Real Estate: Don’t let rain be a gutter failure

BETH YOUNG PHOTOS This gutter in Greenport was torn apart by superstorm Sandy. Conventional five-inch aluminum gutters are easy to repair, say contractors.

With all thats going on at this time of the year, from preparing for the holidays or dealing with the mess left by Hurricane Sandy, its easy to overlook your gutters.

But between the heavy winds of recent storms and the inevitable falling leaves of autumn, nows the time to make sure your gutters are doing their job of channeling the rain pouring off the roof and directing it away from a homes foundation and basement.

Although cleaning gutters is not the most pleasant of tasks, experts recommend doing it two to three times per year.

Without protective covers, gutters need to be flushed out. Pulling debris out isnt enough, says Richard Duda, who owns Dudas Quality Gutters, or D.Q.G., on the East End. Mr. Duda said that mud and granules of roofing can clog gutters, even if you put a protective shield over the top to keep the leaves out.

Theres nothing out there thats maintenance-free, he said in an interview last week. Even with protective covers, gutters still need to be hosed off once in a couple years.

Mr. Duda installs Leaf Solution gutter covers, a fine aluminum mesh that keeps debris out but still lets water in.

Bob Tuholski of Long Island Gutter Solutions in Riverhead swears by a gutter protector hes been installing all over Long Island since 1995.

His Waterloov gutter cover, available in many colors, fits over standard five-inch aluminum gutters, which are used in most conventional gutter installations.

The cover slides under the shingles so there are no nails or screws on the roofline, said Mr. Tuholski. Its a permanent installation. I wrote the warranty in 1995. If the gutters ever clog while people own the house, Ill come out and fix it for free. I havent been doing that job, because it stays clean forever.

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Real Estate: Don’t let rain be a gutter failure