Showing posts with label South Texas Commercial Roofing. Show all posts

Thursday, February 18, 2016

Roof Talk-101 How Rainwater Catchment Can Help in Drought Areas

Roof Talk-101

How Rainwater Catchment Can Help in Drought Areas

Did you know that one inch of rain falling on 1,000 square feet of a roof amounts to 640 gallons of water? That’s a significant amount of water—more than most households use in a day—and evidence of the fact that in a typical year (and in a temperate climate), thousands and thousands of gallons of available water are running off your roof.

The most common term for collecting water for household use these days is “rainwater catchment.” While still rare in the United States, it is quite common in other parts of the world, notably in the Caribbean. However, partly out of necessity and partly for reasons of conservation and sustainability, rainwater catchment is becoming more common in the United States.

Consider the fact that you’re watering your lawn and flushing your toilets with drinking water, and think about using rainwater for those times instead.

Rainwater catchment doesn’t have to be complex: you can start with a rain barrel and catch water for the lawn. More advanced systems incorporate a device called a first flush diverter. This diverts the rain that falls for the first few minutes away from your catchment system or barrels in order to “wash” the roof of pollen and other buildup that has accumulated since the last rain. From there, additional advances include filtration, treatment, and underground storage cisterns.

To really get where we need to be with rainwater catchment, significant plumbing work is required. That’s because separate systems for drinking water and rainwater would be needed for most homes. However, there has been some progress in this area, including the development of a standardized piping color (purple) for irrigation water.

Industrial users can benefit from rainwater catchment systems as well. A common use of rainwater is for cooling tower systems, which rely on evaporative cooling and thus require large amounts of makeup water to replace that which has evaporated. A rainwater catchment system on a large commercial roof paired with storage tanks—often mounted directly on the roof or sometimes buried under a parking lot—can easily supply this makeup water. And again, why use drinking water for this?

Have you experienced a water shortage in your area? Have you looked into rainwater catchment or other methods to use the roof as a water-savings asset? The day may come for more of the country as Net Zero homes also try to achieve Net Zero water.

ROOFGUARD-LLC has been installing commercial roofing systems for over 30 years. We have the solutions you are looking for if you desire a new commercial roof or need a re-roof. ROOFGUARD-LLC only uses the best products and installation practices to insure you have a worry free commercial roof. For more information visit us at. www.roofguardtexas.com and we also invite you to Like Us on our Roofguardtexas Facebook Page .

Thursday, November 26, 2015

Roof Talk-101 Happy Thanksgiving From The RoofGuard Family To Yours

Roof Talk-101 Happy Thanksgiving From The RoofGuard Family To Yours...

Guarding Your Assets From The Elements

41109H IH-10 West, Boerne, Texas 830-230-5000

Wednesday, October 22, 2014

Roof Talk-101 What to Look For When Inspecting A Commercial Roofing System

Any roof inspection should look at the roof, of course, but the roof surface is only one item that should be checked. The first thing to look at is your files. Do you have all of the paperwork you need? How about a copy of the warranty? Do you have the names and phone numbers of the companies that have been involved with the roof — previous inspectors, roofing contractors, architects, manufacturer technical services? You should have a copy of all the repair orders and the results of the repairs made. Finally, there should be a roof plan, drawn to scale, that not only shows all the equipment on the roof, but also the locations of any leaks and any repairs made.

The walls and glazing should also be checked. Too many times, leaks from wall, sealant and window failures are disguised as "roof" leaks. Look for cracks and water stains that may be symptomatic of problems in these areas. The worst offenders are pipes, conduit and other penetrations through the walls. Too often these are left unsealed, especially when they are installed as retrofits.

Once those steps have been taken, you are ready to look at the roof. The best place to start is with an overall look at the roof. Is it covered in debris, like leaves, plants and old air conditioning equipment? This is a sure sign that the roof has been neglected. Look at the surface of the roof. If there is a coating, is it intact? If there is gravel or ballast, are the rocks evenly distributed and covering the whole surface?

The surface of the roof provides protection from ultraviolet radiation from the sun, which causes most roofing materials to age and break down. It's like your skin. If you don't give yourself UV protection, your skin ages prematurely and sometimes with serious results.

