Slate Roofing - Facts & Tips

Slate roofing is one of the most distinguished building products that I know of. It graces many of the most impressive buildings in the world. Cathedrals, palaces, residential homes, and castles have incorporated this long lasting building material as a weathershield. In fact, it was the king of roofing materials at the turn of the twentieth century. United States slate consumption was at its highest in 1902.

A Natural Stone Product

Slate is really nothing more than mud. Mud that has been squeezed and heated. Fine particles of clay and silt build up in thin layers at the bottom of shallow seas or at the mouths of large river deltas. These sediments then turn into a rock called shale. Mountain building processes can heat and pressurize the shale changing its chemistry.

The clay and silt crystallize into quartz, chlorite, and different micas, all of which are very durable materials. This is one of the reasons why slate lasts so long.

The chemistry change also imparts a negative quality. The metamorphosis that creates slate makes it brittle. This characteristic is responsible for many of the common slate roof failures.

Slate vs. Wood ... Winner is ...

Often people come home to a shattered slate shingle on their driveway. Or, a piece of slate has buried itself into the grass. These falling objects are dangerous.

They detach from the roof because of the brittle nature of slate. The slate may have fractured when it was installed or expansion and contraction forces at work on the roof deck creates stresses which crack slate.

Nailing slate shingles correctly is very tedious work. Drive the nail too far and you can easily crack a slate. Leave the nail proud of the surface and you risk causing a problem with the overlying shingle. This high nail head creates a pressure point below the overlying shingle.

Roof sheathing itself can cause problems. Wood is hygroscopic. It attracts and liberates moisture in an attempt to reach an equilibrium with outdoor humidity. This property cause the wood to shrink and swell. These movements can cause the nails that hold a slate shingle to pinch a corner. This stress causes the shingle to fracture and detach from the roof. Slate is not supposed to be nailed to a roof. It is supposed to hang from the nails much like a picture hangs on a wall.

Weight & Wind

A few years ago, a new home was built here in Cincinnati in a very exclusive neighborhood called Indian Hill. The design called for a slate roof. The house was built and slate began falling to the ground on a very regular basis. An autopsy of the situation revealed that the roof framing was inadequate. The steep roof slope was acting like a sail in the wind. Wind would hit the roof, flex and bend the trusses and break the slate. I believe this problem is still in our justice system, if you know what I mean. Once again, the brittle quality of slate rules supreme.

Older homes that have slate roofing have substantial roof framing members. The roof rafters are actual 2 x 6's or 2 x 8's 16 inches on center. the roof decks are 3/4 inch solid sheathing. There is very little, if any, flex.

In Europe, slate roofing is an art form and a science. New structures that use slate often install it on battens. Battens are strips of wood nailed perpendicular to the roof rafters. We call it spaced sheathing here in the USA. This method helps to extend the life of the slate if it is subjected to freezing temperatures or acid rain.

Fast Dry is Best

Slate doesn't absorb much water at all. However, the water it does absorb can and does destroy it over time. Rain water in industrial areas can turn into mild acid. This acid attacks the minerals in the slate and can dissolve them.

Water which turns to ice causes tiny micro fractures which blow the slate apart. Freezing and thawing cycles are like mini jack hammers that take layer after layer of slate off a shingle.

Slate that dries rapidly between periods of precipitation minimizes this damage. Spaced sheathing or battens allows air to circulate under the slate. This simple technique can add years to your slate roof if you are thinking of building a new home. The European roofers are real pros, don't try to reinvent the wheel on your home!

Accessory Materials

Do you have a slate roof in good condition? Did you know that it is not uncommon for a slate roof to last 100 - 150 years? The other parts of your roof should be designed to last as long. For example, the metal flashings should be copper. Tin plated steel or galvanized steel have much shorter service lives. Besides, the copper costs just a little more! The labor to install these different metals is virtually the same. You should only have to pay for the difference in material costs.

The same is true for the nails. Consider using copper nails. A typical galvanized nail may only last 30-50 years before rusting. Special lead flashings for plumbing vent pipes are long lasting alternatives to the aluminum and rubber flashing you see at the home centers.

Look, No Nails!

