Why Should I Have Gutter Guards Installed?
Gutter guards are filters that are attached to a home’s gutter system. Gutter guards help filter and block leaves, debris, and animals from entering the gutters. Gutter guards work in high and low flow water situations and can prevent clogs, floods, or other damage to your home. Homeowners should have gutter guards installed to save themselves time and money, prevent their home from water damages and maintain and improve the lifespan of their gutter systems.
What are the Benefits of Gutter Guards?
There are several benefits to installing gutter guards on your home:
Maintains sealant longevity
Certain types of gutter guards can help increase the longevity of sealants used in the gutter system. By increasing the longevity of sealants, homeowners can prevent unsightly and potentially damaging water leaks from happening.
Saves homeowners time and money
Gutter guards prevent debris and leaves from clogging your gutter system. By using gutter guards, homeowners will not have to spend time manually unclogging their entire gutter system. Damages can be caused by clogged gutters including water overflowing out of them and into unwanted places as well as gutters falling down due to the weight build up of the clogged debris.
Avoid infestations from mice, insects, and other critters
Gutter guards are able to act as a physical barrier to stop vermin and insects (possums, bats, squirrels, birds, mice, mosquitoes, spiders, etc.) from navigating their way into your gutters and even breeding once they get comfortable there. With less stagnant water sitting in your gutters, your home will become less attractive to those birds, vermin, and insects.
Improves water flow
Since gutter guards prevent clogging, they can increase the flow of water through your system leading to your downspouts. When water flows off of your roof and into your gutter, the next stop is for the water to travel down your downspouts. A hole is created in your gutter and downspouts are attached there. When there are no leaves to clog the holes that lead water to your downspouts, or even clog the downspouts themselves, the overall flow of water is not obstructed and can move quickly and efficiently.
Prevents overflowing
Gutter systems may overflow during periods of heavy rain because they are clogged or blocked. Gutter guards prevent this clogging from occurring which in turn prevents the overflowing from happening. Overflowing gutters can cause damage to your foundation, cause water to enter your home, and can also result in unsightly water stains on the exterior of your home.
Which gutter guard is right for me?
There are many factors that should be considered when determining which gutter guard type and brand is right for you. A few of these factors include the quality, the size/style and the maintenance that will be required to keep them working properly.
Quality
There are levels to gutter guards just like anything else. Some are lower quality and made from materials like foam which will only absorb water and debris and serve as a home for bacteria growth over time. You could go with the next step up which may filter some debris types but not others and may or may not be able to handle very high water flow situations. A high quality gutter guard can last several decades with proper cleaning and maintenance. These high quality gutter guards are designed to keep the majority of debris types out, including pine needles! These usually require the least amount of maintenance and can handle the highest of water flow situations with little to no issues.
Size
Not all gutter systems are designed the same way. You will need to figure out the size of gutters you have (5 inch or 6 inch gutters are most commonly found on residential homes). The product you’re looking at needs to come in different widths, otherwise, you might be investing in something that doesn’t fit your system. If you have a specific or custom style of gutters, you may want to research whether they require a special type of gutter guard.
Upkeep
Consider the maintenance that is required for each brand and grade of gutter guard you are looking into. Gutter guards have two main purposes: to prevent and protect from clogs and to lessen the need for maintenance. When you consider a gutter guard brand, look into the common maintenance that their product requires. The better the materials that the gutter guards are made of, the easier they will be to maintain. Some may only require you to periodically spray them off or blow dry leaves off of them occasionally, others may require more effort.
Advanced Can Help
Gutter guards keep leaves and other debris from falling into and clogging your home’s gutter systems and deter animals and other pests from finding their way in. In addition to preventing clogging and any water damage that comes with clogged gutters, they also save homeowners time and money. Brands such as Bulldog and LeafBlaster are high quality gutter guards. Advanced Roofing & Construction, LLC can help you select and install the gutter guards that are the best fit for your home and your gutter system. We are DoneRight by GutterGlove Pros and are equipped to help you with your gutter guard needs. Give our office a call today at 256-603-9171 to find out more information and start your gutter guard installation project!
