GUTTERS How to Care for Gutters?
We were solicited by a door-to-door company wanting to clean our gutters. My wife and I are elderly (both in our 80’s) and I certainly have no inkling to climb up on a ladder and figure out how to clean gutters. What should we do? If you think that a few tree leaves and twigs are not of a concern, think again. Dirt and roof granules easily build up in a gutter system and just because you cannot see this debris, does not mean it is not there. Cleaning gutters is not for everyone and a reliable, insured, licensed and bonded company should be used for this risky job. Gutters should be inspected periodically not only for clogs but for maintenance issues and it is important to keep in mind that maintaining a clean gutter system is important to the overall health of a home. Several of our local gutter companies will come out and give free inspections. As far as using a door-to-door solicitation company to clean your gutters, please make sure they are appropriately licensed and have workers compensation and general liability insurance. ARS §32-1101 “Any business which contracts or offers to contract to build, repair, add to, subtract from, improve, move, wreck or demolish any building, highway, road, railroad, excavation or other structure, development or improvement, or to do any part of the work must be a licensed contractor.” If this door-to-door company is not licensed and they have appropriate workers compensation and general liability insurance and appropriate business license and tax licenses (for your protection), ARS§32-1121.A.14 states they do not need a license if “Any person other than a licensed contractor engaging in any work or operation on one undertaking or project by one or more contracts, for which the aggregate contract price, including labor, materials and all other items, but excluding any electrical fixture or appliance that was designed by the manufacture, that is unaltered, unchanged or unmodified by any person, that can be plugged into a common household electrical outlet utilizing a two pronged or three pronged electrical connector and that does not use any other form of energy, including natural gas, propane or other petroleum or gaseous fuel, to operate or is attached by a nail, screw or other fastening device to the frame or foundation of any residential structure, is less than one thousand dollars. |