If you are considering a new house or building and choose to use slate roofing, you now have a new option. There is a system by which the slate hangs from tracks. There are no nails in the slate that can pinch them. Furthermore the tracks hold the slate off the roof deck allowing adequate ventilation. It is an excellent way to attach slate to our modern plywood sheathed roofs. This system was developed by Slate International.

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Slate Literature Sources

Helpful and informative slate literature is available from the following slate quarriers and distributors. Also, I have listed two superb trade publications that have written numerous authoritative articles on all aspects of slate roofing. Back issues as well as an index are usually available at your local library. Or you can contact the publishers for information on researching your specific topic. Good luck!

Quarriers: (Companies that mine slate from the Earth and turn it into workable material)

Magazine Literature Sources

• Fine Homebuilding
  This excellent publication has produced no less than 28 slate roofing related articles over the past 10 - 12 years. Virtually all of the information is timeless. Many of the articles are written by true slate craftsmen.

• Journal of Light Construction
  The Journal is a fantastic magazine written for tradespeople. However, the magazine is edited in such a fashion that a serious DIY'r or an average homeowner can clearly understand the topics. Contact the magazine's editorial staff for a guide to past articles on slate roofing.

Related Articles:  Slate Roofing, Repair or Replace?, Repairing Slate Roofing

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Repairing a Slate Roof

I'm often asked by homeowners if slate repair is a DIY'r project. In almost all instances, I say NO! There are several reasons. First, working on roofs can be dangerous. If you are not used to slippery, steep slopes, you can easily fall. Experienced roofers fall from roofs all the time. Second, the tools required for this job are somewhat specialized. The manner in which the tools are used is also specialized. Nailing slate is an art. We have already discussed that.

OK, so I haven't convinced you yet? Well, call your life insurance agent. I'll get the tools out of my truck and meet you at the bottom of the ladder.

The Tools

We need a nail removal tool called a ripper, a slater's hammer and maybe a trimmer. The trimmer is basically an industrial strength paper cutter. It simply trims slate to size.

The Tricks

The first task is to remove the remains of the broken slate or any hidden nails. This is easy with a ripper. The ripper is a thin flat piece of iron that resembles a flat ship anchor. It has a handle that allows you to slide it up underneath the slate. The tips of the anchor hook onto the nails. Tapping the handle down slope, pulls the heads off and/or removes the nails entirely. There are usually two nails in the top of each slate shingle. One at each corner. With both nails out, the slate slides out easily.

Now, did you remember to get replacement slate that matches in color, texture, and thickness? OK, just checking. My favorite way to hold the new slate in place is to nail a one and one half inch wide copper strip. This strip is installed directly on top and in the middle of the two shingles in the row (course) immediately below where we are working. The copper strip must be long enough so that it will bend up and around the replacement slate 1 inch after we are finished. The new replacement slate will slide over this strip.

Drill a hole in the crease between the two lower shingles. This hole will penetrate the top of the slate shingle two courses below where we are working. If you do not drill this hole, the nail will shatter that slate! Nail the copper strip carefully so that the nail goes in between the two lower pieces of slate and into the drilled hole. Slide the replacement slate into position and bend the copper up and over the slate. Once on the ground it will be tough to see this fine copper line, so don't worry about appearance.

Now, let's gather up the tools and get down from up here! Did you secure the ladder to the gutter so it won't slip when we get back on it? Hey, watch out! Don't step on that rung above the gutter, the bottom of the ladder may pivot! How come your knuckles are white? Does the thin air up here bother you? Click your heels 3 times and say, "There's no place like the ground. There's no place like the ground.........."

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Aluminum Gutters - Traditional vs. Seamless

Back in the late 80's, I did a remodeling job on a house that was only three years old. The challenge was to convert an open-air deck into an enclosed room. I always prided myself in being able to match all interior and exterior details of the jobs I did. However, this new home included a product that I only used when a customer insisted - "seamless" gutters.

Now don't get me wrong. It's not that I don't like seamless gutters - the concept is fantastic. My dissatisfaction was with the companies and techniques used to install them. The particular people I had to use employed technicians who were definitely at the bottom of the food chain.

