Gutter guards are installed in the rain gutters to make sure that dirt and leaves don’t clog it up. There is a lot of discussions if they work and are worth it or not. Some people argue that it helps a lot as dirt won’t build up as fast. Other people argue that you still have to clean them from time to time and can fly away when there is a lot of wind. Let’s take a look if they are worth it.
[ez-toc]
Types of gutter guards.
There are several types of gutter guards. From brush-styled guards that you just lay in the gutters to metal or plastic covers for the gutter. There are also sloped gutter guards that want to push the dirt away. All of these styles can work. Plastic gutter guards are cheaper but less durable. If you install them properly, they can last for a few seasons though.
The way that you install them is important. Brush-style gutter guards are easy to install as you just have to lay them down. Other systems need pins or attachment systems. This can be more work to install them. It can be dangerous if your gutter guards start to fly around during a storm so make sure that you attach them good enough. Adding a slope to the gutter guard often works best as flat gutter guards can just collect the dirt.
It has to be noted that gutter guards don’t catch all the dirt. When birds poop, it can go through them and create a mess in the gutter anyway. You might have to remove the gutter guard so that you can clean this. For this reason, gutter guards are less effective in areas that have a lot of birds. If you live in an area with a lot of wind or storms, the gutter guards can breaks so they might be less useful as well.
Cons of gutter guards
Gutter guards can affect the curb appeal of your house. Especially if they haven’t been cleaned for a while, it can be obvious that they are dirty. If they are full, they can leak water over the gutter as well, removing its use.
Gutter guards can make it harder to see that water is piling up in the gutter. This can lead to water stains and even mold. For this reason, you still have to inspect them from time to time. This makes them less useful as you have to climb on a ladder anyway.
Some systems require that you use a screw in your gutter. This can reduce its durability of it. You have to determine for yourself if this is something that you want to do or not. This also depends on the material of your gutter. Metal gutters might corrode if you install screws in them so be careful when you combine different metals.
Pros of Menards gutter guards
Gutter guards can reduce the chance of a clog in your gutter. It might be necessary to use water pressure or an auger to get this removed. Often this is quite easy to do but in some instances, it can be harder or even damage your gutters. If a tree is standing nearby, gutter guards can catch a lot of leaves and make sure that you don’t get problems during the fall.
Trees can do a lot of damage to a house as their roots can get in drains. This leads to a lot of expensive repairs as roots are strong and can penetrate the drains and break them over time. Plumbers are often called for this as it can clog up the whole sewage system of a house.
Gutter guards are quite cheap so you don’t lose a lot by installing them. Given that they can last several years, you might save some money or time by installing them.
Gutter guard alternatives.
There are robots that automatically clean your gutters. You just have to lay them in your gutter and let them do their work. At the moment they are still quite expensive and can get stuck but it can be a cool alternative to gutter guards if you don’t want to clean them yourself or hire a company to do this.
You can also get tools that make it easier to clean the gutter from the ground. In this way you don’t have to get on the roof or on a ladder to do this. There are manual systems or tools that use water pressure to clean the gutters. These are quite easy to use and cheap.
To conclude, we can state that gutter guards do work if they are properly installed. You will still have to clean them from time to time but they can keep some dirt and leaves out of your gutters. The wind is able to pick these up as they are laying higher. A gutter drain can lead to a lot of water damage so it can be worth it to have gutter guards. You have to make sure that they are properly installed as they can fall down and this can lead to dangerous situations.
A lot of people expect too much from them. They can help but still need to be cleaned from time to time. If they are not properly installed they can lead to a lot of problems as they can damage your house. If you have realistic expectations and have a lot of leaves and debris falling in your gutters, they might be worth it. If don’t mind cleaning your gutters or calling someone to do it for you, gutter guards might be less useful. I have seen a lot of terrible installations and this reduces their efficiency.
