With Valor Gutter Guards from The Gutter Boys, the water keeps flowing
By Patricia Nugent
When you wind through the sprawling warren of conference rooms, training studios and bustling offices at The Gutter Boys’ headquarters, making your way to the back workshop, you can’t help but notice a corner known informally as “The Gutter Guard Hall of Shame.”
Imagine if you will a scattered junkyard, but instead of defunct cars, there are piles upon piles of dilapidated gutter guards. Some are warped, others broken, many give life to a veritable greenhouse of moss and algae.
“We do a good number of uninstalls of gutter guards that have failed people,” says Ken Wilson, who owns The Gutter Boys along with Anthony Alberino.
“And since an educated consumer has always been our mission, we use the actual failed guards in our videos and initial consultation to show customers firsthand what a difference design makes.”
Not All Guards Are Created Equally
Ken takes time with me to explain the basic guard designs and why some work, while others do not.
The first guard he demonstrates is the number one guard on the market nationally, toting in more than $90 million in sales per year. (Ken prefers to keep things positive and doesn’t name names of his competitor’s guards.)
This guard features micro-mesh connected tightly via a horizontal plastic frame.
“With this style, the intrinsic fault is two-fold: since the mesh is so tight, it becomes easily clogged with pollen. And, even worse, since the water is sitting there on top and not flowing through the system, these units typically grow mold, algae and moss, none of which you want in your guards.”
The second guard he demonstrates is known as a ‘nose-forward’ or ‘surface-tension’ style of guard,” he explains.
“It features a closed top, with openings in the front. The problem is that these openings become easily clogged and not enough water flows through the system.”
Ken and Anthony have serviced tens of thousands of homes in Northeast Ohio since founding their company in 2001, using their experience to research the industry to find the most advanced micro- mesh guards on the market today: Valor Gutter Guards.
“These guards succeed where most fail, as they have the optimal 440-micron openings that allow just enough water to enter the system, while repelling leaves and debris, bugs and pests,” says Anthony.
“And the vertical S-curve design prevents any water from sitting stagnant in the system. This sturdy and durable guard is something we stand behind and think our customers deserve.”
He also mentions Valor Gutter Guards are the number one rated guards on the market by the NCR consumer advocacy group, and that The Gutter Boys are the exclusive dealers in the area.
A Perfect Storm for Clogged Gutters
In addition to installing gutters, and gutter guards, as well as repairing gutters, annual maintenance is a specialty.
Ken explains that this year’s colder Cleveland winter and slow-in-coming spring have spurred trees to produce an explosive bumper crop of blossoms.
“And compounding all the blossoms and debris clogging people’s systems, the weather forecasters are predicting a wetter than average summer,” says Ken. “It’s imperative to free the gutters from debris before damage is done.”
With a gutter cleaning service, The Gutter Boys technicians also inspect the whole system top to bottom, clearing everything from the ground up to make sure it’s running at peak efficiency.
The Gutter Boys is headquartered at 1090 West Bagley Road, in Berea. The company is A-rated on Angie’s List, and A+-rated by the Better Business Bureau. Call 440-454-7040 to schedule a free on-site consultation and estimate or visit TheGutterBoys.com for more information.