Tampa Times Investigates Failing Florida Springs
Darren Driscoll • November 18, 2013
We talk about water issues on this blog a lot. After all, gutters are meant to deal with rain water, and so it’s natural for us to notice these issues and to pay attention to them.
But we really started sitting up and taking notice when we started talking about rain water harvesting , rain gardens, and sinkholes.
So when The Tampa Bay Times started talking about our disappearing Florida springs, we took notice.
It’s worth reading the whole story , but here are some of the highlights.
Jason Polk, a geoscience professor at Western Kentucky University, has been diving in Florida’s springs and sinkholes since 2004, doing research in underground caverns in Pasco, Hernando, Citrus and Marion counties. He has seen stark changes over the years.
“You go in a cave where there’s no longer any water at all,” he said. “Places you used to swim through, now you have to walk through. It’s a permanent decline. It’s just gone.”
Where did it go? The evidence points to too much pumping of fresh water — millions of gallons a day sprayed on suburban lawns and farmers’ fields, run through showers and flushed down toilets, turned into steam to crank turbines for electricity, or siphoned into plastic bottles for sale around the country.
Floridians use 158 gallons of water a day per person, about 50 more than the national average. Meanwhile agriculture draws more water out of the ground for irrigation than any state east of the Mississippi. As a result, between 1970 and 1995, withdrawals from the aquifer increased more than 50 percent and by 2005 hit 4.2 billion gallons a day.
The report also mentioned that saltwater is encroaching into Florida’s aquifiers, directly impacting the water that we use and drink every single day.
This is why it’s so important to monitor your own water footprint, and why we encourage residents in our service area to “use their gutters for good” so to speak.
Everybody wants to save money on home maintenance costs. We get it. Even if you realize the full extent of everything your gutters do to protect your home from water damage, you probably don’t want to spend an arm and a leg making it happen.
So if you’re considering DIY gutter installation, hey, we can hardly blame you. After all, we know, and you know, that you could go grab a 6″ x 10″ aluminum K-style gutter in 10″ lengths for about $15 at your local Home Depot.
So how do you know whether you should do that, or whether you [...]
Seamless Gutters vs. Regular Gutters: Which is Best? is from Rain Control Gutters
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If you’re hoping to find a gutter that can literally last a lifetime then galvalume gutters might appeal to you. These types of gutters can easily last 100 years or more if maintained properly. They’re also less expensive than copper gutters, which is another type of gutter that can last 100 years.
Despite their longevity, it’s rare to see galvalume gutters on homes in our service area. In fact, in the 40+ years we’ve been in business we’ve never been asked to put galvalume gutters on a home.
They aren’t as aesthetically appealing as copper or even seamless aluminum gutters that [...]
What are Galvalume Gutters? is from Rain Control Gutters
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They gleam in the sunlight and are reminiscent of stately homes and churches from another era. There’s no denying that copper gutters are gorgeous. There are even people who will tell you they’re more eco-friendly than their aluminum counterparts.
They’re also the most expensive type of gutter you can buy, so you will want to think carefully before deciding they’re right for you.
What are the biggest benefits of copper gutters?
There’s no denying copper gutters offer some impressive benefits.
They don’t rust.
They are algae-proof and fungi-proof.
They’re structurally stable and sound.
They’re durable and do a good job of standing up to our climate here [...]
Are Copper Gutters Worth the Investment? is from Rain Control Gutters
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Here in the Tampa metro area we get 54″ of torrential rain every year. That means most homeowners need strong, durable gutters capable of holding up to so much water.
K-style gutters, also known as “ogee” gutters, are a great solution which allows homeowners to do just that. They hold more water than rounded gutters. They’re also tougher, doing a better job of standing up to water pressure, winds, and other stresses without bending or protruding. Finally, they blend in nicely with any style home so they always look great.
It’s for these reasons why we only install K-Style gutters.
K-Style Gutters: [...]
What Are K-Style Gutters (aka Ogee Gutters)? is from Rain Control Gutters
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Todd Dudkewic has retired after over 40 years of owning and managing Rain Control Aluminum of Central Florida Inc. He’s sold the business to us, the Driscolls. We’ve always wanted to own a family business, so this is an exciting opportunity for us!
We’re Darren and Gwen Driscoll, and we’re excited to step into Todd’s tradition of providing excellent, ethical rain gutter service to the residents of Central Florida.
Darren worked with Todd for over a decade before taking this step. Darren comes from a management role at a very successful Master Elite Residential Roofing Company (Sharpe Professional Roofing, LLC). [...]
Rain Control Aluminum of Central Florida Inc. is Now Rain Control Gutters is from Rain Control Gutters
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When you’re gearing up to sell your home you usually don’t want to put too much money into it. After all, you won’t be around to enjoy it.
But putting money into things that can make your home sell for a lot more is a smart investment. And while most people think about kitchens and bathrooms first, gutter guards are a right choice if you position them correctly (and if you buy the right ones).
How Gutter Guards Can Help You Sell
Think about it. What’s the number one commodity most people are hurting for? What’s the number one thing that brings people [...]
Why You Should Invest in Flo-Free Leaf Guards Before Selling Your Home is from Rain Control Gutters
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You might wonder why on earth a seamless gutter company would publish a list of their competitors, but at Rain Control Gutters, we believe in putting the customer first!
Installing seamless aluminum gutters is a major investment in your home, and we know you’ll want to do your research to make sure you’re getting the best service and value.
We started a similar list of the best gutter installers in Tampa a few years ago. We got such positive feedback for putting such a list together we thought we’d do it for other cities starting with Odessa, FL.
Here are five seamless gutter [...]
5 Best Seamless Gutter Installers in Odessa, FL in 2019 is from Rain Control Gutters
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On our blog we’ve done a lot of talking about hurricanes. It’s only natural. We help people manage the way weather effects their home. And hurricanes are not only a whole lot of weather, they’re almost a fixture in the Tampa metro area.
This year NOAA predicts a normal hurricane season, with 9 to 15 named storms. 4 to 8 of those could become hurricanes. And they predict at least 2 to 4 major hurricanes.
We’ve gathered a few resources to help people in our service area make it through hurricane season, safe and sound. Some of these resources are elsewhere [...]
Be Prepared: Hurricane Season 2019 is from Rain Control Gutters
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Nobody spends a lot of time taking Pinterest photos of their gutters or talking about them on HGTV. But they’re one of the most important parts of your house.
Especially in the Tampa metro area! Our torrential rains are no joke.
Your gutters protect your home. Which means your gutter contractor had best be someone good at his or her job.
But how can you know?
You’ve got to do a little research. Here are some things to look for.
1. A ton of positive reviews.
Look, customers aren’t exactly unaware of Google+, Yelp, and Facebook recommendations.
If a gutter company can’t get great reviews, something’s [...]
5 Things to Look For When Hiring a Gutter Contractor is from Rain Control Gutters
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Water damage is brutal. It can ruin both your home and your belongings. It can leave behind mold, an even more destructive force.
And if you’re not mitigating your water damage risk because you think insurance will cover everything, you may be in for a rude awakening.
Insurance is for emergencies.
Homeowner’s insurance typically covers things like tree limbs falling and tearing a hole in your roof, or tornadoes ripping the shingles away. It doesn’t cover basic maintenance failures, or even, always, the results of those maintenance failures.
“If the damage is not sudden or accidental, but instead is the result of a [...]
What’s Covered in a Water Damage Insurance Claim? is from Rain Control Gutters
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