To Get Gutter Guards or Not? – Family Roofing

Posted on by David Reid

CALL OR EMAIL US TODAY FOR YOUR FREE ESTIMATE – 202-276-5004   FAMILY.ROOFING@YAHOO.COM

 

At Family Roofing, we take great pride in our experience, expertise, quality and customer service. It is our mission to provide excellent workmanship and complete customer satisfaction from start to completion of a project. Our reputation is based on service, safety and quality, regardless of how large or small the job.

 

 

To Get Gutter Guards or Not?

 In an effort to have their gutters cleaned less often and decrease required maintenance, many homeowners opt to install gutter guards. These, however, don’t usually solve the need to clean your gutters although it may be less often.

The problem with gutter guards

Leaf and tree litter can easily get through the gutter guards or screens and more than can possibly cover them so water cannot get through.

While there are varieties of guards which will help prevent leaves from covering them by using a curved design, that design creates a different problem.  Small twigs and other debris can create a dam by building up against the raised portion of the guard.

Even if the gutter guards work as intended, there is still the issue of moss and algae growth.  As long as a small amount of leaf material makes its way into the gutters, it creates the perfect growing environment for lichen and moss. Left unchecked, it will continue to grow.  As it does, it can block downspouts or break free and clogged them.

You are still going to need your gutters cleaned, even if less often.  There is no way to prevent it. That is where the second big issue arises – some gutter guard systems make it difficult to clean your gutters.

In some cases, it may be difficult to remove the screens.  In this case, the choice is to flush them out with pressure or remove them.  If the brand you choose to install can be removed in sections, cleaning your gutters will be far easier, though far more time consuming as well.  You may need to have them cleaned less often, but it will likely cost much more.

What about those brands which claim to keep debris out?

They may.  However, the material and design which makes that possible will also work to keep airflow and sun out.  If debris gets in, if there are seams in your gutters, or the guards get damaged, moisture will remain trapped.  The combination of moisture and a small but of debris can result in mold growth. With no easy way to see it, you may never know it’s there.

Are gutter guards are a good investment?

  • Consider that the main reason for installing them is to reduce maintenance.

  • The best ones worth installing are expensive.

  • The best brands can still cause your gutters to be blocked even if they keep them free from debris.

  • Gutter guards will not prevent everything from getting in so they don’t prevent the need to clean your gutters.

  • They can make it more costly to clean your gutters when necessary.

Since your roof should be inspected annually, should be cleaned annually, and a chimney should be inspected and cleaned annually, adding gutter cleaning at this time adds little to no cost.