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THINGS TO KEEP IN MIND ABOUT GUTTER GUARDS
Cleaning your home’s gutters is a necessity for preventing roof and water leaks but not necessarily a favorite task of homeowners. Gutter Guards are designed, in part, to make cleanup easier, can lessen the workload for homeowners faced with gutters filled with leaves and other debris. But are gutter guards all they’re cracked up to be?
Here are a couple of things to consider as you buy gutter guards for your home.
Gutter guards will need maintenance
Many gutter guard manufacturers like to tell customers their products never need maintenance after installation. That’s misleading information, to say the least because you’ll still have to maintain your gutter guards – even if you don’t need to clean your gutters as often as you used to. Debris may clog the gutter guard’s screening device, keeping water from getting in the gutter. In this event, your gutter guards will require cleaning, especially after a massive storm. While gutter guards to an excellent job of keeping debris out of your gutters, debris can still back up over the gutters. This can cause water to back up under the roof.
Another potential issue with gutter guards is exaggerated ice problems because melting snow and ice build-up and reacts differently with gutter guards than with traditional gutters. These issues may lead to water leaks and, again, emphasize the importance of regular gutter guard maintenance. Gutter guards may also create basement leaks. Rainwater which isn’t contained by existing gutters spills over the edge of the roof to the ground nearest the house. Water dumped near the home makes its way quickly to the foundation and into the basement through porous concrete and masonry, deteriorated mortar joints, and more.
Checking and maintaining your gutters guards every spring and fall is a good practice for preventing roof leaks on other issues.
Beware of improperly installed gutter guards
Working with an experienced, dependable roofing contractor means you don’t have to worry about gutter guard installation issues. Improper installation includes nailing the guards right through the shingles, as well as incorrect placement of the gutters and guards – which leads to water backing up under the roof. The result is roof leaks and damaged plywood under the shingles.
Research types of gutter guards
You get what you pay for most of the time. If the system, is really cheap then it might not last as long or even do an effective job. We’re not saying go buy the most expensive gutter guard on the market. That would end up being a waste of money as well. Do research on the types of gutter guards and see what would fit your home the best. Also if you live in a place where the amount of leaves and debris going into your gutters is minimal then you might not need to bother with them at all. If you chose not to deal with them then make sure that you are getting your gutters cleaned at least twice a year.
The Different Types Of Gutter Guards On The Market
Before we discuss the problems in detail, let’s look at the different types of gutter guards on the market. There are five primary gutter guard systems used today:
Brush – Upright bristles that catch and hold debris and prevent them from clogging the drainage system.
Foam – Used to prevent debris from accumulating in the drainage system while still allowing water to filter around and flow properly.
Mesh – Sheets of metal with tiny holes that act as a filter to prevent debris from entering the gutter.
Nylon – Used in cold areas for its effectiveness to prevent heavy buildup of snow.
Reverse Curve – Prevents falling debris from accumulating while channeling water away from the roofline.
In general, a gutter guard either screens out debris and prevents it from accumulating, or it is built into the gutter in such a way as to make the system more efficient. If you have problems, or you’re considering upgrading your roof and wondering what gutter system to install, there are two things to consider.
Most Gutter Guard Systems Only Solve One Problem
When gutter guard systems are installed on a home, the purpose is to keep leaves and debris from accumulating in the gutter system and stopping water from flowing down and away from the structure. They do that on some level.
Gutter guards protect your roof line. They are designed to fit around your home on all edges, preventing debris from accumulating in the most obvious places. But that doesn’t stop gravity. Gutter guards do nothing to impact the rest of the system. Debris can still accumulate down around your foundation, where the gutter system is installed to drain and pull water away from your home.
Gutter Guards Can Increase Other Concerns
In areas with a lot of trees, protecting the gutter system from leaves is a big concern. But there is also another problem that can potentially harm your gutter system: moisture. No matter how hard they try, most gutter guards don’t protect from all debris falling into the system. It can also prevent moisture from escaping and evaporating. Over time, biological growth can start growing. Because it never has a chance to dry out, it keeps accumulating, furthering the possibility of leaks and cracks throughout the system. That gives the opportunity for water damage to occur and seep in through various places of your home, including at your roof line, causing potentially significant damage.
It’s crucial to have gutters installed to control water and direct it away from your home. That’s what keeps your home warm, safe, and dry. It’s also important to realize that no matter what system you select, there will be home maintenance involved down the road. While your focus should be on prevention, you should also ensure the method you select is easy to clean and maintain, too.
Gutter guards are (like we’ve stated before) meant to keep you from constantly having to clean your gutters. It is possibly that during a heavy downpour it could cause water to run over gutters. This can happen with gutters without guards as well. If they are running over your gutters in a light to medium rain, something is wrong. Whether it’s the pitch or they were just installed improperly is where to look. Call in a professional before you start taking off the gutter guards or trying to mess with your gutters because it can void your warranty.