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Property owners spend countless hours cleaning the gutters of their homes. This task may frustrate them and lead to the hiring of gutter cleaning professionals. However, property owners must choose the right provider for the home. These gutter cleaning teams need to have the tools and knowledge required to do the job right, as the gutters play a vital role in protecting the home.

Any backup in the gutters could cause damage to the house. What questions should a homeowner ask when choosing a professional to hire for this job?

Knowledge and Training

Begin choosing a gutter cleaning company by learning about any companies servicing the area. Visit the website of each provider to gather more information about the company, the services offered, and more. Narrow the list down to three providers. With this list in hand, contact each provider. Spend ten minutes learning more about the company. Ask about the experience and training of the technicians. Look for a company that has been in business for five years or more, as this suggests the company has an excellent reputation and repeat customers.

When talking with each provider, ask about the gutter cleaning process and why it is better than the process used by competitors. When answering these questions, the provider should talk about safety, the materials used, workmanship, and more. The representative should remain friendly and professional throughout the call. They need to provide complete answers and use language familiar to the homeowner. If the company refuses to answer one or more questions, the homeowner should choose another provider. Reputable gutter cleaning providers enjoy talking to homeowners about their gutter needs and want each property owner to feel comfortable with the services.

Service Guarantee

When speaking with gutter cleaning providers, ask about a service guarantee. Homeowners might assume few things could go wrong with this service. When their gutters overflow with the next storm, they become irritated and may pick up the phone and call another company. If the original provider offers a service guarantee, however, it is best to allow them to come out and fix the problem. Many gutter providers today guarantee water will flow through the gutters freely during the first storm after the cleaning. When a company doesn’t provide a service guarantee, consider this a red flag and choose another company to handle this task. Why is this guarantee so important?

A service guarantee provides the homeowner with peace of mind. They know the cleaning provider will return to the home if there is a problem with the service. This guarantee motivates the provider to offer outstanding services. When they must return to a property to correct one or more issues, this leads to new jobs being pushed back on the schedule and possibly a loss of one or more jobs. However, homeowners must understand the service guarantee does not take the place of insurance. Why should a company have both a service guarantee and insurance in place?

Liability Insurance

At a minimum, every gutter cleaning provider needs liability insurance. This insurance protects the homeowner if something goes wrong during the job. The insurer reimburses the homeowner for any damage to the property caused by the gutter cleaning provider. As the technicians will climb a ladder to access the gutters and may spend time on the roof of the home, damage to the home remains a concern. The worker may fall off the ladder and break a window or pull the gutter down with them. The liability insurance pays the homeowner if their home sustains damage as the technician is accessing the gutters.

In addition, make certain the provider has workers’ compensation insurance. If a worker falls off of the roof or ladder and is injured, this policy covers their medical bills while replacing part of their wages until they recover. If the company doesn’t have this insurance, the worker may attempt to sue the homeowner to have the bills paid. Don’t take the word of the provider when they state they have this insurance. Ask to see the policy and verify it with the insurance company. This protects the homeowner from being liable for any damages or injuries resulting from the gutter cleaning.

Safety

Cleaning gutters requires climbing on ladders and roofs. Depending on the size of the home or building, the service provider may bring specialized equipment to access the gutters. As a result, they need to make safety the top priority when carrying out any job. Workers must remain safe when using a ladder. Many things can go wrong when using this tool. For instance, the person may develop vertigo and fall. At other times, the ladder sits on unstable ground and the worker falls. Ladders in disrepair are another safety hazard homeowners must know of when having their gutters cleaned.

Look for a provider who requires workers to choose the right ladder for the job. The ladder should allow the worker to remain within a comfortable distance of the part of the gutter they are cleaning. The worker should move the ladder to clean each section rather than leaning to the side to accomplish this goal. Every worker should wear the right clothing for the job. Loose clothing can catch on items and lead to an accident. Workers should wear shoes with nonslip soles while on the ladder and safety gloves when opening and closing the ladder.

In addition, the worker needs to remain aware of all electrical lines in the area when cleaning gutters. The ladder should never be within ten feet of a live electrical wire for safety reasons. Always take these four factors into consideration when selecting a gutter cleaning provider. Doing so protects the homeowner and the home while ensuring the job is done right. Clogged gutters put the home at risk, so homeowners can never put this task off. However, they want to ensure the worker does the job correctly and safely. Interview a minimum of three providers to ensure they meet these qualifications. When you take the time to learn this information, you’ll have peace of mind knowing the job is done right.