Anyone ever have this problem with Gutter Shock?

[Camelot 68]

I am a devout Gutter Shock fan...I love the results it gives and I find it relatively easy to work with. That being said, lately I've had some trouble with it. On 2 or 3 houses, there were simply no results. First, I used the same solution I've always used with great success. Then, I made the solution significantly stronger (not quite taking paint off, but close) and tried it...again no results. I always brush it on and xjet it off. When I say no results, I mean NO results. The gutters were heavily streaked when I started, and just as heavily streaked when I finished. I think it's one of two things...the cold weather or the fact that all 3 houses were "starter" houses...Relatively small homes that may have inferior gutters on them? Has anyone ever experienced this or have any ideas on what may be causing it? Thanks for any help.

- John

[Don M. 14]

Its the temps. I have had the same problem. Do you have hot water? I've used the stuff full strength with hardly no results. If you can heat the GS up thats the ticket.

[PressurePros 248]

Temperature can be a factor but I would think increasing the strength would compensate for that. The main issue I would venture is in the quality of the gutter. I had houses with 20 year old gutters that came up like new but with a section that won't come clean regardless of the effort. Invariably when I question the homeowner that section had been more recently replaced.

[Kennedy 14]

I had a similar problem this fall (warm days). Two, 2-3 year old homes right next to each other, scrubbed with full strength and rinsed, twice, and nothing happened. On the back side of one of the houses, there was a small section of gutter that came clean (a 3 foot peice), but nothing else. We actually tried 2 different gutter cleaners and neither did much. I always wondered what was going on or if anyone else ran into this situation.

[John Orr 206]

Two words, Simple Green.

[Rodney 14]

John

The only time I have problems is when the gutters have been painted and not the original finish.The streaks are harder to remove.

[Barry M 73]

I've had problems on old gutters in warm and cold weather. The gutters aren't streaked but are greyish looking instead of white. No results at full strength. Being they are suppose to be white I asumed the paint was oxidized.

[John Orr 206]

John

The only time I have problems is when the gutters have been painted and not the original finish.The streaks are harder to remove.

A little more scrubbing, but SG should work. The exception is when the gutters were not cleaned prior to painting and the dirt is showing through the paint, or was partially dissolved while painting and became part of the paint.

[aquabob 14]

i have some houses for an hoa that i do every year, year round.

the gutter streaks usually melt right off with a 3:1 dillution of gs or purple power.

today the gutter streaks wouldnt budge, even at full strength. temps in the upper 40's. the temps definately have something to do with it, ive noticed when it gets below about 65 deg the streaks are harder to clean. i dont have hot water but if you do i believe that if you heated the gutter up with some hot h2o

it might help. i tried a bucket of hot water dipping the brush in

it didnt make any difference.

the only way i get the streaks off without hot h2o was to use carb cleaner, which contained tulane, acetone and methanol, and then apply gs at full strength and scrub.

i got some simple green today will try it tomorrow and see if i get better results. i checked the msds on the sg it uses buytl

cellusolve and no sod hydroxide, a different mix than the gs and purple power.

[Don M. 14]

Hey Bob, let us know how simple green does please

[Camelot 68]

Bob - I would really like to know how you make out with simple green as well. What you described is exactly what I am going through right now...very odd.

- John

[aquabob 14]

the simple green didnt work any better than gs or pp. i used it

full strength. what does work is to apply the butyl, (gs pp or sg)

to the gutter, spray carb cleaner on your brush and brush the gutter. i did that today on 2 homes and it came off fairly easy.

i was able to do about a 20 ft section before re-applying the

carb cleaner. carb cleaner works!

[Camelot 68]

Thanks Bob...Although carb cleaner seems viable, it also seems like a PITA...I'm going to use it as a last resort. Does anyone else have any other words of wisdom? Thanks everyone.

[PLD 14]

I have found Wesley's Bleach White to do a great job in a pinch...

[VanDiesel99 14]

The cold weather is definitely the reason why the GS is ineffective. If you have hot water you can try x-jetting it on the dry gutters at full heat, scrub and rinse, will probably help out some as long as it is not terribly cold outside. When it is in the forties, most chems will not do much good(I don't clean when it is less than 50 outside).

[mas3372 14]

Did my first couple house washes of the season yesterday and had horrible luck with the gutters. I did two houses across the street from each other. I did several houses in this plat last year and had great results with the gutters. All the houses were built in the same 2 year time period with the same gutters, I confirmed with the builder, so different quality gutters is not an option.

I tried gutter shock, purple power, power house and gutter granade. They all had little effect. 46 degrees out.

It has to be the cold temps taht does it.

[Camelot 68]

Mike - definitely due to cold weather...My customer's gutters have been BEAUTIFUL since Spring sprung! Gutter Shock has been awesome since the temps went above 60 degrees (not inlcuding this past week of FREEZING temps).

- John

[plainpainter 217]

Seems like a hot tank is in order to increase the work year. I've had similar problems trying to get mildew off with bleach/TSP/Surfactant - when temps were in the low 40's.

[FullBlast 14]

I have found Wesley's Bleach White to do a great job in a pinch...

I have found that to work too.

Is some pretty strong stuff, will take a lil paint with sometimes!!

John Orr Two words, Simple Green.

I have tryed Simple Green and Mean Green and for me I found that the Mean Green is stronger.

Whatever works!!!