Steel vs. Aluminum

Aluminum gutters are a great product. They don't rust, are available in popular colors, can be painted to match other colors and can be shaped quite easily. These rain handling devices have been around for close to 30 years. Prior to the early 60's gutters were made from galvanized steel. Steel gutters were strong and durable. However, installing them took talent. Joints required solder. Painting them was a challenge. If you didn't remove the mill oil finish, the paint would rapidly peel. Aluminum gutters offered a breakthrough in technology.

Seamless - A Myth???

Have you been approached by a salesperson telling you the benefits of seamless gutters? They tell you about how seams leak. They say how your leak problems are gone forever. Hogwash! Seamless gutters have all kinds of 'seams' - places where leaks can develop. There is a seam at each end of the gutter. There is a seam at each outlet tube. There is a seam every time the gutter turns a corner. All of these places can leak. So, don't buy a 'seamless' gutter just because it supposedly doesn't leak.

Aluminum Alternative

OK, so now you don't want seamless gutters. What do you do? Well, how about aluminum gutters that are just like seamless gutters but offer more advantages? Forget about avoiding seams. It is impossible to do, no matter what material you choose to use: steel, copper, tin, or aluminum.

Did you know you can get a traditional aluminum gutter system that looks like a seamless gutter, is stronger than most seamless gutters, and comes in lengths up to 37 feet long? Did you know this same system has an invisible hanger system so you don't see those ugly spike heads?

Comparison Points

If you are selecting gutters for your house, I suggest you focus your attention on important attributes that pertain to how long the system will last. For example, how are the gutters attached to your home? Old fashioned spikes and ferrules or new floating hangers? Floating hangers allow the gutter to expand and contract. Spikes and ferrules do too. But guess what? The spikes and ferrules will loosen over time as the gutters go back and forth!

What about the thickness of the gutter material? The best aluminum gutters are made using aluminum that is .032 inch thick. A thinner material may dent or crease when a branch strikes it or you set a ladder against it.

Hang 'em High

Some seamless gutter systems and traditional gutters are available with a special hanger system. These hangers take the place of the older spikes and ferrules. Aside from being unattractive, spikes also attach to your house in the weakest possible manner. The spikes are driven into the end grain of the rafter tails. Nails driven into the end grain of wood have the lowest holding power.

Some new hangers allow you to nail down through the roof sheathing into the top of the rafter. This maximizes holding power. The hangers also allow the gutter to 'float'. It can expand and contract without restriction as temperatures fluctuate. Expansion and contraction problems can lead to leaks. The gutter will relieve these stresses at the weakest point - usually a seam!

Traditional aluminum gutters can deal with expansion. At least one manufacturer - Alcoa - has a special expansion joint designed to relieve stress. These joints are easy to install. Expansion joints should always be installed on any gutter that extends more than 40 feet. In addition, these joints will minimize stress on mitered joints. So, if your gutters turn corners, say on a hip roof, you had better consider these wonderful devices. Expansion joints are often not available with 'seamless' gutters.

What About Size - 5 or 6 inch?

Aluminum gutters are available in two common sizes: 5 inch or 6 inch. Most houses have 5 inch gutters. A 6 inch gutter can handle more water before overflowing. However, a 6 inch gutter also requires some preplanning. The fascia or gutter board behind the gutter needs to be sized correctly.

Most builders install a 1x6 gutter board. This works well for 5 inch gutters. 6 inch gutter must have a 1x8 gutter board. Without it, the bottom of the gutter can actually fall below the bottom of the gutter board. This often looks very awkward.

Corrosion Problems

Aluminum will not rust. That's a fact. But, it will corrode. Never place aluminum in contact with another metal such as steel, copper, or tin. Electrolysis will happen and the aluminum will actually disappear! Not only that, the chemicals in concrete, stucco, brick mortar, and treated lumber can cause corrosion. You need to isolate the aluminum from these materials with a sheet of rubber or heavy plastic.

Time to Decide

OK, it's time to buy. What to do? Well, think about hangers. Think about expansion. Think about size. Above all, think about warranties and who will install your gutters. Look for a company and an installer who will be around if a problem occurs. Avoid bottom feeders! Think smart.

