DMR's No-clog Gutter Options Photopage

<body background="../im/ds1.jpg" bgcolor="#E1C6B0" text="#000080" link="#006600" vlink="#003300" alink="#00FFFF"> <div align="center"> <center> <table border="10" width="90%" bordercolorlight="#0000FF" cellpadding="5" bordercolordark="#000080" cellspacing="0"> <tr> <td width="300" bgcolor="#FFFFFF" valign="top" align="center"> <p align="center"><a href="http://dmr-gutters.com/fs/" target="_top"> <img src="../tn/dmrsmall.gif" start="fileopen" align="center" border="0" hspace="" vspace width="300" height="152"></a></p> </td> <td align="center" background="../tn/clouds.jpg" bgcolor="#33CCFF" valign="middle"> <p align="center"><font color="#000080"><font size="5"> </font><strong><em><font size="5">Low-maintenance & No-clog Gutter Options Page</font></em></strong></font></td> </tr> </table> </center> </div> <p align="center"><b><font color="#00FF00" size="3"> <span style="background-color: #000080"> Updated 6-10-2006 </span></font></b></p> <p align="center"> <a href="cont.htm"> <img border="3" src="../tn/email2.jpg" width="500" height="135"></a></p> <div align="center"> <table border="1" width="95%" background="../tn/green.jpg" cellpadding="5"> <tr> <td width="101%" height="19" colspan="3" align="center" bgcolor="#800080"> <font size="5" color="#00FFFF"><b>Bookmark links to the No-clog options we offer</b></font></td> </tr> <tr> <td width="32%" height="19" align="center"><b><font size="3"> <a target="_self" href="#Screens">Deluxe Hinged Leaf Screens</a></font></b></td> <td width="33%" height="19" align="center"><b><font size="3"> <a target="_self" href="#Outlets">Larger No-clog Outlet</a></font></b></td> <td width="36%" height="19" align="center"><b><font size="3"> <a target="_self" href="#Other">Other No-clog Outlet Configurations</a></font></b></td> </tr> <tr> <td width="32%" height="8" align="center"> <b> <a target="_self" href="#catchers">Leaf-catchers</a></b></td> <td width="33%" height="8" align="center"><b><font size="3"> <a target="_self" href="#Downspout">Custom Downspout Work</a></font></b></td> <td width="36%" height="8" align="center"><b><a target="_self" href="#Custom">Super No-clog Outlets</a></b></td> </tr> <tr> <td width="101%" height="8" colspan="3" align="center" bgcolor="#A5DFFE" background="../tn/clouds.jpg"> <p align="center"><font size="4" color="#800000"> <strong> <em style="font-style: normal">Here is the low-maintenance No-clog options that will give you a pretty much trouble free gutter system, and the </em> <font face="Copperplate Gothic Bold"><em>DMR Gutters</em></font><em style="font-style: normal"> 15 year no-clog warranty<br> </em></strong> </font><strong><em>(see our <font color="#FFFF00"> <a href="warranty.htm">warranty web page</a></font> for those details)</em></strong></td> </tr> </table> </div> <p align="center"> </p> <div align="center"> <center> <table border="5" width="95%" background="../tn/rain2.gif" bgcolor="#62B3CA" cellpadding="10"> <tr> <td width="100%" bgcolor="#FFFF00"> <p align="center"><span style="font-weight:700"><font size="4" color="#800000"> </font></span><font size="4"><font color="#800000"><span style="font-weight: 700">Assuming that you are a home owners who suffer problems from tree fall-out problems</span></font><span style="font-weight:700"><font color="#800000"> </font></span></font><b><font size="4">(and if these debris protection devices truly works as claimed), </font> </b><span style="font-weight:700"><font size="4" color="#800000">why should you spend the extra money for clog-free gutters?<br> </font></span>(especially when most of these leaf protection options cost far more than the cost of all new gutters)</p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td width="100%"> <b> <font size="4" color="#660066">(a) </font></b><u><b> <font size="4" color="#000000">Time & Money:</font></b></u> There is the obvious advantage of the cost savings for adding a low maintenance rain management system that does not need the regular service that standard gutters do.  Even if you do not clean out the smelly disgusting debris out of the rain gutters yourself, the time you will save finding someone you can trust and rely on to come out and service your gutters a couple times a year and to watch over them, this should be well worth the extra cost alone, but many people cannot seem to justify that cost for this issue alone.  </td> </tr> <tr> <td width="100%"> <b> <font size="4" color="#660066">(b) </font></b> <font color="#000000"><u><b><font size="4">Damage:</font></b></u></font> We feel the best reason is the savings of premature roofing, painting, and gutter repairs from all the extra traffic up there to clean out the gutters year after year.<br> 1. Banging ladders against the gutters several hundred times a decade in order to access your gutters will cause unsightly scratches and even dents (especially since most professional will not use padded ladder stabilizers like we do).<br> 2. Lots of dirty marks and scratches on your house paint when they lean the ladder on the siding.<br> 3. Also, if you have a low slope roof, it is a lot easier and quicker to clean the gutters from on top your roof instead of moving the ladder every few feet.  That extra traffic on your roof will shorten the life of your roof.<p> These can cost you much more than the most expensive gutter leaf-protection products out there and leave the house looking beaten up over time. Until you get a chance to have it repaired.  Clearly, the less need to access your roof the better.</td> </tr> <tr> <td width="100%"> <b><font size="4" color="#660066">(c) </font></b><font size="4"> <font color="#000000"><u><b>Safety:</b></u></font> </font>the safety issue of whom ever will be going up and down those ladders several hundred times a decade to clean out your gutters is a most serious issue, since one accident would most likely cost more that these sort of options.  Minimizing the need for accessing your roof.</td> </tr> <tr> <td width="100%"><b><font size="4" color="#660066">(d) </font></b> <font color="#000000"><u><b><font size="4">Our Research:</font></b></u></font> with our passion for ethics; honesty and integrity (as represented by the Business Integrity Award we received from the BBB), we pride ourselves on representing to you a clear and unbiased evaluation of the effectiveness of the different leaf protection products out there.  In hopes that you are not as likely to waste time and money on a product that seems like a great idea, but will not work as claimed.  There are several concepts sold that seem wonderful, but only will work well in a debris-free situation.  Which make them completely pointless.<p><strong><a href="lp.htm" target="_top"> <img border="3" src="../tn/LeafGuard.jpg" hspace="0" width="300" height="219" align="right"></a></strong>We have searched the world over for the best and most cost efficient solutions to this issue, and below is what we have come up with so far.  We have yet to find a better solution to the debris plaguing gutter functioning than the products we sell, regardless of cost, but we are always open to suggestions, so feel free to go to our '<a href="cont.htm">Contact</a>' web page and write to us about any ideas or other products we may not have evaluated.