Commonly Asked Questions and Answers
Glacier Gutters & Exteriors in Comox Valley and Campbell River is one of the reputable experts in the eavestroughing industry. Be it the installation of gutter or gutter guards, we can always provide you with the right solution. You can also go through some of the frequently asked questions we have compiled to answer some of your queries. If you have more questions regarding eavestroughing, please feel free to contact us .
Continuous hanger, what is it?
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Take a rain gutter with spaced hangers
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Add hundreds of hangers
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Get the same kind of strength with T-Rex® continuous hanger™
Do wet leaves stick to Alu-Rex products?
It sticks only temporarily. Alu-Rex products boast a smooth, perforated surface. Just as they may temporarily stick to the hood of your car, leaves and debris that land on the surface of Alu-Rex products dry quickly in the sun.
And unlike your car hood, the surface of your eavestrough is perforated so they dry faster!
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A little wind is all it takes to sweep away dry leaves and debris:
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A 10 km/h wind effectively removes wet leaves and about 100 pine needles per linear foot
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A 37 km/h wind can remove about an inch (2.5 cm) of pine needles per linear foot
How do Alu-Rex products stand up to snow?
Alu-Rex products significantly reduce the weight of snow on your eavestroughs. Since snow can't get into the gutters, the weight they must carry is limited to that which accumulates on top of Alu-Rex products. Furthermore, the eavestroughs remain fully functional so water from melting snow and ice can drain away freely.
Without Alu-Rex products, the gutters already clogged with leaves and debris fill up with snow and ice, which keeps them from doing their job and draining water away in spring. Additionally, they have to support more weight.
Do T-Rex® or the Gutter Clean System® increase ice formation?
Alu-Rex products prevent the formation of ice. If icicles form at the edge of the roof, we recommend that you check whether the attic is well ventilated and insulated properly.
Can the installation of Alu-Rex products create leaks in my roof?
No. Alu-Rex products do not cause any leaks. No shingles are raised and no nails or screws go into the roof during installation.
Beware of look-alike products that require you to lift the shingles. These products can lead to leaks. In time, the asphalt shingles dry out and become brittle. It's never a good idea to lift shingles when installing eavestroughing protections systems, whether they're nailed in, screwed on, or simply set in place.
Also, the manufacturer's warranty on asphalt shingles is void if the shingles are lifted, peeled away, or modified.
What is the maximum weight my eavestrough can support when fastened with the T-Rex® system?
The maximum weight your gutter can support with T-Rex® is 250 lb per linear foot (373 kg per linear meter). That's 50% stronger than with spikes or hangers.
What is the point of using T-Rex® if there are no trees near my home?
It may seem unnecessary to use the T-Rex® continuous hanger™ system if there are no trees around your home. But T-Rex®'s main strengths are its robustness, strength, durability, and quality.
With T-Rex®, your eavestroughs will be stronger and more durable than any others. New trees may grow... and your eavestroughs will still be in perfect condition after 25, 30, and even 40 years!
People who buy the T-Rex® system want what's best for their gutters, just as they do for their doors, windows, and all other components of their home.
Why is the T-Rex® continuous hanger system better than spikes, screws, and hangers?
Spikes, screws, and hangers provide a certain degree of strength, but only over a few inches to either side of them. The spaces between the spikes/screws/hangers are weak.
With T-Rex®, your eavestrough is equally solid across its entire length. There are no weak spots.
What’s the difference between Alu-Rex’s Gutter Clean System® and T-Rex® products?
The Gutter Clean System® is an eavestrough protection system that prevents leaves and debris from getting in and clogging the existing eavestrough. This product is simply placed on your home's existing eavestroughs.
T-Rex® is a continuous fastening system for new gutters that securely fastens eavestroughs to your home, making them 50% stronger than traditional systems.
Both products use the same alu-perf™ technology, which prevents leaves and debris from building up in your gutters.
Do Alu-Rex products require upkeep?
​The Gutter Clean System® and T-Rex® are among the most efficient eavestrough protection systems on the market today.
In the vast majority of cases, a light breeze is enough to sweep away normal debris. In areas under the roof or under shallow overhangs on sloped roofs, debris may build up where the wind cannot reach it.
We recommend that you occasionally clean out these areas to keep your Alu-Rex products in good working conditions.
Why doesn’t water go into my eavestroughs? There are simply not enough holes, or they are too small.
The exclusive alu-perf™ technology is the result of extensive research and development. The product has 489 holes every 19 inches (48 cm). This allows water to drain at the same rate as a 2 in. x 3 in. (5 cm x 7.5 cm) downspout.
Rigorous testing by an independent certification agency has proven that Alu-Rex products can drain over 32.9 in. (836 mm) of water an hour over a length of 20 feet (6 m). And with 200,000,000 feet (60,960,000 metres) of Alu-Rex products installed around the world, the figures speak for themselves...
Note: The highest amount of rainfall ever recorded worldwide was 12 in. (305 mm) of water in one hour (Holt, MO, 1947). In comparison, the 1996 Saguenay flood in Quebec was triggered by 11 in. (275 mm) of rain in three days. Alu-Rex products would have been able to handle all that rain in just one hour and three times more!
Overflow is usually caused by the eavestroughs themselves (not wide enough or deep enough for the roof surface) or the downspouts (insufficient number for the roof's surface). It is important to make sure there are enough downspouts to avoid this problem. For this purpose, you need to keep in mind that one downspout is enough to drain the equivalent of a 600 sq. ft. (56 m²) roof.
In short, if you don't have backflow problems with your current gutters in heavy rainfalls, the Gutter Clean System® and T-Rex® won't create them.
Can Alu-Rex products withstand heavy water flow?
Even if all the perforations get covered, which never happens because the wind sweeps away leaves and debris, Alu-Rex products can drain up to three times the quantity of water ever recorded in the heaviest rainstorm.
How? Because wet leaves remain permeable. Water still gets between the leaves allowing it to drain into the eavestrough. Water will always find its way into the holes.
Additionally, the exclusive design of Alu-Rex products features an approximately 0.4 in. (1 cm) deep basin. Testing in the lab and in the field has shown this to be the right depth to catch more water without stopping the wind from doing its job of sweeping away leaves, pine needles, and debris from the surface.
Beware of look-alike products that are completely flat. Water can overflow when products are not equipped with a basin.
Aren’t metal grills or plastic mesh enough for my home?
It's tempting to believe that a simple plastic mesh that sells for $4 per 20-foot (6.1 meters) roll can do the job, but this just isn't the case.
The openings in these products are much too large. Debris can get inside, leaves get stuck, which can clog the eavestroughs and turn into fertile soil for plants to grow in. These products are also not rigid, so they bend under snow and ice.
In short, these products will still force you to periodically climb a ladder to clear out your gutters.
