-Rex leafguard system is combined with this thickness it creates a very strong gutter but can be no match for tons of ice/snow sliding of at once. Therefore its very important to have the roofing company install snow stops to prevent the snow from sliding off. Most companies will not warranty damage due to snow slides on steel roofs. The .032 gauge is not as common as the .023 and therefore due to market demand it is available in fewer colors.

If you have any questions or comments to this post or any other please leave a response and I will do my best to respond promptly. We service Scarbrorough and North York as well as other areas in and around Toronto.

Also I do not mean to confuse you when I alternate between eavestrough and gutter. They mean the same thing. Gutter is probably more common in the U.S. than here in Canada.

Visit our website www.eavestrough.ca

Saturday, March 6, 2010

Proper Slope

properly sloping eavestroughs gutters Toronto



It's essential to use a level when installing eavestroughs. Most homeowners are aware that there should not be pooling water in their eavestroughs. This creates overflows and swamp-like conditions that mosquitos love to hang out and lay eggs in. No one would want this but unfortunately many homes in Toronto have this situation. It's of epidemic proportions. The good thing is, it's completely avoidable.

The use of a level when installing your new system will take all the the guess work out of things. It seems that many installers think that they have a good eye and can tell when the eavestroughs are sloped in the right direction. Well I see the proof everyday that this is not the case as we get numerous calls from homeowners complaining about how xyz company did their eavestroughs and they are full of water. I also see it almost everyday I go out to see homeowners who want a new system.
There have been numerous times we talk to a homeowner who has had a company install their eavestroughs with slope problems. They call them back fix it and they still don't get it right the second time. If the company had used a level this embarrassment wouldn't have happened!

eavestrough replacement Toronto properly installedNot using a level and eyeballing the install will create problems because the houses often do not sit perfectly level in the first place. A house could be an inch or two higher on one side than the other and it's highly unlikely anyone would ever know just by looking. This can affect a person's frame of reference. It can give the illusion that eavestroughs are sloping in the proper direction.

I think the main reason why levels are not used is because it does slow the install process down significantly by times. With most of the Toronto eavestrough market consisting of subcontractors getting paid piece work this type of attention to detail is to hard on the pocket book and is neglected. We at North Shore Eavestroughing do things differently. All our team members are highly knowledgeable on proper install methods and paid hourly. We take pride in the fact that we do not subcontract any of our work. This is not common in our industry. If you own a home in Scarborough, North York as well as other areas in and near Toronto, and would like a quote, please gve us a call. 416.615.0443

What Is Seamless Eavestrough?

seamless aluminum eavestroughing gutter Scarborough Toronto
The success of your eavestrough project will depend highly on the tools and equipment the eavestrough contractor has available. The old saying that you are only as good as your tools definitely applies here. In order to install seamless eavestroughs on your home we need to bring a seamless eavestrough forming machine to your home. We set a tightly wrapped roll of aluminum on the machine that may be up to 600 feet long. We feed it in to a series of rollers and out comes a seamless eavestrough. We form a eavestrough that is the entire length of your home and cut it to the appropriate length.
Generally, this is done on the street in front of your home as lots of space is needed. Now we could potentially run out a piece 600 feet long but the maximum length of a seamless eavestrough should limited to about 75 feet. Anything beyond this length could develop major problems due to expansion and contraction issues due to hot and cold weather. The benefit to you choosing this system is there will be no unnecessary seams or overlaps that can lead to leaks over the years. In years gone by, contractors would bring predetermined lengths of 10 or 20 feet gutters to your home and patch them together. This was when seamless gutter machines were less common.
The only place that we will have to make a seam or overlap is when there is a corner on the home and the gutter has to change direction. This is unavoidable with today's technology as the seamless machines will only create a gutter in a perfectly straight line. A corner requires a proper hand fitted overlap with a proper sealant that is specifically designed for gutter.
This is the most critical part of the install which must be controlled with specific standards for craftsmanship and a high quality sealant and backed up with a 10 year warranty for your protection.
Most houses being troughed in the GTA are being installed with seamless machines. They have been available for approx 25 years so it's not new cutting edge technology. The only thing that has changed is that when machines were first on the scene the size was primarily 4 inch, which is obsolete today in favor of the 5 inch machine which is more than adequate for most all residential applications when installed properly.
I want to stress the importance of having the proper equipment to perform the job. However I think that homeowners should be wary of companies that over promote what I consider to be old technology. These machines have been in use for 25 years and some companies promote them like they were unveiled yesterday. My point is that there are so many other critical installation factors like proper slope, the fastening system to secure the eavestrough to the home and size of the downpipes. This is just scratching the surface.
When we come in to do an analysis the old system homeowners are surprised at how much we can effectively improve your rain water management system. It sometimes requires a leap of faith on their part because the only frame of reference they may have is their old, undersized, water pooling, leaf corrupted eavestrough. Lucky for them we have solutions for all of this and have been doing it every day for about 15 years in Scarborough, North York and other parts in and near Toronto.
Visit http://www.eavestrough.ca/.