<p>We have written a web page going over comparisons and the log term functional details of the most well known debris protection options out there.  Click on this photo of a well known competitor's product to the right to go to our '<a href="lp.htm">Comparison</a>' Page and read over these options.<p>We have placed these itemized options on each bid, with no pressure to take all or nothing, but not more than 20% of our clients in the last 5 or 6 years have us install gutters without these options, since natural tree fall-out is such a huge issue in the Northwest here so near the coast.  Even though we are a small gutter contracting company without any employees, we have serviced about 2,000 houses with new gutters or just these leaf protection products installed over the last decade of doing business, so you see we do have had a sizable amount of research information gathered to form our evaluations here.<p align="center">Again, we are open to your input.</td> </tr> <tr> <td width="100%" align="center"><b><font color="#800080">Below you will find detailed descriptions of the 3 part No-clog options we offer our clients with each gutter bid</font></b><p><font color="#000000"><b> If you are not local to us and your local gutter contractors do not offer these options, you can get them through us.  Simply go to our '<a href="http://copper-by-design.com/fs/ship.htm">Shipping</a>' page to find out the cost and procedure</b></font></td> </tr> </table> </center> </div> <p align="left"> </p> <div align="center"> <table border="0" width="750" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="5"> <tr> <td width="100%" bgcolor="#FFFF00"> <p align="center"><font color="#000000" size="2"> <span style="font-family: Times New Roman; mso-fareast-font-family: Times New Roman; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA"> Note:  </span><a href="http://www.leafguard.com" target="_self"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; mso-fareast-font-family: Times New Roman; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA">LeafGuard®</span></a><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; mso-fareast-font-family: Times New Roman; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA"> is a registered trademarks. We have no connection to their company or franchise.<br> We have been kind to link to their official web site </span> <span style="font-family: Times New Roman">here</span></font></td> </tr> </table> </div> <p align="left"> </p> <div align="center"> <center> <table border="3" cellspacing="4" cellpadding="10" width="95%" background="../tn/blue.gif" bgcolor="#A5DFFE"> <tr> <td bgcolor="#420000"> <p align="center"><b><font size="4" color="#00FFFF">Our Deluxe Hinged Leaf <a name="Screens">Screens</a></font></b></td> </tr> <tr> <td width="100%"> <p align="left">For use with aluminum gutters, here is a close-up photo of the end segments of two deluxe hinged leaf screens next to each other  with the screen to the right flipped open.  These screens have a slight arch to it to aid in it's rigidity and come in 4' sections with 3 clip/hinges for each screen. It is hard to get a good clear picture of these screens and how they look on a house, but we have tried to show they as well as possible here.</p> <p align="center"><a target="_self" href="../im/screens2.jpg"> <img src="../tn/screens2.jpg" alt="Gutter work with Mitered corners" border="3" hspace="0" width="385" height="250"></a></p> <p align="center">(these photos below also show the way we add expansion joints to long lengths of gutters to free up the pressure on the sealed corners, to avoid future leaking corners from the expansion and contraction of the sheet metal gutters, that is different than the wood structure of the house)</p> <p align="center"><a href="../ag/im/Cronin09.jpg"> <img border="3" src="../ag/tn/Cronin09.jpg" width="300" height="194" hspace="20"></a><a href="../ag/im/Cronin10.jpg"><img border="3" src="../ag/tn/Cronin10.jpg" width="300" height="190" hspace="20"></a></p> <p align="center">(these photos below also show the way we seal the end of a gutter at the base of a valley to catch that water, instead of cutting the bottom of the gutter open there to dump that gunk on the roofing, causing a mossy trail and wearing the shingles from that river of water running down the roof)</p> <p align="center"><a href="../ag/im/Cronin11.jpg"> <img border="3" src="../ag/tn/Cronin11.jpg" width="300" height="196" hspace="20"></a><a href="../ag/im/Cronin12.jpg"><img border="3" src="../ag/tn/Cronin12.jpg" width="300" height="195" hspace="20"></a></p> <p> <u><b><font size="4" color="#800000">Advantages of these leaf screens are:</font></b></u></p> <p><font color="#660066">(a) </font>These leaf screens are made with a thicker heavy duty expanded metal and will not cave into the gutter like other flimsy aluminum or plastic screens do.</p> <p><font color="#660066">(b) </font>These leaf screens are much less likely to blow off in high wind situations, like is common with other screens.</p> <p><font color="#660066">(c) </font>These screens are designed to rest over the roofing shingles, which minimize the cost of installation, allow for much easier access inside the gutter when needed, and best of all rest up at an angle so the leaf and other debris will better shed off the roof and not pile up over the screens.  The debris is then able to dry out and bows off in the wind, instead of piling up over the gutter to decompose and turn to mud, not letting rain water pass through the gutter screening, like the problem with most other leaf screens. </p> <p><font color="#660066">(d) </font>The 3 clips that attach each 4' section to the outer lip of the gutter also act as a hinge, and allow easy access to clear out debris from the gutter if needed.</p> <p><font color="#660066">(e) </font>These leaf screens allow for easy visual inspection and even cleaning without opening the leaf screens.  You can simply place a metal or plastic cover over the screen of the Leaf-catchers in each downspouts and spray water from a garden hose right through the screens, flushing the debris down your downspouts, where it simply dumps on the ground.  It can then easily be scooped up from there and disposed.  With this method of cleaning the smallest debris and even roof sand can be cleaned out of your gutters without getting trapped down in your underground sewer pipes.</p> <p><font color="#660066">(f) </font>There is over ten times as much access area to these leaf screens than any of the solid hood type covers sold, and still over twice entry area than the best plastic screens, so they are less likely to ever get so clogged as to not allow rain water to successfully find it's way into the gutters. <font color="#800000">(simply speaking, <span style="font-family: Times New Roman; mso-fareast-font-family: Times New Roman; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA">LeafGuard® and all the other types of hooded gutter product companies may guaranty that their gutter will not clog, but they will not guaranty their gutters will continue to accept water. There in lies their clever deceptive loop hole)</span></font>.