Before & After: Resolving Gutter Issues in North Wilmington

Monkey Ball Madness

Introduction:

What happens when you invest in a brand-new roof — and the contractor tells you your gutters are “still good”?

A lot more than you'd expect… and not in a good way.

We were recently called by a homeowner who wanted their gutters cleaned and possibly upgraded with new leaf guards. Their roof had been replaced, and the roofing crew had removed and reinstalled the existing gutters and leaf protection.

Unfortunately, what we found is something we see all too often: shortcuts that create long-term problems.

The Problem:

The roofer had reinstalled the leaf guards without first cleaning the gutters. That’s a major red flag. Roofing projects generate a massive amount of debris — shingle grit, nails, packaging, and sealant scrap. If the gutters are left in place during a re-roof, they’ll almost certainly collect this debris.

In this case, the guards were reinstalled over clogged gutters, essentially sealing in the mess. Worse, they were installed backwards and screwed in through the rubber gasket — compromising both function and water flow.

These kinds of mistakes are easy to miss from the ground. But over time, they can cause overflow, rot, foundation damage, and pest problems. Unfortunately, many contractors assume homeowners won’t check — or won’t know the difference.

Before Photos:

Clogged gutters sealed under reinstalled leaf guards.

Improperly installed leaf guard, compromising water flow. The plastic trim goes against the house.

Poor gutter design, trapping the monkey balls.

The Grogan’s Gutters Difference:

Here’s how we addressed the problem — and how we do every full-service gutter job:

• Removed existing leaf guard and cleaned all sections of clogged gutter

• Installed new leaf guard the correct way, ensuring proper fit and drainage

• Added brackets where needed to reinforce sagging areas

• Checked and reset pitch/grade to ensure correct water flow

• Recaulked corners to prevent future leaks

• Removed and reattached downspouts for thorough cleaning and flow testing

• Provided photos, notes, and recommendations so the homeowner could see the condition of their system firsthand

Cleaned gutters with professionally installed leaf guards.

Optimized gutter design to allow better opportunity for debris to clear the roof.

Hand crafted installation of HydroFlo gutter guard.

Conclusion:

Not all gutter work is the same — and not all contractors treat your home like it’s their own.

We believe in getting the details right, even the ones no one else sees. Whether you’ve just had a new roof installed or aren’t sure when your gutters were last inspected, it pays to have a second set of eyes.

If your home needs a checkup, we're here to help — honestly, thoroughly, and with a standard you can trust.

Rain barrel fall update

The New Castle County Rain Barrel Sale is happening again and it reminded me to update our own rain barrel experience.

We learned a lot using the rain barrel this season. Turns out, sitting it level on the ground was not a good option for watering raised garden beds. Sitting it on the ground and having the hose connected with the spigot on the upper option prevented us from fully draining the barrel. No thanks. We have enough mosquitos already. Hot and steamy is not how I want my rain barrels.

James then fabricated a metal and wood base for the rain barrel. We moved the hose to the lower position and now everything works perfectly as expected.

If you’d like your own rain barrel installed, please let us know.

Rain barrel installation - complete!

Our new rain barrel, courtesy of New Castle County’s Clean Stream program, has been successfully installed. The rain barrel kit came with well written, easy to follow instructions.

Tips for choosing a rain barrel location:

• The rain barrel should be located near where you intend to use the water.

• It must be close enough to a downspout.

• The ground must be level.

We chose to install the rain barrel in our back yard attached to a downspout near a raised garden bed. After leveling the ground, we placed a 24 inch x 24 inch paver. for the barrel to sit on. You don’t have to place the rain barrel on anything, but for $20, this paver from Lowes is what we chose.

Since it’s already starting to freeze at night, we will now winterize the rain barrel and install the winter plug on the downspout. The EarthMinded Rain Barrel, from the NCC program, comes with a winter plug is included in the kit.

Overall, this appears to be a great value at $50 for New Castle County residents. The NCC Clean Stream Champion program opens up again in the spring.

Grogan’s Gutters will install your rain barrel free of charge with any other booked service.

New Castle County Rain Barrel Program

I’ve always wanted to have a rain barrel, and now I finally will. New Castle County, Delaware has a program where you can get a low cost rain barrel if you live in the county and they are free for City of Newark residents. Please check out the Clean Stream Champion program. We’ll update the blog after we receive and install our rain barrel.