Are gutter guards worth getting?

Gutter guards can be an effective and convenient way to reduce gutter cleaning and protect your home from the effects of weather, fallen debris, and water damage. There are many advantages to getting gutter guards, from preventing clogs and ice dams to improved water flow away from your home.

Discover the reasons for getting gutter guards and what to consider before investing in them.

Pros of gutter guards

There are various types of gutter guards available that work in slightly different ways. They’re made to help improve and control water flow by filtering out:

• Leaves
• Pine needles
• Twigs
• Sediment
• Pests
• Debris.

Installing gutter guards can sometimes feel like you’re footing a large upfront cost compared to simply cleaning out your gutters regularly yourself. However, there are many reasons why they’re of long-term benefit to your home. 

Reduced risk of property damage

One of the main benefits of having gutter guards is that they can help prevent potential property damage caused by common gutter issues, including clogged gutters and water damage.

Clogged gutters can cause water to overflow and intrude into your home, including the roof and foundations. This can cause major structural issues over time, which may end up being more costly to resolve than installing gutter guards in the first place.

Gutter guards also reduce water damage by facilitating the smooth flow of water from your roof, into the gutters, and down the downspouts. By preventing clogs, the water can be directed away from the house, as intended. This prevents standing or pooling water, which can lead to leaks or other types of water damage.

What’s more, gutter guards can also help protect the structural integrity of the gutter itself. They can help avoid sagging caused by the weight of clogged gutters and ice dams, which may eventually cause gutters to warp and pull away from your home.

Decreased maintenance

Gutter guards make gutter maintenance easier, or reduce cleaning time altogether. By minimizing the need for frequent gutter cleaning, gutter guards can save you:

• Time
• Effort
• Money.

More importantly, gutter guards can make gutter maintenance safer, too.

Gutter cleaning can be an awkward and challenging task involving ladders and tools. When you remove the need to clean your gutters frequently, you’ll also reduce the risk of injuring yourself by falling from height.

Prevention of ice dams

Ice dams can be incredibly frustrating problems to solve for various reasons. Their weight can put pressure on your gutters and home, but the excess water can also lead to moisture issues as they begin to melt.

Ice dams are typically caused by clogged gutters freezing in cold temperatures. Gutter guards are a great way to prevent ice dams from occurring by reducing the likelihood of clogging in the first place.

Pest control

Unfortunately, pests such as mosquitoes and insects thrive in stagnant gutters and standing water. Water trapped by clogged gutters can act as a giant welcome sign for these unwanted guests.

By helping to keep your gutters clear, gutter guards can reduce the likelihood of insects and nesting pests such as rodents and spiders from appearing in your gutter system. That way, you can enjoy a cleaner, more comfortable home exterior and living environment.

Things to consider when getting gutter guards

Installing gutter guards can make a significant improvement to your gutters and their maintenance. However, it’s important to note that they’re rarely completely maintenance-free. Here are a few things to consider:

Partial debris protection

While gutter guards can reduce the accumulation of debris, smaller particles may still find their way into your gutter system. This means that you may still need to get them cleaned occasionally.

Sometimes, seeds from trees can fall and sprout on the moist surface of gutter guard slots. This can lead to unwanted vegetation growth, needing gutter maintenance to resolve it.

How well your gutter guards protect your gutter system can vary depending on the product. Some gutter guards are more effective at deflecting seeds and small pieces of debris than others.

Aesthetic considerations

Gutter guards are visible from the outside and they don’t all look the same. What kind of gutter guard product you choose may depend on the aesthetic appearance you want for your home.

There are various types available, including:

• Mesh – allow water to flow through small holes while still catching a range of debris. Micro-mesh gutter guards use woven mesh screens.
• Foam – affordable and flexible, these are usually a short-term solution as the triangular foam pieces can deteriorate quickly. 
• Brush – look like large pipe cleaners, which work by trapping any debris such as leaves.

If you have a certain exterior style in mind for your home, this may impact your decision on which gutter guard to choose. Plus, it’s worth noting that temporary products, such as foam gutter guards, can lose their shape and efficiency over time from frost and wear and tear.

At Leafguard, we offer a sleek one-piece design with a built-in gutter guard, customized to the exterior of your home.

They’re similar in style and shape to a standard gutter – only with a proprietary, debris-shedding structure that deflects leaves and debris. Our Leafguard gutter solution is an excellent option for keeping your home looking clean and uniform.

Handling heavy rain

Some gutter guards are more resilient than others. In extremely heavy rain, some gutter guards such as mesh guards may struggle to handle the volume of water, leading to water cascading over the gutters and into your garden.

At Leafguard, we tackle this by using a durable and bespoke curved hood that protects your gutters from downpours thanks to liquid adhesion. This means water adheres to the surface of the gutter guard hood before being pulled into the seamless gutter system, rather than flowing over the edge.

Challenging gutter maintenance

Most gutter guard products promise to reduce overall maintenance by keeping out the leaves and debris that can cause trouble in your gutters. While this is generally true and gutter guards can reduce how frequently you clean your gutters, they’re rarely totally maintenance-free.

When cleaning gutters with gutter guards in place, it can require additional steps such as removing and replacing the guards. This is often the case with temporary gutter guards such as foam and mesh. With gradual wear and tear, they may also require a few repairs during the cleaning process.

Removing and replacing gutter guards to reach your gutters can be a challenging task to do on your own. You may need to pay for a professional service to resolve it.

Leafguard is the all-in-one gutter guard system that repels leaves and debris and keeps water where it should be. Made from high-quality aluminum that’s 20% thicker than the industry standard, Leafguard is guaranteed to be clog-free.

Feel confident that your home is well looked after. Get a free estimate for Leafguard today