You should also check the drainage system. If there are large areas of standing water that never seem to go away, it may be possible to solve the problem simply by removing the gunk from around the drain. Or you may need to snake the roof drain pipes or down spouts. Standing water can lead to premature failure of the roof as the water may leach the chemicals that keep roofs pliable out of the membrane. Worse still, if there is a puncture in an area of standing water, what should have been a minor drip becomes a major disaster as all of that standing water ends up inside the building.

Roof failures rarely start in the large expanses of field membrane. Any roof check should pay special attention to the membrane and metal at changes in plane and at penetrations through the roof. First, make sure the surfacing is intact. Look for punctures, tears and scrapes in the membrane. Check for unsealed laps both in the vertical part of the flashings and also where the flashing terminates on the field of the roof. Make sure the membrane is not drooping. This is a symptom that the flashing was improperly installed — either it wasn't fastened properly at the top, or it was not properly adhered to the wall or curb. If you see diagonal wrinkles in the flashings, you have a situation where the roof deck and the wall are moving independently. These wrinkles will end up as cracks in the flashings and ultimately as leaks.

If you have expansion joints running across your roof, include them in the inspection. Some roofing contractors don't terminate expansion joints correctly and, as a result, the expansion joints crack at the ends. Check the rubber bellows for cuts and open laps and also for "repairs" done with roofing cement or other inappropriate materials.

If penetrations such as pipes and equipment stands are waterproofed with metal or plastic pitch pans or concrete rings, check the sealer to be sure that it is not cracked and that the pan or ring is completely filled with the sealer. Check the bottom of the concrete ring to be sure the seal between the ring and the roof membrane is still sealed. Check alternate flashings such as prefabricated metals or plastic or rubber boots for cracks, holes and failed sealants.

ROOFTEC-LLC and ROOFGUARD-LLC has been installing commercial roofing systems for over 30 years. We have the solutions you are looking for if you desire a new commercial roof or need a re-roof. ROOFTEC-LLC only uses the best products and installation practices to insure you have a worry free commercial roof. For more information visit us at. www.rooftec-llc.com and we also invite you to Like Us on our RoofTec-LLC Facebook Page .

Wednesday, August 20, 2014

Roof Talk-101 Top Five Benefits of a Green Roof

Green roofs can be installed on a wide range of buildings, from industrial facilities to private residences. They can be as simple as a 2-inch covering of hardy groundcover or as complex as a fully accessible park complete with trees. Green roofs are becoming popular in the United States, with roughly 8.5 million square feet installed or in progress as of June 2008.2A green roof, or rooftop garden, is a vegetative layer grown on a rooftop. Green roofs provide shade and remove heat from the air through evapotranspiration, reducing temperatures of the roof surface and the surrounding air. On hot summer days, the surface temperature of a green roof can be cooler than the air temperature, whereas the surface of a conventional rooftop can be up to 90°F (50°C) warmer.1

Benefits and Costs

In addition to mitigating urban heat islands, the benefits of green roofs include:

Reduced energy use: Green roofs absorb heat and act as insulators for buildings, reducing energy needed to provide cooling and heating.
This apartment building in Portland, Oregon, is among the 6 acres (24,300 m2) of green roofs in the city, as of 2007. Many roofs remain candidates to become green roofs. (Photo courtesy of Portland Bureau of Environmental Services)

Reduced air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions: By lowering air conditioning demand, green roofs can decrease the production of associated air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. Vegetation can also remove air pollutants and greenhouse gas emissions through dry deposition and carbon sequestration and storage.
Improved human health and comfort: Green roofs, by reducing heat transfer through the building roof, can improve indoor comfort and lower heat stress associated with heat waves.
Enhanced stormwater management and water quality: Green roofs can reduce and slow stormwater runoff in the urban environment; they also filter pollutants from rainfall.
Improved quality of life: Green roofs can provide aesthetic value and habitat for many species.

Wednesday, August 13, 2014

Roof Talk-101 There Are Green Roofs and Then There Are Smart Green Roofs

Green Roof

Rob O'Flanagan,Mercury staff

Youbin Zheng, University of Guelph School of Environmental Science associate professor and chair in Environmental Horticulture, is developing a new kind of green roof that uses smart technology. A partnership between U of G and global software company SAP is seeing the system being tested on local rooftops, including here on Skyline's Gummer Building.

ByRob O'Flanagan

GUELPH — There are some growing roofs in Guelph — one over a Hillside Festival stage, another atop city hall. But the University of Guelph and the global software company SAP are taking the concept up a high-tech notch.

