Pros and Cons of Gutter Guards

Living in an area of the country with distinct seasons can be both a blessing and a curse. It’s nice to experience the cool weather of fall and the rebirth of spring. But changing seasons can also bring their share of headaches.

During autumn, when leaves fall on your roof, they have a pesky habit of getting stuck in the gutters. It’s one of the more annoying facets of owning a home. One solution to this problem is a gutter guard. If you’re familiar with gutter guards, you may be wondering, “Are gutter guards right for me?”

Is there a downside to leaf guards? Read on to learn more and discover whether gutter guards might be a good fit for your home.

What is a gutter guard?

A gutter guard, also known as a gutter screen, is a filtration system that can be installed atop your home’s gutters. The idea is that these gutter guards can keep larger debris like leaves and sticks out of your gutters, while allowing rainwater to flow into your gutters and drain out. With this system, you ideally won’t have to clean the leaves out of your gutters as frequently as you otherwise might.

What are the pros of gutter guards?

There are several pros of installing gutter guards. These include, but are not limited to:

• Easy installation: Gutter guards can be conveniently installed on your home’s existing gutters. There are even some do-it-yourself gutter guards available that are simple to put in and don’t require professional assistance.
• Limit the need to clean gutters: This is the main reason most people use gutter guards. For the most part, they keep your gutters free of debris, which means you won’t have to clean them as often.
• Mitigates pests: Birds and rodents may attempt to build nests in your gutters. Insects may see them as a breeding ground as well. Pests’ presence will be diminished if you have gutter guards.
• Prevents water pooling: Standing water in your gutters or on your roof is terrible for your home’s structural integrity. Gutter guards prevent clogs, which reduces the odds of water collecting where it shouldn’t.

What are the cons of gutter guards?

There’s no consensus on gutter guards, as some have highlighted their not-insignificant drawbacks, which include:

• Required cleaning: With gutter guards, you may not have to clean your gutters as often, but you’ll still have to clean them occasionally, because sometimes small debris can enter your gutters through the gutter guard’s holes.
• Added weight: Your gutters are designed to be lightweight, and some gutter guards may add a considerable amount of weight to them. This can lead to problems down the line, such as sagging.
• Susceptible to denting: If you put a ladder up against your gutters to clean the windows or put up Christmas lights, it could dent the gutter guard. This could in turn reduce its effectiveness at keeping debris out of your gutters.
• Invisible clogs: If enough small debris accumulates in your gutters underneath your gutter guard, you likely won’t be able to see it. This makes it that much harder to fix, and could lead to major issues if left unchecked.

Call today to discuss gutter guards

Understanding that there can be downsides to leaf guards should help you decide whether gutter guards are right for you. For more information on gutter guards, call Gutter Master. We’ve been the industry leaders in gutter contracting for over 30 years, and we’re dedicated to making sure your gutters work for you.

Categorised in: Gutter Guard Installation

This post was written by Writer