You Can Do It Projects

There comes a time as certain as death and taxes. If you have gutters, they must be cleaned.

Faced with the unenviable task of cleaning the gutters on a mountain home surrounded by trees, Bob Schreiber searched the premises for a helpful tool of some kind.

"I found what I thought was a chimney sweep," recalls Schreiber. "It was just a twisted-up brush that looked kind of like a bottle brush. I thought it might be helpful in cleaning my gutters."

It was. One problem, though. Schreiber accidentally left the brush in his gutter until his next visit.

"When I found it, I wasn't sure what damage it might have caused as a result," says Schreiber. "What I discovered was that there was no debris in the gutter where I left the brush and no debris on top of the brush."

Five years later, Schreiber's "discovery" entered the market as the Gutter Brush� �� ��lengths of brush that are left in the gutter. "It works," says Schreiber. "It's not rocket science. The brush keeps debris out but lets water in."

That is the bottom line for any of the myriad of gutter systems available to consumers. Everything from gutter screens to rain dispersal systems have one objective in mind� �� ��low-maintenance water runoff control.

"You've got to do something with the water from your roof," says Ted Buckenmayer, chairman of Savetime Corporation, which produces the Rainhandler rain dispersal system. "Our system turns that runoff back into rain-sized drops and spreads it over your yard."

Buckenmayer says Rainhandler was created after its inventor suffered a ladder accident while cleaning his gutters.

"He decided that there had to be a better way," says Buckenmayer.

Other options include gutter cover systems, such as Gutter Guard or Leafguard, which use liquid adhesion to funnel water into large gutter troughs while deflecting debris with a cap or cover. While some options, such as gutter screens and the Gutter Brush, can be installed by the homeowner, these gutter cover systems usually require professional installation and, as a result, tend to be more expensive.

[PAGEBREAK] While systems boast that they work on most roofs, some characteristics can present problems. Metal roofs can affect the liquid adhesion principle applied by these systems. Severely sloped roofs also can be difficult due to the speed at which water runs off the roof.

When looking for the system or product that is right for you, remember that none is perfect. Consider the problems unique to your area, such as ice dams or excessive rain.

If you decide on one of the expensive liquid adhesion systems, be sure to secure free cleanings from your installer because the new gutters will eventually clog. Trees don't just shed leaves, after all; needles, buds, tiny pieces of twig and bark are always falling from above. The openings in these systems are small, but not small enough to prevent all tree matter from getting in and causing a clog.

	Function	Pros	Cons
	Simply placing a screening material over the gutters can help keep out some debris. Home improvement stores sell specialty screening for that purpose.	Inexpensive. You can install it yourself.	Debris may still have to be cleared from top of screen. Smaller matter from trees might get in.
	Brushes or porous foam sits in the gutter and allows water to pass through. Leaves sit on top.	Not as expensive as gutter covers. You can install it yourself. Can be removed easily for occasional cleaning.	Debris may still have to be cleared from top of insert to allow water into gutter. Smaller matter might still get under insert.
	Sold under brand names such as Gutter Guard and Leafguard. Leaves and other matter slide off while water follows the path of the cover into the gutter.	Companies who install promise they will clean the system if it gets clogged. Solid cover allows debris to slide or blow off.	Expensive. Smaller matter still gets in. A hard rain on a steep pitch makes liquid adhesion ineffective.
	Sold under the brand name Rainhandler. Disperses roof water in a 2- to 3-foot band around house as it flows off roof.	Waters landscaping and grass effectively. No gutters at all, so won't clog. Not as expensive as covers. You can install it yourself.	Might allow too much water near foundation or basement, especially during a hard rain or extended period of rain. Doesn't divert water to a specific place like gutters and downspouts do.