Downspout Quantity and Sizing

Downspouts come in two common sizes: 2 x 3 inches and 3 x 4 inches. Downspouts depend entirely on gravity to function. Water isn't 'pumped' through them. So, a 2 x 3 inch downspout will comfortably carry the average rainfall from approximately 600 square feet of roof area. A 3 x 4 inch downspout will handle the rainfall from 1,200 square feet of roof. As far as I'm concerned, you can't have too many downspouts. Avoid trying to empty one long gutter at one end with a single downspout. Place a downspout at each end. A 2 x 3 inch downspout is made for 5 inch gutter. The 3 x 4 is for 6 inch gutter. The outlet tube configuration is what limits this fact. Don't forget the bird cages or leak strainers! These devices prevent clogs in underground pipes.

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Traditional & Seamless Gutter Companies

The following companies make gutter systems. Not all companies distribute to all parts of the USA. Furthermore, seamless gutters are always done by small local jobbers or contractors. They simply buy large rolls of painted aluminum. A machine on a truck takes the flat aluminum and "makes" a gutter onsite. Furthermore, the gutter can be as long as the roll - 250 to 500 feet long! Alcoa and Gentek make traditional aluminum gutters. Alcoa has a superb system. I used it on my house when I built it 10 years ago. The hanger system works just great. Check out the web sites of the following manufacturers. You have nothing to lose but time.

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Getting Started

I always like to start with a material list. Simple pictures will help you save money on a gutter job. Draw a separate line indicating each gutter you need to install. Mark how long each gutter will be above or below the line. This allows you to determining how much material you will need. Traditional aluminum gutters come in sizes ranging from 16 to 37 feet in size. The waste piece from one gutter may be enough for a smaller run on the other side. Plan your cuts and waste should be minimal. The pictures will also allow you to easily calculate end caps, outlet tubes, inside and outside miters, pop rivets, etc. Don't forget the special flexible sealant that you must use at each "seam". Don't experiment with silicone or other caulks! Use exactly what the manufacturer recommends!

Cutting Aluminum

I found that a fine tooth hacksaw (24 or more teeth per inch) works just fine. I also use my power miter box saw on occasion. However, the miter box saw sends shrapnel flying. It is dangerous, but fast. If you use sawhorses or other benches, cover them with carpet scraps or old towels. Without this covering you will scratch the prepasted finish. A gutter that goes around a 90 degree angle is made by assembling two pieces that have a 45 degree angle cut.

Assembling Pieces

Aluminum gutters are held together with pop rivets. They are made the same color as the gutter you are installing. End caps, outlet tubes, miter joints, etc. all come with predrilled holes from the factory. You slide these pieces onto (into) the gutter. Using a drill with an 1/8 inch bit, you simply drill through the hole into the gutter. After the first hole is drilled, install a rivet. If you don't do this, subsequent holes may not line up. Drill, then rivet, drill, then rivet.........

Sealants

Leaks are prevented by using the proper number of rivets and the proper sealant. Alcoa's sealant reminds me of liquid rubber. It dries very quickly, is sticky as all get out and stretchhhhhhs. If you get it on your fingers, watch out! You will stick to anything. The sealant is applied after all the riveting is done. You apply the sealant to the INSIDE only of the gutter seams!!!!! Apply a liberal amount as the sealant has a large volume of vehicle. This vehicle evaporates leaving the sealant behind. DON'T spread the sealant with a tool. Just let it flow over the joints. It will look messy, but heck, only the birds can see it. Gutters and accessory pieces must be dry. Wipe the dew off when working in the morning.

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The past two winters and summers have made me a believer in water and ice roof membrane products. The people in our coastal areas have been pounded with hurricanes which are accompanied by vast amounts of wind driven rain. Homeowners in the snow belt of the USA were buried with record snowfalls in the winter of 1995-96. These snows create ice dams. The ice dams in turn create rivers of water in houses. Fortunately there is a group of products which can minimize or eliminate entirely leaks caused by these problems.

What are the Membranes?