Together they are conducting research and development on 'smart' green roofs — roofs made from special plants and special soil that absorb storm water, regulate building temperatures, and use automated monitoring and maintenance systems.

If widely used, the roofs could vastly reduce air conditioning costs and storm water management costs, and prolong the life of roofing decks, developers of the concept say.

Guelph's Gummer Building, headquarters of Skyline Group of Companies, is growing one of two pilot roofs in the Guelph area. The other is on a farmhouse north of Ariss.

The idea was developed by Youbin Zheng, University of Guelph associate professor in the School of Environmental Science, and chair of the Environmental Horticulture and Vineland Research and Innovation Centre.

Zheng was up on the Gummer Building roof recently conducting a quick overview of downtown Guelph rooftops, pointing out that when a hard rain falls, all the water runs off roofs, down streets and into storm drains. When torrential rains fall, as they did in Toronto and Calgary over the summer, systems become overloaded.

"It costs tons of money to manage storm water," said Zheng, who was joined on the roof by research associate Greg Yuristy, and U of G Catalyst Centre industry liaison Tyler Whale. The Catalyst Centre is working to commercialize the smart green roof.

The green roof, Zheng said, can eliminate vast amounts of storm water by absorbing heavy rains and using them to nourish carbon absorbing plants. Not only do the roofs have the potential to reduce municipal infrastructure costs, they act as very efficient insulation, reducing air conditioning costs by up to 75 per cent.

The artificial soil the plants grow in can incorporate waste materials, such as crushed bricks or even crushed zebra mussels, he added.

SAP's Waterloo office is partnering on the project. Bob Campagnolo is SAP Canada's consultant in the emerging technologies group.

"We want to make the performance of the green roof and the maintenance of it as automated and as easy as possible," he said.

Sensors of all kinds have become ubiquitous in society, he said, and SAP wants to take advantage of the technology to remotely monitor the health of a green roof.

"Typically green roofs are installed and there might be some sort of manual maintenance procedures in place to make sure the roof remains healthy," he said. "What we're going to do is automate that."

Various sensors, some of which are solar powered, will measure a number of variables that contribute to the health of the roof, including sunlight, temperature and humidity, nutrient levels and soil moisture.

"They'll transmit that data to a consolidation point, and the availability of the data from the sensors allows you to track the performance of the roof remotely," Campagnolo said. "Not only will the data tell you if you need maintenance, but we can automate the maintenance as well."

Jason Ashdown is chief of operations with the Skyline Group. He said his company, SAP and the university want to know if the green roof will cost roughly the same as conventional flat roofs. There are indications the costs will be comparable, and if that is the case the green roofs may be a viable alternative for the company, which is one of Canada's largest multi-residential real estate owners.

"We decided to try it on one of our newest buildings, join up with the U of G and see how it looks and how it works," Ashdown said. "We'll make judgment on it in a year or so."

With three million square feet of commercial roof surface, the company spends a great deal on roof repair and replacement, Ashdown said. If a green roof can cut down on those costs, it will be a financial benefit to the company.

"We like to do things that help the environment and reduce our footprint," he added.

Tyler Whale, of the Catalyst Centre, patents and markets U of G innovations. He said the Skyline roof in downtown Guelph is the first smart green roof project on a flat roof.

"Having Skyline as part of the team is really nice," he said. "They are a local company that cares about trying to advance research and development within their community, and within the environmental sustainability framework, and at the same time save money. These are business people who want to make the right choice and make their business more profitable. This is one of those technologies that can do that."

Whale said smart green roofs make good business sense because they prolong the life of roof decks on buildings and improve the efficiency of solar panels.

Work remains to be done on the data collecting system and the structure of the roofs, Campagnolo said. Roughly another year is needed on the research and development stage, and other early adopter customers will have to be lined up before the system goes commercial.

Green roofs replace conventional roofing material, such as asphalt shingles or tin. A layered system, a green roof begins with a waterproof membrane, followed by a drainage layer, a layer to keep dirt and grit out of the drainage layer, the artificial soil and the plants themselves.

The plant sedum is often used on green roofs because of its water retention properties, but water evaporation, necessary for keeping roofs cool, is not one of sedum's strengths, Campagnolo said. U of G scientists are studying other plant combinations that would be more effective.

Thursday, June 26, 2014

Roof Talk-101 The 10 Best Rooftop Bars In NYC

Anything that has roof in it, we are probably going to blog about it. Its' summertime and if you

are planning a trip to New York, you might want to stop by some of these outstanding rooftop

drinking establishments and enjoy the sights from the Rooftop.

