Maintaining your home is a constant job that, if you’re not careful, can create a vacuum of time and money. Cleaning your gutters is one such task, requiring a great deal of effort, risk and time to complete. When you have a full-time job or a family to look after, the last job you’ll want to do is to climb up a steep ladder and spend hours fishing leaves and debris out of your gutter.
Indeed, it is for this reason that so many people fail to clear out their gutters regularly. This is a problem because if your gutter becomes too full it will cease to function properly. The result is a collapsed gutter or even water damage to your home.
Instead, it may be worth installing a gutter protection system. These gutter covers prevent debris from entering the gutter, which will save you from having to clear them out so regularly in the long term.
This is what you need to know about gutter protection, and whether you should install one.
The first (and most simple) reason why you should consider gutter guard installation is because you won’t have to climb up a ladder and remove pine needles, roof shingles and other mess from the guttering system which is stopping water flow.
Of course, the type of gutter guard you choose depends on your specific property. There are screen guards which prevent leaves and debris from entering the gutter, or mesh gutter guards which provide a leaf filter - ensuring water can flow through without the debris that will clog gutters.
You can find out more about the various types of gutter protection system here.
Another great reason why gutter guards work is because they protect your property from potential water damage.
If you don’t have your gutters cleaned regularly, they can cease to function as a rain gutter. This could lead to water running down the side of your property, creating a serious damp problem over time. If you live in a particularly rainy climate, your walls may not dry out enough to prevent this from happening, so it needs dealing with immediately.
Not only can a clogged gutter lead to dampness, but it can be highly inconvenient and unpleasant to have to walk under a heavy stream of water pouring off the house whenever you pass by.
You now know that a leaf guard will prevent clogging, but it is not always clear what this clogging consists of.
While a lot of it is pinecones, leaves, pine needles and other detritus, your gutters can quickly become infested with pests, mould and grime if left unattended for long enough.
Creating an ecosystem for these unwanted neighbours is not a sensible idea and can lead to issues inside your house.
Therefore, you should strongly consider fitting gutter guards into your home. Although the upfront costs are not to be sniffed at, the long-term savings can be substantial