</p> <p><strong><a href="lp.htm"> <img border="3" src="../tn/LeafGuard.jpg" hspace="10" align="right" width="300" height="219"></a></strong><font color="#660066">(g) </font> With our installing only these type of hinged leaf screens is how we show we can afford to maintain our '<a href="warranty.htm">No-clog Warranty</a>', since it is a lot easier to clear out the debris from the gutters.  All we have to do is flip open the screen and scoop out the debris <font color="#800000">(not having to replace the whole gutter to solve the problem, like with the <span style="font-family: Times New Roman; mso-fareast-font-family: Times New Roman; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA">LeafGuard®</span> system, as shown to the right)</font>.  These screens will still keep out a good 90% of leafy debris, especially branches and pine cones that will jam up your gutters quickly.  We do not try to claim they will keep out all debris, hence the importance of the hinges on the screens in the case of a problem.  This is most important in the event that later on the company responsible for their warranty is unable to fulfill their obligations for some reason, and you are not stuck with a product that is not working and impossible for you to resolve the issue.</p> <p><font color="#660066">(h) </font>These leaf screens cost a lot less than any of the <font color="#800000"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; mso-fareast-font-family: Times New Roman; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA">LeafGuard®</span></font> gutters type hood systems you can get.  The cost is only <font color="#003300"><b>$2</b></font> per foot installed, and even the copper hinged screens are less than half the cost of their aluminum products.  Which would you rather have?  There are dozens of different alternative add-on hoods like the <font color="#800000"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; mso-fareast-font-family: Times New Roman; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA">LeafGuard®</span></font><font color="#FFFFFF"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; mso-fareast-font-family: Times New Roman; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA"> </span></font>system that also cost a small fortune, and we link to several of their web sites on our Site Map web page, which is linked at the bottom of each web page we author here.  But even if they worked <font color="#800000">(which they don't)</font>, as far as we have seen, all of those sort of add-on leaf protection hoods have a wholesale cost that is more expensive than our retail cost of the gutters, let alone the screen cost we offer, and they are much more difficult to install.  Why would you pay over twice the price for those sort of hood than the cost of a whole new gutter system even if they did work as they claim?</p> <p><a href="../cg/im/screens3.jpg" target="_self"> <img border="3" src="../tn/screens3.jpg" align="right" width="300" height="278"></a><font color="#660066">(i) </font> Our leaf screens are coated with a black powder bake finish that makes them very inconspicuous. We had a lot of difficulty figuring out a way to photograph them to show what they are like, since they blend in so well.  We used to install a thinner gage 3' wide galvanized hinged screens with only 2 clip/hinges per screen.  They were not as thick and sturdy. The worst part was how they were light gray and remained much more visible.  They also had a lot more arch to them to assist in their strength <font color="#800000">(as shown in the copper screen above. We have not found a supply yet for thicker 4' wide copper screens)</font>. </p> <p><b><font color="#800080"><u>Do gutter hoods really work?<br> </u></font><font color="#800000">Example:</font></b> We had a client named Mr. Bronson, who ordered some covers to install over his existing gutters he got from the <a href="http://www.brookstone.com" target="_self">Brookstone</a> catalog that use the same principle as the <font color="#800000"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; mso-fareast-font-family: Times New Roman; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA">LeafGuard®</span></font> system.  He had a steep roof on a two story house, so he had us install them.  Within one year he called us back to hire us again to remove those gutter covers and install the hinged leaf screens that we recommend.  He reported that with the other metal covers; pine needles would get stuck in the small opening, where the water is to seep in.  This blockage would encourage the water to pour off the end and caused a water fall over places like his doorway<font color="#800000"> (no joke)</font>.  Debris will quickly get stuck in the crevice for the water to seep into the gutter.  Well before it turns to mud as it decomposes, it will cause a waterfall over the edge of the gutter.  As we said above, they may guaranty that the gutters will not clog, but that does not even suggest that the gutters to continue to accept the rain water.  It also does not allow for inspection of the debris build-up in the gutter, let alone anyway for simple access to clean it out.  We have since refused to install these sort of hoods at any price, since it clearly goes against our ethics.</p> <p><b><font color="#800080"><u>What about pine needles?<br> </u></font></b>We will not kid you about the issue of pine needles. These screens may do well to stop about a 60% to 70% of small pine needles from going into the gutters.  That is why it is so important to have easy access to the gutters, and where the large industrial size outlet comes in to play, along with the Leaf-catcher strainer down near the ground in the downspouts.  Between this 3 part protection, we have had very little call-back issue since installing these No-clog options on several hundred houses 1996.  There is no better product out there for these issues we have found at any price, no matter what the claim <font color="#800000">(see our <a href="lp.htm">comparison web page</a> for more details)</font>.  You will still have the roof sand settle in your gutters, and moss that will grow inside, so it is good to be able to be able to see and get in there to clear it out from time to time, but is not required with our <a href="warranty.htm">No-clog installation warranty</a>.  We have put these itemized options on each bid, with no pressure to take all or nothing, but not more than 20% of our clients in the last 5 or 6 years have us install gutters without these options, so we have had a sizable number of installations to gather this research from.