Keeping your gutters clean can be a real challenge, but The Gutter Boys can keep your gutter system flowing freely

By Mitch Allen

Unless you’re a meteorologist, you probably don’t think much about how Lake Erie affects Northeast Ohio weather. It does so in two big ways. First, because the lake warms and cools more slowly than the land, it delays spring and fall. That’s one reason why late April can be so cold and early October can be so warm.

Second, Lake Erie introduces a lot of moisture into our region. You’ve probably heard of lake-effect snow, but what about lake-effect rain? Similar to Florida’s famed afternoon thunderstorms, the heat of summer combined with evaporating water from Lake Erie can lead to some serious gully washers in summer, several inches of rain falling in a short period of time which can lead to both flash flooding —and overflowing gutters.

“A slightly compromised gutter system may be able to handle soft rains,” says The Gutter Boys founder Anthony Alberino. “But it cannot handle a summertime downpour. That’s why it’s essential to keep your gutters flowing freely.”

The Importance of Gutters
Gutters do much more than keep your head dry when you walk in the front door of your home. A proper gutter system carries thousands of gallons of roof runoff away from your home through a series of gutters, downspouts, drain tiles, and more. Otherwise, this rainwater pools at the base of your home leading to basement dampness, flooding and even a damaged foundation.

“Having clogged gutters is like having no gutters at all,” Anthony says. “It sounds simple to clean your gutters, but it’s dirty, dangerous work so it often goes undone. The best solution is to cover your gutters.”

But, Anthony cautions—contrary to what many gutter cover companies promise—gutter covers do not eliminate the need for maintenance. “Debris can still collect in the valleys of your roof and reduce the efficiency of gutter covers,” he says. “So it’s a smart to keep an eye out for that. The good news is with quality gutter guards like ours, cleaning is fast, easy and very infrequent.”

In addition to installing the nation’s top-rated gutter guard, The Gutter Boys will also maintain your system whenever roof valley cleaning is required.

The Top-Rated Gutter Cover. Really?
Yes. The independent NCR Consumer Advocacy Group has ranked The Gutter Boys’ Valor Gutter Guards number one in all categories it measured: value, effectiveness, industry reputation, strength, water throughput, durability and “overall.” And not only is The Gutter Boys the exclusive dealer for Valor in Northeast Ohio, they were the number one Valor dealer in the U.S. in 2021, installing more than 100 miles of the top-ranked product.

• A high-flow, stainless steel micro-mesh that lets water in but keeps debris out. This effect is enhanced because the mesh features a raised S-curve that increases the surface area, allowing for the self-shedding of debris.
• A vertical louvered frame improves drainage so—unlike horizontal frames—it cannot clog with moss or algae.
• The light-weight, aluminum frame won’t warp and doesn’t add extra weight.
• The cover is attached to the fascia, not the shingles, so it can’t void your roof warranty. This also adds structural integrity when covered in heavy ice. Plus, it’s attached with stainless steel screws that don’t rust.
• A fully transferrable, lifetime warranty.

Plenty of Inventory
Anticipating another record year in the face of possible supply chain interruptions, Anthony looked ahead and preordered extra inventory of Valor gutter guards.

“Last year we were Valor’s number one vendor, installing over 100 miles of gutter guards,” he reveals. “Given our growth, we preordered even more this year. And we did that for two reasons: 1) we wanted to lock in last year’s price so we can continue to offer the best value to our clients, and 2) we didn’t want to run out of inventory and ask our customers to wait.”

Gutter Repair, Too
In addition to covering gutters, The Gutter Boys also repair them, including dented, broken or damaged gutters as well as hanging, fallen or missing downspouts.

“With our component replacement system, we can replace just the damaged section without replacing the entire system,” Anthony explains. “And many homeowners are wisely opting for 6-inch gutters instead of the standard 5-inch, and 4x5-inch downspouts instead of 3x4. These larger gutter systems can handle a significantly larger volume of water.”

The Gutter Boys is headquartered at 1090 West Bagley Road, in Berea. They have an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau, and are bonded and insured. Call 440-671-7657 to schedule a free on-site consultation and estimate, or visit TheGutterBoys.com for more information. They also offer 12 months same-as-cash financing.