The membranes which eliminate the roof leaks are simply sheets of modified asphalt. Standard asphalt is mixed with rubber and other proprietary compounds to make it sticky and flexible. This mixture is then applied to a plastic sheet. The plastic sheet allows you to work on top of the product. Without it, you would get stuck on the roof like a fly on fly paper! The membranes are usually about 3 feet wide and come in rolls that contain about 60 to 70 linear feet.

Where Do They Go?

The membranes are installed on areas of a roof that typically can be trouble spots for leaks. Leaks from wind blown rain or ice dams can develop at the lower edge of a roof near the gutters, along the side edges of a roof (rake edge), in valleys where two different roofs intersect, at skylights, other flashing areas (chimneys, plumbing vents, etc.), and at roof slope changes.

The membranes are applied directly to the wood roof deck surface before any felt paper or shingles are applied. That is one reason why they are so sticky. They stick tenaciously to dry, dust free, solid wood.

How Do They Work?

You might ask why one can't simply use heavy 30# felt paper in these same areas to prevent leaks. That would be a fair question. The reason is simple. The nails used to tack shingles penetrate the felt paper. The felt paper does not completely seal around the shaft of the nail. This is where the water starts its journey into your home.

The membranes are different. The thick layer of rubberized asphalt readily coats and seals the shaft of any nails that penetrate the membrane. This is why they stop water. The water which gets under the shingles simply flows over the top of the membrane until it gets to the bottom edge of the roof. There it exits without doing any interior damage.

Are They Worth the Expense?

If you have ever experienced a persistent leak from an ice dam or a leak from wind blown rain, you already know the answer to this question. Ice dam leaks are sinister. Once they start, there is no safe way to stop the leak. It is cold, slick, and dangerous on the roof. I know of a roofer who broke his back trying to break up an ice dam. I can tell you that I would never go up on a roof to beat the ice. Not only is it dangerous, you can cause severe damage to the shingles.

Gale force winds, thunderstorms, and hurricanes can make life interesting while up on a roof as well. I have been there. It is frightening and idiotic to try to stop a leak during a violent storm. 

Oh yes, insurance companies will take care of all your problems you say. You can't be serious! Why go through all of the hassle and problems in doing repair work? You talk about nightmares......!

If you are re-roofing or installing a new roof, give the membranes strong consideration. It is very tough to install them at a later date.

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Asphalt Shingle Installation Tips

So, you want to install your own asphalt shingle roof? It isn't that hard, it just takes some planning. You need to think before you work. The first thing you must do is obtain the two publications I mention below. These will help supplement the information on the shingle packs and what I am about to tell you.

New Roofs vs. Old Roofs

The application of many asphalt shingles is the same for an old roof or a new roof. The main difference is that on a re-roof, you need to pay attention to how you start the shingles at the lower edge of the roof. If you copy the exact pattern as the first roof, the new roof may develop waves. Watch for this in the instructions!

Felt Paper and Drip Edges

Do you need to use felt paper? On new roofs the answer is yes. Re-roof jobs do not require it. I prefer to apply the felt as I go if at all possible. If you do the entire roof and the felt gets wet or dew covered, it will wrinkle. These wrinkles can telegraph through thin standard 3 tab shingles! Not only that, if the weather is hot and you walk up a felt covered roof, the felt can and will tear. You will be on the ground before you know what happened. If you apply felt as you go, you can just use a minimum amount of nails. Within minutes hundreds of nails from the shingles will pierce it.

Drip edges are corrosion resistant metal strips that protect the exposed ends of the roof deck at the bottom and sides of the roof. Drip edges go on the bottom of the roof before felt paper is applied. However, they are applied on top of the felt on the side edges of the roof. If you install a roof membrane, it must be installed before any of the drip edge. The membrane actually should lap over onto the gutter board!

Starter Strips - Almost Always Done Wrong!

You do need a row of shingles beneath the first regular row. Why? Because of the knockouts. Those thin lines in shingles are voids. You can see to the shingle below. Well, on the first row, there is no shingle. Well, there is going to be. You have to take a regular shingle and cut off the first 5 inches. This leaves you with the top 7 inches. Don't take a regular shingle and just turn it upside down. This is wrong! I like to allow the shingles to overhang the edge of the drip edge by 1 inch. Do NOT apply the shingles flush! Water, by capillary attraction, will pull its way up the shingle.