</td> </tr> </table> </center> </div> <p align="center"> <img border="3" src="../tn/DSworkstation.jpg" width="500" height="388"></p> <div align="center"><center> <table border="3" cellspacing="4" cellpadding="10" width="95%" background="../tn/blue.gif" bgcolor="#A5DFFE"> <tr> <td bgcolor="#420000"> <p align="center"><b><font size="4" color="#00FFFF">Our Larger No-clog <a name="Outlets">Outlets</a></font></b></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p align="left"><a target="_self" href="../ag/im/Coryeal3.jpg"> <img src="../ag/tn/Coryeal3.jpg" border="3" align="right" hspace="10" vspace="10" width="200" height="510"></a>Our standard corrugated downspouts are 2"x 3".  Most other gutter contractors install the smooth square steel downspouts that are even smaller and they do not get the curved elbows to help reduce the risk of obstructions forming.  These 3"x 4" downspouts (shown right) were designed for industrial applications for huge roof area surface buildings.  They will handle twice the volume as a standard 2"x 3" downspouts.<p align="left"> This 3"x 4" downspout feature is what <font color="#800000"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; mso-fareast-font-family: Times New Roman; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA">LeafGuard®</span></font><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; mso-fareast-font-family: Times New Roman; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA"> </span>hinges there no-clog warranty on.  Keep in mind how it only helps to use these 3"x 4" downspouts for the sole reason of cutting a larger hole in the outlet of the gutter for draining the rain gutter with the debris that still collects in any gutter system.<p align="left">The local <font color="#800000"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; mso-fareast-font-family: Times New Roman; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA">LeafGuard®</span></font> franchise buy their downspouts from the same suppliers we do, so we decided to offer the same sort of No-clog Warranty with our gutters and hinged leaf screens.  With these more user friendly deluxe hinged leaf screens we install, they are much less expensive, easier to install, user friendly, and we can better afford to manage our warranty this way without having to charge you an arm-&-a-leg to defer the cost of that sort of replacement cost we would have to suffer!  That alone is very telling of their product.  It is not like their product is any more expensive to produce.  Some of their outrageous cost is for the expensive advertising, but the other half demonstrates the cost of the failure rate of their product.  Even with all the clever loop holes they have written into their guarantee.<p align="left">These larger commercial size downspout allows us to cut twice the size hole in the bottom of the gutter, making it much more likely that the debris will tip into the downspout and flush through.  Instead of the debris covering the outlet and creating a natural strainer in the gutter, which will decompose and turn to mud, so as to not allow rain water pass, causing the gutters to over-flow.  It only makes sense that you need the gutters to continue to drain, or there is little reason to have gutter to be on your house at all.<p align="left">Placing a strainer up inside the gutter may help to keep your underground sewer pipes clear of this sort of debris, but they are death to gutters.  That is the exact opposite of installing the 3"x 4" downspouts.  Using the <a target="_self" href="#catchers">leaf-catchers</a> instead<font color="#800080"> (shown below)</font> is a lot smarter, so you do not need to go up on the roof to clear out that smelly debris.<p align="left">Right after we starting to offer this advantage, we would noticed our customers dissatisfaction of the look of those huge industrial size downspout coming down their siding.  Even if they did not say anything about it, we could see the look on their face.<p align="left"><font color="#800000"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; mso-fareast-font-family: Times New Roman; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA">LeafGuard®</span></font> insists on using these double size downspouts all the way down the side of your house to the ground only so they can still charge over 3 times as much money for their downspouts, like they do for the cost of the gutter replacement.    They insist on those larger downspouts because even though their gutter is design with only a 1/4" opening for the rain water to get in, a good amount of small debris will still wick in with the rain water, so when their gutters do get clogged, they often have to replace the whole gutter, since there is no way to open them to clear them out.  That is unless it happens to be just a simple straight run, where they are able to remove the end-caps to blast it out with a hose <font color="#800080">(see our </font> <font color="#800000"> <a href="lp.htm">comparison web page</a><font color="#800080"> for more details)</font></font><font color="#800000" size="4">.</font><p align="left"> Since we are not as greedy like the <font color="#800000"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; mso-fareast-font-family: Times New Roman; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA">LeafGuard®</span></font> franchises, we figured out that we could use the same reducer <font color="#800080">(that funnels the downspout to fit in the underground sewer pipes)</font> up higher on the wall.  The large 3"x 4" downspout is not needed for the dead drop.  It is only needed to make the larger drain hole in the bottom of the gutter.  Our customers have clearly been happier with most of the downspouts being the standard size, not to mention how it also reduces the cost dramatically.  We also are able to use a smaller Leaf-catcher on each downspout as well.<p align="left">In the last 8 years of doing most of our gutter jobs this way, we have had very little call back for clogged gutters.  We have had no call back for a clogged downspout.  The <b> <font face="Copperplate Gothic Bold"><i>DMR Gutters</i></font></b> system seems to be working quite well. You can contact us for contact info of our past clients.  We did not feel it was a good idea to publish their contact info on the web here for just anyone to get.<p align="left">This option adds only <font color="#003300"><b>$40</b></font> per outlet to the cost of a new aluminum gutter installation.  Or <font color="#003300"> <b>$60</b></font> to alter your existing gutters to these larger outlets.  We are not able to offer the same sort of No-clog Warranty with alterations of your old gutters, mainly since your old gutters would most likely not have been installed properly with a grade towards the outlets.  Proper installation is something we have rarely seen when removing old gutters.  Believe it or not, most gutter contractors do not have their installers use a level to check the installation of their gutters.</td> </tr> <tr> <td width="100%" bgcolor="#420000"> <p align="center"><b><font size="4" color="#00FFFF"><a name="Other">Other</a> Types of the Larger Outlet Installations</font></b></td> </tr> <tr> <td> <img src="../im/od1.jpg" align="right" border="5" WIDTH="300" HEIGHT="490"><strong style="font-weight: 400">Below is a copper downspout from a side angle.   