Gutters are an important part of your roof’s water dispersal system. They manage the water that flows off your roof so that it can safely flow down to the ground and away from your home. Without gutters, you’d see ground erosion, potential foundation damage, and basement leaks.
Gutters, though, do a great job of catching the water and moving it away from your home. The only problem is that they don’t work when they’re clogged with leaves and debris. That’s the reason we recommend that you clean your gutters twice a year.
If you live near a tree or two or more, you may need more than twice a year cleanings to keep your gutters functional so that the water flows through them. And that’s where gutter guards come in.
What Are Gutter Guards?
Gutter guards are a cover or insert that keeps debris from building up and clogging your gutters. They can be a metal cover, grate, or “helmet,” or they can be a spongy or foam material that you place in the gutter itself.
There are pros and cons to both the helmet style and the foam insert style. The inserts tend to deteriorate over time, leaving you with a gutter that’s full of debris that can’t drain. However, they tend to be less expensive than other gutter guards. Metal gutter guards are more expensive, but they can be very effective.
Some metal gutter guards, like Leaf Relief, are designed to be small enough to catch pine needles, while snap-on grates may only be effective in catching larger leaves.
Do Gutter Guards Work?
Yes! In short, quality gutter guards can cut down or even eliminate regular gutter cleaning entirely. They also keep debris from clogging your downspouts.
Not all gutter guards are created equal, and some work better than others. We stand behind our recommendation of Leaf Relief for its innovative design and ability to block debris as small as pine needles.
Do Gutter Guards Work in Heavy Rain?
Gutter guards do work in heavy rain. However, their performance is dependent on several things, including how well your gutters were originally engineered on your house.
Even the best gutter guards may be overwhelmed if the rain is hard enough, however, metal guards like Leaf Relief are more effective than the foam type.
The effectiveness of gutter guards also depends on how well they are installed. The gutter guard must be properly installed so that it doesn’t come dislodged.
It’s also important to periodically check to see if the gutter guards need to be cleaned to ensure their effectiveness.
Are Gutter Guards Worth It?
Absolutely. I have leaf relief gutter guards on my own home and they’ve stopped the oak tree in my front yard from repeatedly clogging my gutters.
If you live in an area without trees, you may want to think twice about gutter guards. They’re not needed if there’s no greenery nearby to clog your gutters.
What Are the Best Gutter Guards?
We may be biased, but In our opinion, Leaf Relief is the best gutter guard on the market. There are other alternatives, but Leaf Relief is one of the best gutter guards due to its unique construction that only allows a small amount of debris to enter the gutter itself.
Gutter Guards
Gutter guards are a good addition to your home if you’re living in an area with a lot of trees and want to lessen the number of gutter cleanings you have per year. They’re effective at trapping debris before it clogs downspouts and causes your gutters to overflow.