Keeping Them Straight

If you use regular 3 tab shingles, the vertical lines are the ones you see from the ground. These are the ones you should concentrate on. I feel the roof looks best if you let it overhang 1 inch on the sides. This means that you need to start your fist shingle 35 inches in from the edge. Shingles usually measure 36 inches wide. Standard 3 tab shingles also step over every 6 inches as you go up the roof. Without this step over, the knockouts of the shingle on the next row would be directly over where you just nailed! Talk about leaks.......

Standard shingles usually have 5 inches of shingles exposed to the weather. A shingle is 12 inches wide. This means that 7 inches is covered by the next row of shingles. The horizontal lines must be chalked as well. But, don't chalk the bottom line of a shingle row. Chalk the top. This way the chalk will be covered. I like to check my alignment of the shingles with the top ridge of the roof every 5 feet or so as you progress up the roof. You want the shingles to be parallel with the ridge. You may have to adjust as you go to keep them parallel.

Flashings, Valleys, and Such

This is where the men are separated from the boys. All those fancy TV shows show you how easy it is to put shingles on. Big deal! The place where roofs leak first 95 percent of the time is at a flashing! Flashings are transition points between something that is a roofing material and something that isn't. For example, a chimney interrupts a roof. The shingles must abut the chimney and interlock with a flashing to prevent water penetration. Tough to do? Yes, but if you obtain a good book (there are few out there - I've looked!) you may be able to figure it out. Flashings must be made from corrosion resistant metal that can be soldered! No aluminum PLEASE!

Don't rely on caulk on a roof either. Caulk is just not a really good roofing material, trust me. Metal flashings laced into shingles have withstood the test of time on many roofs. Do your homework, install them right and you will have a leak-free roof for years.

Roofing Literature

Would you like to obtain excellent pamphlets, booklets and other literature on asphalt roofing? If so, you need to contact:

Asphalt Roofing Manufacturers Association
Public Information Department
1156 - 15th Street, NW., Suite 900
Washington, DC 20005
Tel: 202-207-0917
Fax: 202-223-9741
Web: www.asphaltroofing.org

Two of their many publications are outstanding. Do whatever is necessary to obtain a copy of the following two publications. Call, write or visit their website to find out pricing information for:

Residential Asphalt Roofing Manual
and
Good Application Makes A Good Roof Better.

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Wind Blown Rain & Ice Dam Membrane Roofing Manufacturers

All of the roof membranes are virtually the same. There are differences in the thickness of the modified asphalt. It can be significant. Some products are 25 mils thick while others can be 40 mils or more. To further confound you, some products are made for different parts of the country. Not every membrane can be installed in the desert Southwest for example. Some cannot be applied to metal roofing or beneath metal roofing. Some thinner ones do not protect against severe ice damming situations.

If you are doing the roofing yourself, another consideration comes into play. The plastic cover sheet can be slippery! Some membranes have special skid resistant surfaces. Look for those so you don't fall!

Sunlight can cause real problems with some membranes. This I don't understand. Don't ask me why the manufacturers can't employ decent ultraviolet blocking ingredients in all of their plastic cover sheets. Some products can be exposed to sunlight for only several days while others can be exposed for several months. It just doesn't make sense to me!

My recommendation to you is to go with as thick a material as you can afford. The more asphalt, the more protection you have around the nail shanks. Check out the following manufacturers and read their product literature. Invest the time reading it, and you will reap HUGE dividends.

Roofing Literature

Would you like to obtain excellent pamphlets, booklets, and other literature on asphalt roofing? If so, you need to contact:

Asphalt Roofing Manufacturers Association

Two of their many publications are outstanding. Do whatever is necessary to obtain a copy of the following two publications.

• Residential Asphalt Roofing Manual
  
• Good Application Makes a Good Roof Better (FREE!)

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This gutter guard has been undergoing testing for ten months. The maple tree seeds are collecting in this test because the guard was NOT installed correctly by the company. It should be in the same plane as the shingles. See illustration below. Copyright 2018 Tim Carter

Important Author’s Note Update: Since this column was written, I have discovered at least two other gutter guards that sport the micro-mesh filtration screen. Testing of these Micro-mesh guards began early Spring of 2008. The results of the test are in! After 10-years of testing various types, a winner has been declared! Click for the gutter guard I installed on my house - Gutter Guard Test Results.

