Frequently Asked Questions
If you cannot find answers to your questions in the list below, please contact us.
Do wet leaves stick to Alu-Rex products?
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 beneath the wet leaves on your gutter is perforated, so they dry faster!
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 gutters. Since the snow can’t get into the gutters, the weight they have to carry is limited to that which accumulates on top of Alu-Rex products. What’s more, the gutters 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 the spring. Plus, they have to bear more weight.
Do T-Rex® or the Gutter Clean System™ help to form ice?
Not at all! Water continuously drains into the downspout because nothing, neither debris nor snow, will block it from draining. With Alu-Rex products and the Alu-Perf technology, your gutters work all year round.
Alu-Rex products do not cause ice formation. If ice forms on the edge of the roof, we recommend that you check if the attic space is adequately ventilated and insulated.
Can installation of Alu-Rex products lead to leaks in my roof
No. Alu-Rex products do not cause leaks. No shingles are raised and no nails or screws go into the roof during installation.
Beware of lookalike 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 gutter protection 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 gutter can support when fastened with the T-Rex® system?
The maximum weight your gutter can bear with T-Rex® is 250 lbs per linear foot (373 kg per linear metre). That’s 50% stronger than with spikes or hangers.
Is the photo of the 3 men hanging from the gutter real or edited?
The photo is real and has not been doctored in any way. Three men can hang from a gutter installed with the T-Rex® continuous fastening system for new gutters.
Are there restrictions on using the T-Rex® continuous fastening system?
The only restriction consists of making sure the fascia board is not inclined, which is very rare. However, the Gutter Clean System™ works with gutters installed on inclined fascia boards.
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 gutter fastening 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 gutters will be stronger and more durable than any other. New trees may grow, and your gutters will still be in perfect condition after 25, 30 or 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 fastening 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 gutter 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 a gutter protection system that prevents leaves and debris from getting in and clogging the existing gutters. This product is simply placed on your home’s existing gutters.
T-Rex® is a continuous fastening system for new gutters that very securely fastens gutters 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 gutter 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 order.
I’m going to be changing my gutters soon. Should I install the T-Rex® or Gutter Clean System™?
T-Rex® is the best choice! Both products can be installed to protect your gutters from leaves and debris, but only T-Rex® makes your new gutters 50% stronger than conventional systems.
Since there’s no significant difference in installation costs, take advantage of the strength and durability of T-Rex®.
I’ve had my gutters for a long time. Will Alu-Rex products work on my existing gutters?
Yes. The Gutter Clean System™ works with 4 inch (10.1 cm), 5 inch (12.7 cm), and 6 inch (15.2 cm) gutters made of steel, aluminum, copper or zinc.
My new gutters will be either 5 inches or 6 inches wide. Can I use T-Rex® for both sizes?
Yes. The T-Rex® continuous gutter fastening system is perfect for steel, aluminum or zinc gutters that are 5 inches (12.7 cm) and 6 inches (15.2 cm) wide.
Do Alu-Rex products work on plastic or vinyl gutters?
No. Alu-Rex products have been tested on a number of plastic and vinyl gutters. In most cases, they did not meet the rigorous quality standards of Alu-Rex.
How does water get into the gutter? There aren’t enough holes, and they’re 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 inch x 3 inch (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 inches (836 mm) of water an hour over a length of 20 feet (6 m). And with 44,000,000 feet (13,411,200 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 inches (305 mm) of water in 1 hour (Holt, MO 1947). In comparison, the 1996 Saguenay Flood in Quebec was triggered by 11 inches (275 mm) of rain in 3 days. Alu-Rex products would have been able to handle all that rain in just 1 hour and 3 times more!
Overflow is usually caused by the gutters 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 1 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.
Do Alu-Rex products rust or flake?
No. Alu-Rex products are made of aluminum, zinc and copper. They will never rust. They come directly from our supplier’s plant in the natural colours of the materials. The finish is guaranteed for 25 years.
My neighbour’s gutter protection system sticks out like a sore thumb and changes the look of his house. Will Alu-Rex products be the same?
No. Alu-Rex products are practically invisible from the ground.
How can I be sure Alu-Rex products will last?
Alu-Rex products have been tested in certified laboratories with no business ties to us. Moreover, the first prototypes of Alu-Rex products were installed in Canada (where weather conditions are harsh) some 10 years ago, and they still deliver outstanding performance.
The 44,000,000 feet (13,411,200 metres) of Alu-Rex products installed around the world also speak volumes about their durability.
Does the Gutter Clean System™ work with all types of spikes and hangers, including screw-on hangers?
Absolutely. There is a model for every setup. There’s even a version of the Gutter Clean System™ that can be installed on screw-on hangers. All models offer the same great results.
What kind of warranty does Alu-Rex offer?
Alu-Rex products come with a 25-year warranty on performance, quality and finish.
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 3 times the quantity of water ever recorded in the heaviest rainstorm.
How? Because wet leaves remain permeable. Water still gets between the leaves, and even soaks through them, to drain into the gutter. The water always finds its way into the holes.
What’s more, the exclusive design of Alu-Rex products features an approximately 0.4 inch (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 lookalike products that are completely flat. Water can overflow when products are not equipped with a basin.
Will Alu-Rex products affect my roof?
No. The Gutter Clean System™ and T-Rex® continuous gutter fastening system never come into contact with the roof. That means you can have your roof redone without removing the Gutter Clean System™ or T-Rex®.
How much do Alu-Rex products cost?
A number of factors influence the overall installation cost, the main one being the difficulty of installation.
Installation on a 1-storey house with only a few corners costs less than on a 2-storey house with a number of corners and turrets.
Are more expensive products better than Alu-Rex products?
No. Other products may be significantly more expensive for 3 reasons:
1. Installation is more time consuming and complex. Installers have to be paid fairly for the time they spend installing the product. As such, hard-to-install products will cost more.
2. The material used is more expensive. Manufacturers want to make a profit on their sales. So if the manufacturing cost is high, the consumer has to expect to pay more. For example, the cost of manufacturing certain products (PVC and vinyl) can fluctuate with the raw materials market.
3. Most competitors are franchises of major American companies and must charge consumers more to pay franchise fees and corporate advertising costs.
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 metre) 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 and leaves get stuck, which can clog the gutters and turn into fertile soil for plants to grow in.
Moreover, these products are 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.
How do I determine the right kind of siding for my project?
Budget and taste are the 2 primary factors in deciding what kind of siding you want. Environmental concerns, location of your home (some neighbourhoods have covenants requiring certain kinds of siding) and fire resistance are also factors. Talk with your contractor to determine what best suits your needs.
Do I need to remove the old siding before installing new?
Again, the answer to this depends on many factors. Is the old siding damaged by water or insects? Will you be adding insulation? Is the old siding structurally sound? Although many sidings can be easily installed over old, it is best to talk directly with your contractor to find out what is best for you.
How long will it take to install the siding?
There is no simple answer to this question. Vinyl siding is usually the quickest to install, but factors such as the amount of cutting (how many angles and edges the house has) and the size of the home will affect the time needed to complete the project. However, you can expect a minimum of 3 days for the simplest jobs and as much as 6 weeks for the most difficult.
Are there different grades of siding available?
The grade of the siding generally refers to the thickness of the panels. The thicker the panel, the stiffer it is, making it line up straighter and become more impact resistant. Other considerations are colour, patterns, and warranties.
Main: 250-218-3991 | Fax: 250-941-2290 | gotgutters@shaw.ca