To the right is a custom reducer mounted under the gutter with no elbows, as the downspout just runs down the wall.  That application allows for an even larger outlet than the elbow below does, but there are not many applications for this use.</strong><p> <a href="../cg/im/Dawson06.jpg"> <img src="../tn/Dawson6.jpg" border="5" width="250" height="288"></a><p>This option in copper adds only <font color="#003300"><b>$50</b></font> per outlet to the cost of a new copper gutter installation.  Or <font color="#003300"><b>$75</b></font> to alter your existing copper gutters to these larger outlets, but as stated above, we are not able to offer the same sort of No-clog Warranty, since your old gutters would most likely not have been installed properly with a grade towards the outlets.</td> </tr> </table> </center></div> <p> </p> <p> </p> <div align="center"> <center> <table border="3" cellspacing="4" cellpadding="10" width="95%" background="../tn/blue.gif" bgcolor="#A5DFFE"> <tr> <td align="center" bgcolor="#420000"><b><font size="4" color="#00FFFF">The Leaf-<a name="catchers">catchers</a> We Make Sell and Install</font></b></td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center"> <p align="left"><u><b><font size="4" color="#800000">How do we trust they work as you say?</font></b></u><font size="4"><b><a href="../ag/im/Champion17.jpg" target="_self"><img src="../ag/tn/Champion17b.jpg" border="3" align="right" width="232" height="737"></a></b></font><u><b><font size="4" color="#800000"><br> </font></b></u>That is a very good question. Of course we would say they are the greatest thing since sliced cheese. One thing that is different is that we are active installers. We do not have any employees to do the grunt work. We are out there in the field in one of the worst areas in the country for so much rain and natural fallout of debris that gutters are not and option here. they are required by building code.   See our <a href="http://copper-by-design.com/fs/ship.htm">Shipping web page</a> if you do not live local to us and need to purchase some from us.  You will also find the installation instructions there.</p> <p align="left">We were inspired to make these for the gutter clients we had. In the last decade we have installed these on most of the gutter jobs we have done. It had been a process of trial and error to refine it to this point. they are our most popular item, and has more to do with the success of our gutter job sales than anything else.</p> <p align="left">W<font color="#000080">e have found these Leaf-catchers that we make to be the best concept out there. How could we prove to you that we are not simply biased towards our product?  Well for starts:</font></p> <p align="left">1. W<font color="#000080">e do not have any custom machinery that we had tooled to mass produce these.<br> 2. We have to draw them out one at a time from a template we made and redesigned several times. We hand cut out each Leaf-catcher one at a time.<br> 3. We could alter the template as easily as drawing a new diagram.<br> 4. We have altered the template several times already, after testing each version out for several years, and listening to clients feedback.<br> 5. We have been working with these since 1994, so it has been over a decade now of development and testing.<b><br> <br> </b></font><u><b><font color="#800000" size="4">How did you design these:<br> </font></b></u><font color="#000080">It is tricky to work out a good balance with complexity (cost), function, and good looks into the design. It does seem to catch even the small debris pretty well.  At $40 installed, they are quite the bargain compared to the $75 an hour a plumber will charge to clear out your rain sewer drain pipes.</font></p> <p align="left"><font color="#000080">We have a lot of pine trees with small needles in the Northwest here that will for the most part get through the screens that we install over the gutters.  We would estimate a good 60 to 70% of the smaller debris still get trapped in the Leaf-catcher unit's screened basket.  We do not see how we could design one with a higher percentage, since if the screen has a smaller weave, it will plug up quickly and not let water pass through.  It is angled to allow for the debris to fall out if it is neglected for too long. </font></p> <p align="left"><u><b><font color="#800000" size="4">How do we operate them?<br> </font></b></u><font color="#000080">With these downspout strainers we make, there is no hinge or removable screen to lift up and dump out the debris.  There is no moving parts.  We could make the screen basket removable with this current design, but we go to an extra effort to crimp the baskets into the housing, making them not removable on purpose.  If they were removable, the basket would inevitably get damaged and it would also scratch up the inside of the housing putting them back in place.</font></p> <p align="left"><font color="#000080">It has proven to be a simple task to reach in there with your fingers and extract the debris and simply toss it on the ground a few times a year.  Or you can carry a small bucket with you to dispose of it as you wish.  Then just wash your hands afterwards, or start off wearing protective gloves.  That debris does not seem to get too nasty with smelly bacteria, as it often does when sitting for many months up in the gutter, since the moisture is not trapped with the debris to continue to decompose it.  It dries out and has not been nearly as unpleasant and extracting the decomposed debris out of the gutters.<br> <br> </font><b><u><font color="#800000" size="4">How is the debris able to get down to these strainers you make?<br> </font></u></b>That is a good question we hear often enough. Here is our understanding:</p> <p align="left"><b><a href="../ag/im/Desanto17.jpg" target="_self"> <img src="../ag/tn/Desanto17b.jpg" border="3" align="left" width="187" height="574" hspace="5"></a><font color="#800080">(a) </font></b> <font color="#000080">How the gutters were installed will make a large difference as to how well this system will function. From our experience, most installers do not even level the new gutters, let alone angle them to have a slight grade towards the outlets, as we do on each job.<br> </font><b><font color="#800080">(b) </font></b> <font color="#000080">Also, what kind of downspouts you have will make a large difference. In this area it seems that most gutter contractors are too cheap to buy the curved elbows for the straight downspout parts.  They have their installers cut the straight downspout pipe and fold it to make these angles.  This is a terrible way to do it, causing frequent blockages and also makes for a noisy downspout.  we even see it done that way on the most expensive Street of Dreams show homes with copper gutters.  It is not even ignorance. All these contractors know they are cheating the client and it simply will fail.  The problem is that it is not required to offer more than a 1 year warranty on all construction, so they are able to get away with it.