I am somewhat fortunate. My house has a special low pitched ledge that I built for the exclusive purpose of servicing my gutters. I have a Victorian house that has approximately 550 feet of total gutter footage. I can access my gutters from the roof fairly easily and safely. There are only two places where it gets a little hairy. I make sure I don't have a head cold when up on the roof. Why? Because a head cold can really mess up your balance. Be careful on your roof!

Here's a quick cross section showing how the gutter guard - in green - is in the same plane as the roofing material. The drawing is not to scale. I used to make drawings like this sitting at customers' kitchen tables. Copyright 2018 Tim Carter

Four Times a Year

I have to clean my gutters at least four times a year. It usually takes 1 hour each time. In the late fall, it is miserable work. My hands become numb from handling the cold, wet leaves. You can imagine how I have been interested in the advertised claims of the gutter guard products over the past five years. However, I was always put off by the enormous cost for my roof. I simply couldn't justify a $2,000 plus expense with other things to do around my house. Plus, as I said, I could get to my gutters fairly easily.

During the past two years, I received numerous phone calls and letters about gutter covers. People wanted to know if they worked. I decided to test them for myself after seeing them in a home show in early 1995. I must tell you that I entered the test with negative feelings. I surely would not make a good scientist!

My negative feelings were based upon my home show experience. I saw a nifty setup with water flowing down a roof into a gutter protected by a gutter screen. It was like magic how the water flowed into the gutter. But I knew that my large pine trees could easily defeat the slit where the water went into the gutter. I tested the gutter cover at the home show with tiny "leaves" made from paper. The gutter cover failed.

Testing Criteria

Certain gutter covers are permanently attached to your gutters. I immediately ruled these out from my testing. Why? Because I could see that pine needles and maple tree flower buds would easily get into the gutters. How would you then clean the gutters in 3 - 4 years?

I decided to test gutter screens to see if the holes or slits would trap leaves by their stems. All of the guards worked well. I found only one leaf that got trapped by its stem. That impressed me.

Small Debris and Flow Rates

My testing showed me that stuff - small tree stuff - gets into gutters. This can cause a big problem. Many gutters do not have sufficient pitch that allows them to readily carry this debris to the downspout. A decent pitch is 1/8 inch per foot. If you install this kind of pitch on a gutter, you will readily run out of gutter or facia board, trust me!

If gutters don't have decent pitch, small debris is often left in the bottom of the gutter to collect. The water flowing down to the downspout doesn't really have enough energy to carry the debris with it. In my case, I had a bunch of mush in my gutters. The gutter covers allowed small roof debris to enter and then the water couldn't transport it to the downspout. It was and is a mess!

Plan to Clean

If you live in an area where the trees do not drop springtime debris like buds, flowers, needles, etc., then you are in great shape. You will enjoy gutter guards. If you live in an area like me that has spring time debris, you will eventually have to deal with your gutter covers.

I suggest that you consider a model that allows you to lift it easily and inspect/wash the gutters. Because the debris within the gutter will be small in size, it should readily flow into the downspout without clogging it or the ground level piping. All you will have to do is lift every other gutter cover to rinse down the debris. It should be a breeze if you have a good ladder.

Cleaning Tips

Most ladder / gutter cleaning accidents happen for two reasons. The first is when people set a ladder that can slide along the gutter. The feet of the ladder must be set level. If the ladder is at a slight left or right angle as you climb it, it can quickly slide. Remember as you add weight to the top of the ladder, it acts like an out of balance sledge hammer held in the air! The ladder is the handle and you are the hammer falling towards the ground!

Overreaching is the second problem. Don't lean your body out beyond the ladder. This upsets the balance of you and the ladder. If you insist on reaching further down the gutter to clean, make a push stick. This is just a broom handle with a little block on the end. The block acts like a ram to push leaves and debris farther down the gutter. You can then move the ladder to get this debris or push it even farther. Be safe and take your time!

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