Category: Gutter Helmet

Gutter Helmet: A new start?

2009-08-24 / spierzchala / 6 Comments

For those who have been following our experiences with Gutter Helmet over the last five years (collected articles here), it’s time for an update.

About three weeks ago, we were contacted by the regional Gutter Helmet franchisee for New England, trying to find out what they could do to make us happy.

Why would they do this?

Well, if you do a Google search for “gutter hemet”, one of my blog posts detailing our negative experience back in 2005 is the third unpaid item on the list. It seems that they have gotten wise to the effect my simple blog posts were having on their reputation and brand.

Just for reference, I went back and looked in my logs for as long as I have them. I get on average 500 distinct page views a month for my Gutter Helmet posts and this number goes up substantially during peak gutter installation season.
“Gutter Helmet” is the number one search term coming into my site. And what people see when they get to my site is likely not the message the Gutter Helmet folks want to get across.

[Editor’s Note: As someone who writes mainly about Web performance and social media, this traffic trend is disturbing. But it also shows that you never know what will resonate with your audience until you write it!]

This past Friday, Gutter Helmet sent someone out to repair the situation. He found incorrectly installed (or missing) flashing and improperly installed helmet on both sides of the house. In the end, the entire helmet installation was replaced, and new flashing was installed.

Until we get Fall rains and the Winter snow returns, we won’t really know how successful this new install was, so stayed glued to your browsers for further updates.

Ok. Does Gutter Helmet just not get it?

2005-10-26 / spierzchala / 7 Comments

Ok, finally got some action from the people at the Customer Service Centre for Gutter Helmet towards helping us fix the final drip between the house and the gutter. This drip is, of course, right over the back door and targets anyone leaving the house when its raining.

The Customer Service Centre was having some trouble reaching their technician. Lucky for them, the technician was across the street, working on our neighbour’s house. Maybe we should have told them…?

So, I call Samantha, and Samantha goes across the street to ask the gentleman to call in and speak to the rep handling our case.

Samantha called me after she did this and said that the technician did everything short of growl and bare his teeth at her.

Look, Gutter Helmet: your on-the-ground “technicians” are the face of your company (except for the fast-talking sales dudes). This is the third — yes, THIRD — technician we have encountered who has had the customer service skills of a molotov cocktail.

We don’t ask for much; a little civility is all that is required.

“Yes ma’am. The Customer Service Rep got a hold of me and I will come over as soon as I’m done here. Thank you.”

That’s all it takes.
<SIGH>

UPDATE (to the update): When Tracy from the Customer Service Centre called me back to follow-up, I told her that the technician had been and this had been confirmed by Samantha.

I then told her about the technician’s attitude. In fact, it was the same technician who had come out previously, and given us some attitude. And the bad news was, he had also given Tracy some attitude.

Maybe this will be the final post on this topic.

Gutter Helmet: Not alone with installation problems

2005-10-19 / spierzchala / 8 Comments

Hey everybody! Looks like someone else had a bad experience with a Gutter Helmet installer. [here]

Berry was dismayed to discover that his $3,500 gutter-protection system appeared to be inviting one of the very maintenance nightmares it was supposed to protect against: roof rot. Two leaks sprang up after the pricey helmets had been installed, he claimed, which caused rainwater to build up underneath the custom-fitted panels and drip down behind the gutter “for days” after a rainfall.

Hmmm…I sure hope that my local rep manages to find some time in his busy schedule to call me back. Soon.

Why I Will Not Recommend Gutter Helmet

2005-08-22 / spierzchala / 37 Comments

Follow the entire saga – The Gutter Helmet Category!

Yet Another UPDATE: Another unpleasant encounter with the “technicians” detailed here.

UPDATE (October 19, 2005): New update on my experience here.

UPDATE (October 6, 2005): More on this topic here.

The Canadian Consulate here in Marlborough, MA needed some new gutters. We decided that since the gutters are at least 30 feet off the ground, we would Install some that needed far less maintenance.
The Gutter Helmet system seemed to suit our needs. So we arranged to meet with the sales guy.

After that meeting, I should have gone with my gut feeling. Think high-pressure car salesman, and you will get the picture. We assume he was an aberration, and about a month ago we set the date for the installation.

We were having the Gutter Helmet team install both new gutters and the helmet system. Second mistake. According to what Samantha described, this team was definitely on the F-List (found out today that this installation team is “no longer with the company”). And they were far from professional in the way that they removed the old gutters and installed the new ones. I am still finding sharp metal pieces, screw, and old gutter hangers around the yard, including 7 or 8 gutter hangers conveniently disposed of in what is very obviously our leaf compost.

As well, we discovered that not all of the straps were installed correctly, the downspouts were not attached to the higher gutter sections. We called, and out came the inspector. This gentleman told Samantha that they have had issues with this installation team…and set up a ticket for them to come and repair their mistakes.

Next problem is that we have an in-ground drainage system to carry water away from the downspouts on the north side of the house and out to somewhere where it will not fill the swimming pool in the basement. It took a third trip for the installation team to put the downspouts into the special end caps we purchase to prevent other crap from getting in the system.

And then, yesterday, during a thunderstorm cloudburst, we notice that there is water dripping down between the gutter and the house. This is definitely sub-optimal. Another call in to the customer service centre, where Samantha is curtly told by the woman on the other end of the line (who, I learned in a later call, is actually the call centre manager!) that some house require flashing and that they don’t install it in order to try and reduce the cost of the project.

This cost us over $3,000. Flashing is $2/foot. Put the flashing on; damn the cost.
Oh, and since I mention the cost, did I mention that we received no rebate or credit for this. Likely Gutter Helmet’s response would be that they repaired their work at no charge to us. My response is that I know a lot of houses in my neighbourhood that need gutters

I know a great roofing company, a great electrician, an amazing mason, and a lousy gutter company.

These companies always give a rebate if you advertise their service with a lawn sign. Maybe I should put an anti-endorsement sign on my lawn. No slander…just clearly stating that I would share my experience with Gutter Helmet with anyone who is considering their service.