<br> </font><b><font color="#800080">(c) </font></b> <font color="#000080">As stated above, the screens also help a lot to keep out the large debris, like the pine cones and branches, that will damn up and clog up a gutter quickly.<br> </font><b><font color="#800080">(d) </font></b> <font color="#000080">The larger outlets also make a marked advantage to the function of the gutters. It is the exact opposite of placing a strainer up inside the gutters.  We have seem many a case where the standard size outlets will jam up and cause a natural strainer in the gutter without a strainer, where the debris will decompose and turn to mud and not let even water pass.<b><br> <br> </b>It is a tricky thing to work all these angles to the best advantage. We are not trying to say we have a perfect solution, or that we will not be making more improvements in the future. We hope that we are fortunate enough to come across information and ideas to improve it  that much further. We are always open to good ideas.</font></p> <p align="left">We have not seen a better device to handle this issue in an efficient manner. These are the leaf-catcher we make to be installed in the downspout.  We install them about hip height, so you do not have to bend over to clean it out.  These Leaf-catchers cost <b> <font color="#003300">$40</font></b> each to be installed with your new aluminum downspouts, or <b> <font color="#003300">$60</font></b> to be installed in your existing downspouts.</p> <p align="left">If you are not local to us, you can still order these through this web site from our <a href="http://copper-by-design.com/fs/ship.htm">Shipping web page</a>.  You will also find detailed instructions how best to install these Leaf-catchers on your place, or have a local contractor do it for you.</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center"> <p align="center"><b><font color="#800000" size="4">Here is some solid copper Leaf-catcher parts we make, sell, or install</font></b></p> <p align="left">These option in copper adds a cost of <font color="#003300"><b>$50</b></font> each to be installed with your new copper downspouts.  Or <b><font color="#003300">$75</font></b> to be installed in your existing copper downspouts. See our <a href="http://copper-by-design.com/fs/ship.htm">Shipping web page</a> if you do not live local to us and need to purchase some from us.  You will also find the installation instructions there.</p> <p align="center"><a href="../cg/im/CopperLC1.jpg"> <img border="3" src="../tn/CopperLC1.jpg" hspace="20" vspace="20" width="300" height="724"></a><a href="../cg/im/CopperLC2.jpg"><img border="3" src="../tn/CopperLC2.jpg" hspace="20" vspace="20" width="300" height="724"></a></p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center"><p align="left"> <u><b><font color="#800000" size="4">A little history of these Leaf-catcher units:<br> </font></b></u>The few installers who will even offer something like this will commonly place these strainers close on the ground, right in the underground drainage pipe.  They also use a cheaper version Leaf-catcher that has an aluminum, or plastic screen in the opening.  From what we have seen, they have been broken through within the first year or two.  The pounding of the water and debris is too much for those fragile screens.<p align="left">We noticed this problem before we began to install them, so we had the manufacturer put in galvanized steel screens.  But over the next couple years we noticed how that same pounding of water and debris was wearing off the galvanizing far too soon.  We wound up having the manufacturer send away back East for copper screens and also had them make our Leaf-catchers in thicker aluminum for the housing.  As far as we know, we were the only contractors who were willing to pay the extra $3 each for these better Leaf-catchers.<p align="left">Even though we were ordering 50 white leaf-catchers at a time, we were having to wait over 3 months for them to fill our order.   We got fed-up with that ridiculous wait time to fill our orders for new units, so we made our own patterns and make these leaf-catchers ourselves now.  We also made several improvements to that design for less splattering, and using 15" wide aluminum sheet metal, instead of the 12" wide metal they use, so the angle under the screen is not so dramatic.<p align="left">We feel we have the best design out there for this purpose.  Stay away from the plastic strainers, because the sun will ruin them in short order.  We also attach them to the wall with the better pipe cleats and stainless steel Philips screws, instead of the straps and nail like you most likely have on your house now.  This makes it easily removable and reposition for cleaning or painting behind the downspouts.</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center"> <p align="left">There are not a lot of similar options out there, but above is one solution made by the makers of plastic gutter parts.  It was a good attempt, but as you see it still clogged and when it does work, it dumps gutter water and gunk on the head of people using the walk way under this contraption</p> <p><a target="_self" href="../im/LC9.jpg"> <img border="3" src="../tn/LC9.jpg" width="300" height="392" hspace="20"></a><a target="_self" href="../im/LC8.jpg"><img border="3" src="../tn/LC8.jpg" width="300" height="454" hspace="20"></a> .</p> <p align="left"> I just stopped in <font color="#800080">(7-19-04)</font> to ask this little old lady if I could take some photos and may have sold her a gutter replacement, as she reports how she hates them and knows she needs new gutters.  Sadly, we were booked too far out and she went with a contractor that was ready to do the replacement the very next day.</td> </tr> </table> </center> </div> <p> </p> <p>.</p> <div align="center"> <table border="3" cellspacing="4" cellpadding="10" width="95%" background="../tn/blue.gif" bgcolor="#A5DFFE"> <tr> <td align="center" bgcolor="#370000"><b><font size="4" color="#00FFFF"> Our Custom <a name="Downspout">Downspout</a> Work</font></b></td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center"><p align="left"> <a target="_self" href="../ds.htm"> <img src="../im/bg1.jpg" border="5" align="right" hspace="10" vspace="10" width="400" height="291"></a><strong style="font-weight: 400">Here is another example of the over-sized outlet option.  The above picture is an example of what is called an 'B' elbow.  This is also a 'B' elbow.  The double 'A' offset elbows shown here are used to go around that steel pipe vent going up the wall.  We decided to take the water from the main gutter section, instead of punching a hole in the gutter near the end cap, so that the water and debris did not have to go around these two corners. It would have made the downspout a lot shorter, but the drainage would be much less effective.</strong><p align="left"> <strong style="font-weight: 400">We stock 5 times as many elbow configurations than most of the other Contractors for a better fit to your house.