EMPIRE HOTEL: This sleek outdoor lounge is not the place for casual boozing—there's a dress code here (no denim!) and trying to get upstairs on a Saturday night usually requires striking some sort of deal with the devil. But the Empire Hotel's rooftop is well worth a visit on a post-work weekday, boasting lovely views of Central Park and Lincoln Center from its 12th floor perch.

The Empire Hotel is located at 44 West 63rd Street between Central Park West and Broadway on the Upper West Side (212-265-7400, empirehotelnyc.com).

GALLOW GREEN: Gallow Green made our rooftop list last year, and we're repeating the praise once again. The McKittrick Hotel's bewitching outdoor bar boasts some pretty gorgeous decor, with vintage train tracks and boxcars, lush greenery, live jazz music and—like the sprawling Sleep No More set that lies below—an ethereal, haunting old-world ambiance.

Gallow Green is located at 530 West 27th Street between Tenth and Eleventh Ave in Chelsea (212-564-1662, mckittrickhotel.com/gallowgreen).

(John Del Signore/Gothamist)

THE IDES AT THE WYTHE HOTEL: The Wythe Hotel is another hotspot that made our list last year, and that spectacular skyline view's landed it another mention. True, you'll probably find yourself waiting on a line winding down North 11th Street if you brave the bar on a weekend night. But once you get up there, you'll be treated to sparkling Manhattan skyscrapers lined up against a midnight blue sky.

The Ides at the Wythe Hotel is located at 80 Wythe Avenue between North 11th and 12th Street in Williamsburg, Brooklyn (718-460-8000, wythehotel.com).

Via Facebook

THE PRESS LOUNGE AT INK48: This massive elevated drinking spot's got all the fixings for a top notch NYC rooftop bar. There's a stellar, unobstructed panoramic view of the city and the Hudson River, a "dress code" (no fitted caps, flip-flops, beachwear, tank tops, t-shirts or torn clothing allowed), trendy clientele and A POOL. You cannot swim in the pool, but you can look at it and yearn to be inside of it.
The Press Lounge is located at Ink48, 653 11th Ave between 47th and 48th Streets in Hells Kitchen (212-757-2224, thepresslounge.com).

LE BAIN AND THE ROOFTOP AT THE STANDARD HIGH LINE: Another star on our 2013 list, the Standard High Line's rooftop still outshines most of the other elevated offerings around town, a suspicious bubbling pool and faux grass.

The Standard, High Line is located at 848 Washington Street between Little West 12th and 13th Streets in the Meatpacking District (212-645-4646, standardhotels.com/high-line).

Night of Joy, via Facebook

NIGHT OF JOY: For a far more casual rooftop drinking experience, this Williamsburg bar sits right next the the BQE.

Night of Joy is located at 667 Lorimer Street between Jackson Street and the BQE in Williamsburg, Brooklyn (718-388-8693, nightofjoybar.com).

POD 39: The Pod 39 Hotel's lovely rooftop bar might sit precariously on the edge of fratastic Murray Hill, but don't let that stop you from stopping in for a summer drink or two. The bar, which opened in 2012, offers a glittering view of the Empire State Building and Lower Manhattan, framed by the hotel's brick facade, twinkling lights and funky archways.

Pod 39 is located at 145 East 39th Street between Lexington and 3rd Aves in Midtown East (212-865-5700, thepodhotel.com).

Via Facebook

Z ROOF AT Z NYC HOTEL: The Queensboro Bridge has already earned its merit as one of the city's more romantic sights, but the auroral view of it afforded by this LIC rooftop kicks even Woody Allen's creation up a notch, framed by Midtown Manhattan and a pitch-black East River at night. The hotel's elevated bar doesn't crowd up as much as some of the roofs on the Big Island.

Z NYC Hotel is located at 11-01 43rd Ave in Long Island City, Queens (212-319-7000,zhotelny.com).

(Katie Sokoler/Gothamist)

LA BIRRERIA AT EATALY: The Italian beer garden of sorts that sits atop Flatiron's famed Mario Batali food mecca is open year-round, but when the weather picks up the retractable roof comes down. And that's when the real fun starts, since there's nothing more wonderful than drinking barrels of beer above ground in the summer.

La Birreria is located at 200 5th Ave in Flatiron (212-937-8910, eataly.com).