Facelift On Wartime Bungalow

soffit fascia eavestrough capping Toronto bungalow We were able to give this home a makeover. All the old aluminum was stripped off to reveal the wood that was original to the home. Its important to remove all the old material and get down to a good solid base. It gives the opportunity to inspect the wood and check for rot and make sure the surface is straight as not to compromise the integrity of the new materials to be installed over top. Lucky for the homeowner who does stained glass, a round window in the gable was discovered under the old siding. She now has a new project to complete. Once everything is determined to be solid the new product can be applied.

We had to do a combination of vinyl and aluminum to get the look the homeowner had envisioned. We used aluminum for the soffit, fascia, eavestrough and capping. Vinyl was used for the horizontal siding on the gable and for the vertical siding under the soffits to resemble board and batten.


This project was definitely more labour intensive than most projects that we take on. A project with this detail costs about $7500. for the complete bungalow due to the extensive capping work. If you need any work of this nature it's best to contact us when we are in our off season. As spring approaches we become very busy with our eavestrough and leafguard. However if you are not time sensitive we would be happy to book any of your small siding projects in the winter and early spring. Feel free to contact us for availability. We take the time to do it right. If your home is in Scarborough, North York or other areas of the GTA, you need a discriminating contractor who pays attention to the details and quality is more important than a low price we will be a great fit.


update eavestrough gutter soffit fascia capping Toronto

















Visit our website at http://www.eavestrough.ca/

Friday, March 5, 2010

Why do light coloured eavestroughs get streaks?

dirty streaks on eavestroughs tigerstriping gutters
Many people ask why eavestroughs tend to get dark lines down the front. It usually becomes noticeable about a year or two after the new eavestroughs are installed. They are most noticeable on white eavestroughs however they also show up on lighter coloured eavestroughs as well.
These stains are called tiger stripes and are a result of dirt and pollution that settles out of the air. It settles on the top edge of the eavestrough and when it gets wet droplets form and run down the front carrying the dirt.
This is what causes the staining. It seems that the stripes do start to become less evident as many years go by and the paint slowly fades. Unfortunately there is no special brand of paint or aluminum that will resist tiger stripes.
Thankfully, we have a new variation of our main leafguard, the T-Rex. It works much the same way as our regular leafguard but has a small drip edge as part of the system. It will prevent the water from touching the front of the eavestrough allowing it to fall harmlessly to the ground. The result is a streak free seamless eavestrough. Also this 5800 series leafguard is even stronger than the regular T-Rex as it is of a thicker gauge aluminum. If interested, we will give this product to you at an additional $3. per foot as compared to our regular T-Rex leafguard. However it is noticeable from the ground so it must be color matched to the color of your eavestrough. We service Scarborough, North York or other parts of the GTA. Give us a call if you are interested in the products mentioned in this blog.
Cleaning of the eavestrough every year or two will keep them looking new and shiny.
Visit our website at www.eavestrough.ca