</strong><p align="center"> </td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center"> <a href="../cg/im/Howard1.jpg"> <img border="3" src="../tn/Howard1.jpg" hspace="20"></a><a href="../cg/im/Howard2.jpg"><img border="3" src="../tn/Howard2.jpg" hspace="20"></a><a href="../cg/im/Howard3.jpg"><img border="3" src="../tn/Howard3.jpg" hspace="20"></a></td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center"> <a href="../ag/im/Smith01.jpg"> <img border="3" src="../ag/tn/Smith01.jpg" width="300" height="224" hspace="20" vspace="50"></a><a href="../im/od1.jpg"><img border="3" src="../tn/od1.jpg" width="200" height="326" hspace="20"></a></td> </tr> </table> </div> <p>.</p> <p>.</p> <div align="center"><center> <table border="3" cellspacing="4" cellpadding="10" width="95%" background="../tn/blue.gif" bgcolor="#A5DFFE"> <tr> <td align="center" bgcolor="#370000"><b><font size="4" color="#00FFFF">More of Our Extraordinary <a name="Custom">Custom</a> Work</font></b></td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center"><p align="left"> <a href="../im/NoClog.JPG"> <img src="../tn/NoClog.jpg" alt="Custom No Clog Outlet" border="4" align="left" hspace="10"></a><strong style="font-weight: 400">This is the ultimate in a no-clog outlet, but it is not an option we normally include in our bids, unless specifically asked for.   </strong>This was the finished product from the wishes of a customer in West Linn Oregon.  <strong style="font-weight: 400">The customer had a 55 foot gutter, with a lot of pine trees above the roof.  He was fed up with the constant grief he would get from the constant debris filling the gutters.  He requested to have the gutter split in half and dump into a basin of some sort.  Knowing that what he described would look terrible, and we would have nothing  to attach the basin to, we came up with this one piece unit that is also part of the gutter it's self.  We covered the top of the basin under the eaves with a screening to keep the critters out, but we left it openable, in the case it ever needed cleaning.</strong><p align="left"> <strong style="font-weight: 400">It then goes into a 3"x 4" downspout pipe, which is twice the size of a normal downspout.  It cost an extra </strong><b><font color="#003300">$450</font></b><strong style="font-weight: 400"> instead of only </strong><font color="#003300"><strong>$40</strong></font><strong style="font-weight: 400"> like the over size outlets we normally install, so it may not be for every one, and does look a bit extreme.</strong></td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center"> <p align="left">This is a custom aluminum catcher basin to catch the rain water from a different kind of narrow valley.  It was made from a straight 3' gutter.  Again, with each end mitered, instead of just slapping on a pair of end-caps.  It has a 3.5" x 4.5" funnel mounted in the bottom as the outlet, reducing into a standard size downspout going straight down the corner of the house.</p> <p><a href="../ag/im/scupper29.JPG"> <img src="../ag/tn/scupper29.jpg" border="5" width="299" height="249" hspace="30"></a><a href="../ag/im/scupper30.JPG"><img src="../ag/tn/scupper30.jpg" border="5" width="299" height="250" hspace="30"></a></p> <p align="left"> The cost for this was calculated from the basic cost of the gutter needed to make this: <font color="#003300"><b>$11</b></font>, + the cost of mitering 3 corners: $90, + installing this funnel in the bottom: <b><font color="#003300">$40</font></b> = <font color="#003300"><b>$141</b></font> total</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center"> <a href="../ag/im/customDSq.jpg"> <img border="3" src="../ag/tn/customDSq.jpg" align="center" width="500" height="205"></a><p align="left"> <a href="../ag/im/customDSh.jpg"> <img border="3" src="../ag/tn/customDSh.jpg" hspace="10" align="right" width="300" height="217"></a>This was the finished custom product for the downspout feature for a gutter over the back deck on a house in South West Portland Oregon.  As you can see from the glass sliding doorways how the gutter on the back deck was so low, it was just higher than a tall persons head.  We came up with this one piece unit to keep the down spout up as high as possible, since the headroom clearance was at a minimum.  We had to design it open at the top, since there is so little slope to it.  It then goes into a custom 3.5"x 4.5" downspout reducer that funnels into a standard 2" x 3" downspout.  the picture below shows just one side of the gutter over lapping into the custom tray.<p align="left">We charged about $150 extra for this custom scuppers, instead of normal downspouts.</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center"> <a href="../ag/im/customDSm.jpg"> <img border="3" src="../ag/tn/customDSm.jpg" hspace="30" width="260" height="250"></a><a href="../ag/im/customDSr.jpg"><img border="3" src="../ag/tn/customDSr.jpg" hspace="10" vspace="10" width="250" height="239"></a><p> <a href="../ag/im/customDSl.jpg"> <img border="3" src="../ag/tn/customDSl.jpg" hspace="20" vspace="10" width="360" height="238"></a></td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center"> <p align="left"><a href="../ag/im/scupper26.JPG"> <img src="../ag/tn/scupper26.jpg" border="5" align="left" hspace="10" width="166" height="414"></a>This is a custom aluminum catcher basin to catch the rain water from a narrow valley.  It was made from a short straight gutter, with each end mitered, instead of just slapping on a pair of end-caps.  We flattened the back side to make the bottom a bit wider and made a new higher back side.  It has a 3.5" x 4.5" funnel mounted in the bottom as the outlet, reducing into a standard size downspout.  There is a double 'A' offset elbow right under it to divert the rain water back to the downspout on the siding.</p> <p align="left">We didn't need to go to this trouble to miter the ends, but it just makes it look a little nicer, without going to too much trouble like the <a href="http://copper-by-design.com/fs/scuppers.htm">scuppers</a> we custom make.</p> <p align="left"> <a href="../ag/im/scupper25.JPG"> <img src="../ag/tn/scupper25.jpg" border="5" width="300" height="308" align="right" hspace="10"></a><a href="../ag/im/scupper24.JPG"><img src="../ag/tn/scupper24.jpg" border="3" width="299" height="232" hspace="20" vspace="10"></a></p> <p align="left"> </td> </tr> </table> </center></div> <p align="center"> </p> <p align="center"> <a href="cont.htm"> <img border="3" src="../tn/email2.jpg" width="500" height="135"></a></p> <p align="center">  </p> <div align="center"> <table border="5" width="600" cellpadding="5"> <tr> <td width="100%" bgcolor="#003300"> <strong><u><font size="4" color="#FFFF00"><font face="Comic Sans MS"> Other Helpful <a name="Roofing">Roofing</a> Information</font><br> </font></u></strong><font color="#00CCFF">For some valuable advice with regards to roofing and rain management issues check out our:</font><p> <font color="#00CCFF"><font color="#CC99FF">(a) </font> <a target="_top" href="qs.htm">Gutter Installation</a><br> <font color="#CC99FF">(b) </font> <a target="_top" href="lp.htm">Gutter Debris Protection Options</a><br> <font color="#CC99FF">(c) </font> <a target="_top" href="roofs.htm">Roofing Quality Standards</a><br> <font color="#CC99FF">(d) </font> <a target="_top" href="http://copper-by-design.com/fs/cf.htm">Chimney Flashing</a></font><br> <font color="#00CCFF"> <font color="#CC99FF">(e) </font> <a href="../rf/moss.htm">Moss Control & Treatment</a></font></p> <p><font color="#00CCFF">web pages for answers and solutions that could save you thousands of $ and a great deal of anguish.