VU ROOFTOP BAR: One of K-town's lesser known secrets, this bar located on top of the La Quinta Manhattan serves up an awesome laid-back atmosphere unbridled by the non-stop pretension at some of the other elevated offerings around town. Though the view here isn't much, minus a close-up shot of the Empire State Building, the benefit of being outdoors far outweighs a panoramic scene.

Tuesday, June 24, 2014

The Top Eight Roofs In The World

1. Hospices – Beaune, Burgundy, France

People love to visit the Burgundy region in France for the wine, but equally enchanting are the roofs of the Hospices in Beaune. These hospitals and health care facilities date back to the 15th century, and their roofs provide eye-catching patterns of colors and designs.

2. Thean Hou Temple – Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Even though this homage to the goddess whose name means “Heavenly Mother” in Cantonese appears to be from ancient times, this temple is only about a quarter century old. Its roof adornments include multicolored tiles, sweeping curves, and lots and lots of dragons.

3. Sydney Opera House – Sydney, Australia

The curvaceous shapes atop this opera house make this structure unique throughout the world. Each of the “shells” are actually precast concrete panels covered by a total of over a million Swedish tiles. The building took 14 years to complete and cost around 102 million Australian dollars — which was 13/1/2 times its original budget. Ouch!

4. Red tiled houses of Old Town – Dubrovnik, Croatia

These roofs look pretty new for a 1300-year old settlement, right? That’s because Dubrovnik was under siege in 1991 and 1992 by Serbian forces, which mercilessly shelled the Old Town and damaged most of the buildings. The city was bombarded because forces couldn’t march into Dubrovnik, which is surrounded by thick stone walls.

5. Olympiapark – Munich, Germany

As the name implies, these buildings were constructed for the 1972 Summer Olympic Games in Munich. The roofs are not solid, but instead are made of a “skinned” material that is lightweight. Unlike many of these other historic sites, you can actually walk up the roof of Olympic Stadium — and then zipline from the top!

6. St. Stephen’s Cathedral – Vienna, Austria

The roof of the mother church of the Archdiocese of Vienna dates back to the 14th century and is covered by 230,000 multicolored, glazed tiles. In addition to geometric patterns, these tiles also form images, including coats of arms and a two-headed eagle. Plus, the roof is so steep that it only requires rainwater to wash it clean.

7. Grand Palace – Bangkok, Thailand

As you can see, the king of Thailand has some pretty sweet digs. While the palace grounds span about 2.35 million square feet, this photo portrays the top of the throne hall (known as Phra Thinang Dusit Maha Prasat). Not only are the adornments complex and beautiful, but each one is chock full of symbolism pertaining to Thai culture and history.

8. Domed roofs – Santorini, Greece

Just because you see a shiny domed roof on the Greek island of Santorini does not necessarily mean that the building houses royalty. The whitewashed limestone roofs are practical because they reflect the sun’s rays to help keep the interiors of the homes cool. And since rain is scarce, there are cisterns strategically placed near the roofs to catch runoff water (instead of gutters!)

Tuesday, June 17, 2014

Roof Talk-101 Chicago’s Wrigleyville Rooftop History

Where the Wrigley Field Rooftop phenomenon began!

Since 1914, the nearby rooftops of adjacent residential buildings have been used to view Chicago Cubs baseball games or other major events at historic Wrigley Field. The term “Wrigley Rooftops” has been used primarily by sports crazed Chicagoans for the past several decades to describe the beautiful structures surrounding the ballpark which have become an extension of the baseball and concert experience at Wrigley Field.

The rooftops had long been a unique and primitive way to experience the Chicago Cubs baseball games with informal gatherings of a few lucky fans and neighborhood folks perched atop the buildings lining Sheffield and Waveland Avenues. These fortunate fans would sit on coolers, folding chairs, garden furniture, overturned buckets or blankets to buffer the hot tar of sun scorched roofs just to see a Cubs game. Access was generally granted to guests of building owners and their tenants by climbing through the top floor attic of a residential apartment. For several decades, Cubs broadcasting legend Harry Caray would say “hello” to the familiar Wrigley Field rooftop fanatics during his televised broadcasts on WGN. Thus, getting invited to a rooftop became a coveted prize, like winning a secret Cubs fan lottery.

