Gutter guards are a great tool to collect leaves and prevent rain from spilling over the sides of your roof, but are they really worth your time, effort, and money?

It is that time when gutters and downspouts are constantly collecting debris that needs to be cleaned out, especially in the autumn months. Gutter guards are designed to slow down the accumulations of this debris and some of the different types can stop the debris from collecting altogether.

There are many types of guards to keep your gutters clean and save you time. They go by many names, leaf guards, gutter guards, gutter screens, gutter covers, and gutter helmets.

All of these products are pretty similar and do virtually the same thing, they use some sort of physical barrier to keep debris from gathering in your gutters and cluttering up the system.  

Rain gutters are designed to take an uncontrollable and unstable flow of water from storms and channel it in a specific way which protects your home and lawn from flooding damage.

Gutter systems are designed to be extremely lightweight because they need to put as little strain as possible on the fascia, which is the board on your home that your gutters are attached to. Adding any weight, like gutter guards, can add strain to the fascia and cause structural damage in the future. Though the fascia is quite sturdy and able to withstand additional weight in the short term, the added weight from your gutter guards will eventually show in the forms of cracking or something worse. When you strain your fascia, the mounting of your entire rain gutter system will be affected, and if it fails, then you’re going to need to pay exuberant home repair prices to fix the damage. 

The winter months can be even more stressful for your structure, as any water blocked will inevitably lead to ice buildup insufficiently cold weather. Having sound structure of fascia and guards will significantly make a difference in the long run of your home.

­It’s a good idea to take a look at your gutters, especially in the autumn when leaves are falling. You’ll also want to make sure in the wi­nter that snow and ice don’t clog your gutters. In order to keep any issues from arising as we head into the cold and icy temperatures, regular cleaning is still needed to get rid of the debris that does manage to get past these protection systems.

Gutter cleaning is part of an effective residential roof preventative maintenance plan. This is often not disclosed to gutter guard customers. You should plan on having your gutters cleaned twice a year as needed, especially if you have a lot of trees next to your house.

Gutter guards a good way of keeping your home free of cracks, clogs and problems with the structure of your home. But they are not a fix all solution and you will still have to inspect your gutters, the flow of water and the guards a couple times a year to make sure that they are doing their job and keeping your home, dry.

Using the wrong kind of gutters and gutter guards, and/or the incorrect installation on your home can be detrimental to the vitality of your home. Choosing the correct guard for your home, the local weather in your city/state and what type of maintenance it will require is crucial for the vitality of your home. Our gutter experts can walk you through what is best for you and inspect the individual needs and specifications to your home.