</font></p> <p><font color="#00CCFF">If you do find this information very helpful, feel free to send us a $ tip for the assistance we so freely have published on the web here for your benefit, like you might tip a waitress.  Heck, send us a gift certificate for a candle lit dinner for two. <LOL></font></td> </tr> </table> </div> <p align="center">  </p> <table border="1" width="150" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="10" bgcolor="#800000"> <tr> <td width="100%" align="center"><a href="http://dmr-gutters.com/fs/" target="_top"> <img src="../im/homepurp.gif" alt="Back to homepage" border="0" hspace="8" align="middle" width="67" height="77"></a><a href="http://dmr-gutters.com/fs/"><br> </a><font size="4" color="#FFFF00"><b><a href="http://dmr-gutters.com/fs/" target="_top" style="color: #00FFFF">Homepage</a></b></font> <p align="center"><font size="4" color="#FFFF00"><b> <a href="../links.htm" target="_self" style="color: #00FFFF">Site Map</a></b></font></p> </td> </tr> </table> <p align="center"> </p> <table border="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%" bgcolor="#000000" cellpadding="0"> <tr> <td align="right" valign="top"><font size="2"><a href="http://dmr-gutters.com/fs/" target="_top"> <img src="button.gif" align="right" border="2" width="16" height="16"></a></font></td> <td align="left" valign="top"><a href="http://dmr-gutters.com/fs/"><font size="2">Company<br> Profile</font></a></td> <td align="right" valign="top"><font size="2"> <a target="_top" href="gutters.htm"> <img src="button.gif" align="right" border="2" width="16" height="16"></a></font></td> <td align="left" valign="top"><a href="gutters.htm"><font size="2">Gutter<br> Replacement</font></a></td> <td align="right" valign="top"><font size="2"> <img src="blink.gif" alt="You are already here" align="right" border="2" width="16" height="16"></font></td> <td align="left" valign="top"><font size="2" color="#00FFFF">No-clog<br> Options</font></td> <td align="right" valign="top"><font size="2"> <a href="custom.htm" target="_top"> <img src="button.gif" align="right" border="2" width="16" height="16"></a></font></td> <td align="left" valign="top"><a href="custom.htm"><font size="2">Custom<br> Fabrication</font></a></td> <td align="right" valign="top"><font size="2"><a target="_top" href="http://copper-by-design.com/fs/cf.htm"> <img src="button.gif" align="right" border="2" width="16" height="16"></a></font></td> <td align="left" valign="top"><font size="2"> <a href="http://copper-by-design.com/fs/cf.htm">Chimney<br> Flashing</a></font></td> <td align="right" valign="top"> <p align="left"><font size="2"><a target="_top" href="roofs.htm"> <img src="button.gif" align="right" border="2" WIDTH="16" HEIGHT="15"></a></font></p> </td> <td align="left" valign="top"><a href="roofs.htm"><font size="2">Roofing &<br> Skylights</font></a></td> <td align="right" valign="top"><font size="2"> <a target="_top" href="../gm/gm1.htm"> <img src="button.gif" align="right" border="2" WIDTH="16" HEIGHT="15"></a></font></td> <td align="left" valign="top"><a href="../gm/gm1.htm"><font size="2">Business<br> Equipment</font></a></td> </tr> </table> <font FACE="CopperPlate" SIZE="5" COLOR="#000000"> <p align="center"><strong><a href="http://dmr-gutters.com/fs/"><font size="5"> dmr-gutters.com</font></a></strong></p> </font> <p align="center"> </p> <p align="center"><br> </p> <div align="center"> <center> <table border="10" cellpadding="15" width="330" bgcolor="#00CCFF" bordercolorlight="#0000FF" bordercolordark="#000080" cellspacing="3"> <tr> <td width="100%" background="../tn/back1.gif" height="77"> <p align="center"><strong><font size="4" color="#00FFFF">Below is a photo of our<br> Better Business Bureau's<br> NW Business Integrity Award<br> for the year 1998</font></strong></td> </tr> <tr> <td width="100%" bgcolor="#800000" height="340"> <p align="center"><a href="referrals.htm" target="_top"> <img src="../tn/bbb.jpg" alt="1999 Better Business Award" border="3" width="300" height="300"></a> <p align="center"><a href="referrals.htm" target="_top"> <img border="3" src="../tn/award1.jpg" width="300" height="75"></a></td> </tr> <tr> <td width="100%" background="../tn/raindro.gif" height="81"> <p align="center"><font color="#000080">We were also a 1997 finalist for this same award. See our <a href="referrals.htm" target="_top">referral</a> web page to see how we managed to be honored with this special award</font></p> </td> </tr> </table> </center> </div> <p align="left"><font size="4" color="#C0C0C0">.</font></p> <p align="left"><font size="4" color="#C0C0C0">.</font></p> <p align="left"><font size="4" color="#C0C0C0">.</font></p> <p align="left"><font size="4" color="#C0C0C0">.<br> </font></p> <p align="left"><font size="4" color="#C0C0C0">.</font></p> <p align="left"><font size="4" color="#C0C0C0">.</font></p> <p align="left"><font size="4" color="#C0C0C0">.</font></p> <p align="left"><font size="4" color="#C0C0C0">.</font></p> <p align="left"><font size="4" color="#C0C0C0">.</font></p> <p align="left"><font size="4" color="#C0C0C0">.</font></p> <p align="left"><font size="4" color="#C0C0C0">.</font></p> <p align="left"><font size="4" color="#C0C0C0">.</font></p> <p align="left"><font size="4" color="#C0C0C0">.</font></p> <p align="left"><font size="4" color="#C0C0C0">.</font></p> <p align="left"><font size="4" color="#C0C0C0">.</font></p> <p align="left"><font size="4" color="#C0C0C0">.</font></p> <p align="left"><font size="4" color="#C0C0C0">.</font></p> <p align="left"><font size="4" color="#C0C0C0">.</font></p> <p align="left"><font size="4" color="#C0C0C0">.</font></p> <p align="left"><font size="4" color="#C0C0C0">.</font></p> <p align="left"><font size="4" color="#C0C0C0">.</font></p> <p align="left"><font size="4" color="#C0C0C0">.</font></p> <p align="left"><font size="4" color="#C0C0C0">.</font></p> <p align="left"><font size="4" color="#C0C0C0">.</font></p> <p align="left"><font size="4" color="#C0C0C0">.</font></p> <p align="left"><font size="4" color="#C0C0C0">.</font></p> <p align="left"><font size="4" color="#C0C0C0">.</font></p> <p align="left"><font size="4" color="#C0C0C0">.</font></p> <p align="left"><font size="4" color="#C0C0C0">.</font></p> <p align="left"><font size="4" color="#C0C0C0">.</font></p> <p align="left"><font size="4" color="#C0C0C0">.</font></p> <p align="left"><font size="4" color="#C0C0C0">.</font></p> <p align="left"><font size="4" color="#C0C0C0">.</font></p> <p align="left"><font size="4" color="#C0C0C0">.</font></p> <p align="left"><font size="4" color="#C0C0C0">.</font></p> <p align="left"><font size="4" color="#C0C0C0">.</font></p> <p align="left"> </p> </body>