In the 1980’s the Chicago Cubs experienced a renaissance of sorts and with their revived popularity and renewed interest in the team, some enterprising property owners began constructing more sophisticated seating on these once crude rooftop properties. Some owners began charging “admission” to enjoy the game, which did not bode well with the Cubs organization. For nearly a decade the Cubs management tolerated these entrepreneurial endeavors until several of the rooftop structures became organized, profitable businesses that in their opinion, encroached on their business and “used the Cubs organization’s product for personal and financial gain”.

Discussions between the property owners and the Chicago Cubs continued, and progress towards a balanced relationship with the rooftop neighbors was achieved. In 2004, eleven of the thirteen rooftops settled with the club and agreed to pay 17% of gross revenue in exchange for official endorsement. The Cubs now endorse their “Official Rooftop Partners” on their team page at MLB.com.

Today, Wrigley rooftops have become a unique alternative venue to watch Cubs baseball games and summer concerts. Rooftop venues now feature bleachers, beverage service, specialty food menus, meeting space, and a unique game-day atmosphere without the huge crowds, long lines, crowded restrooms and raucous fans.

Wednesday, June 11, 2014

Roof Talk-101 What Is The Difference Between Architectural Shingles and 3-Tab Shingles

What are architectural shingles?

Architectural shingles, also called laminated or dimensional shingles, are made with a heavier base that creates a stronger, thicker shingle which gives a three-dimensional look to your roof.

What is the difference between 3-tab shingles and architectural shingles?

3-tab shingles are flatter and thinner than the architectural shingles, producing a one-dimensional look to your roof. They usually have shorter warranties and lower wind ratings than laminated shingles.

Thursday, May 29, 2014

Roof Talk-101 No Two Gutter Systems Are The Same

No two buildings — or gutter systems — are exactly alike. Whether it’s a shopping mall or country club, a large estate or a neighborhood home, every guttering project has specific needs. And though 5- and 6-inch gutters are industry standards, factors ranging from architecture to geography can affect decisions about proper sizing.

“Start by looking at the roof line,” advises Bruce Andrews, owner of Bruce Andrews Seamless Gutters/Gutter Helmet in Maiden Rock, Wis. “When you see the number of squares of shingles, it will tell you how many gallons of water can come off of the roof during a storm. The bigger the roof the more water it will generate.”

Since gutters exist to drain water away from buildings, then estimating the amount of water a gutter must potentially carry is a key to determining the correct size for the trough. But Dan Vitale of Vitale Seamless Gutters in Somersworth, N.H., says in addition to the size of the roof, “Slope is another important factor to consider.” His own rule of thumb is 6-inch gutters for most commercial projects and 5-inch for most residential jobs. Yet different conditions may require an adjustment in gutter size.

A third consideration is the downspouts. “You should worry more about your downspout sizes rather than your gutter size,” advises owner Doug Craig of Viking Metal Products in East Point, Ga. Happily, he points out, the first chapter of the Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning Contractors National Association (SMACNA) gutter manual “has in detail the maximum rainfall for locations around the country, so that you know how many square inches of rainfall to plan for each downspout.”

Size-specific solutions
Since Andrews’ crews perform both residential and commercial work, they must know what to look for at each jobsite. Based on the SMACNA manual’s data regarding expected rainfall, he notes, “We might see that 5-inch gutters need an extra-large downspout. In the Midwest, for example, you can have everything from a steady all-day rain to a half-inch downpour in a few minutes.”

After sizing up the gutters, Andrews continues, “When we get to a house, we make sure the drainage is right.” Even if gutters are the correct size for the project, an improperly installed gutter system can cause overflows, backups, blockages, ice damming and other problems.

Andrews has also encountered projects where the steep pitch of the roof necessitated extra downspouts. Yet the decision is not always cut-and-dried. “Whenever possible, we hide the downspouts and try to keep the aesthetics of the building in mind,” he explains. One way to balance function and appearance, he suggests, is to “maintain the look the customer wants by using colors that match as closely as possible, so that the work blends into the building.”

The demands of form and function sometimes require a combination of 5- and 6-inch gutters. “We’ve done some large sheds and used 5-inch gutter on smaller overhangs and then 6-inch for longer runs,” Andrews reports. “But since the different sizes weren’t installed close to each other, it maintained the look of the building.” Depending on the job, Bruce Andrews Seamless Gutters might use larger downspouts — or more downspouts — for the bigger gutters on a job where both 5- and 6-inch styles are used.

Whatever size gutter is needed, Andrews adds, “You must have a splash guard for every valley.”