Your gutters play an important role when it comes to protecting your home. If you didn’t have them your home would be in danger of getting damaged by water.
Gutters and downspouts direct water away from your home. They keep water from pooling and this protects both your roof and your home’s foundation.
The gutters can’t do this if they get clogged by debris, though. Over time, debris is going to clog them and you’ll need to clean them out.
If you hate cleaning the gutters, you might be looking for a way to do so less often. This is where gutter guards come into play.
Gutter guards can help you to keep the gutters from getting clogged by debris. But are they worth the investment?
Read on to learn about gutter guards and whether they’re a good choice for your home. This will help you to decide what to do when you don’t like having to clean your gutters too often.
What Are Gutter Guards?
Gutter guards are designed to be installed on top of gutters. There are also some gutter guards that are placed inside of the gutters.
You’ll find that there are many different types of gutter guards on the market. Some of the most common gutter guards use a fine-mesh design that will block large types of debris from getting inside the gutters.
All of the gutter guards on the market are meant to keep the gutters from getting clogged. They work to make it so that you won’t need to clean the gutters so often.
Debris won’t be able to clog the gutters as easily. Large pieces of debris such as twigs, pinecones, acorns, and other things won’t be able to get through the gutter guards.
These guards are installed on top of the gutters. Debris can still pile on top of the gutter guards, and that means you will need to clear the gutter guards off from time to time.
Why Gutter Guards Are Bad
There are some potential reasons why you might want to stay away from gutter guards. Keep in mind that making a blanket statement such as “gutter guards are bad” can be a bit misleading.
Gutter guards can be useful, but they might not always be the best solution. One potential problem with gutter guards is that they will add weight to the gutters.
Adding weight to the gutters can make it tougher for the fascia to stay in place. The gutters could sag or even fall down if the weight is too much.
Sometimes the gutters can still get clogged, too. The debris on top of the guards could become so thick that it’ll prevent water from passing through.
If you don’t do gutter maintenance at all, you could even have issues with moss or algae growth near the gutters. So don’t think that gutter guards will truly prevent you from needing to do maintenance.
Can Gutter Guards Cause Leaks?
Sometimes gutter guards have been known to cause leaks. This is generally only the case when they’re installed incorrectly.
Often, people will install these guards themselves after buying them from a hardware store. They might make little mistakes and this will lead to issues with leaks.
When you get professionals to install gutter guards this shouldn’t occur. Of course, making sure that you buy high-quality gutter guards will also be important.
If you get the right gutter guards for your gutters you shouldn’t have problems with leaks. Focus on installing the gutters properly so that you won’t encounter these problems.
Can Gutter Guards Get Clogged?
Yes, gutter guards can get clogged over time. As mentioned earlier, gutter guards don’t truly keep you from having to clean the gutters.
There are a few things that will happen when using gutter guards. These guards will have debris pile up on top over time.
You need to clean the debris off of the guards every so often. The wind might blow some debris away, but other pieces of debris will get stuck and form piles.
These piles might block the gutters and prevent rainwater from getting through. So this keeps the gutters from working as intended when there’s way too much debris on top of the gutters.
Also, sometimes small pieces of debris can get through the gutter guards. This debris might cause clogs over time if you don’t do any gutter maintenance.
Often, just clearing the debris on top and running water through the gutters is enough to clear small debris. Just know that you still need to do gutter maintenance no matter what.
Do Foam Gutter Guards Work?
Foam gutter guards are a type of gutter guard that some people like. These foam guards go inside the gutters and prevent certain types of debris from clogging the gutters.
The foam guards let water pass through the gutters. They work to keep debris out, but they’re supposed to let water flow through unimpeded.
Sometimes these guards don’t work as well as advertised. There might be issues with the gutter guards trapping water inside.
So foam gutter guards haven’t become the most popular type that people use. It’s more common for people to use mesh gutter guards.
Do Gutter Guards Cause Problems?
Many potential problems can arise due to using gutter guards. Using gutter guards might make it so that the gutters will be too heavy.
The fascia might not be able to handle the extra weight. So it could lead to problems with bowing or even a collapse.
Often, gutter guards make people too complacent. They think they can get away with not doing gutter maintenance at all.
This leads to problems with the gutters getting clogged. Gutter guards are only meant to make maintenance easier.
You can’t forego maintenance altogether simply because you purchased gutter guards. Make sure that you clean the gutter guards and gutters every so often if you decide to buy guards.
Do You Need Gutter Guards?
No, gutter guards aren’t a necessity. You can easily avoid buying gutter guards if you don’t think they’re worthwhile.
Gutter guards cost money and you might not be willing to spend the cash. They can make gutter maintenance easier in some ways, but they might not appeal to you.
Some mistakenly think that gutter guards make it so that your gutters will never get clogged. It just prevents clogs from happening as often.
You still need to clean things off to keep the gutters in working order. So it might not be worth it to some.
Do Gutter Guards Increase Home Value?
Buying gutter guards for your home generally won’t increase your home value. Even buying new gutters for your home won’t have much of an impact on the price of your home.
Typically, buying brand new gutters for a home will only raise its value slightly. Sometimes it won’t raise the value of a home at all.
Gutter guards won’t raise the value of a home. Some potential buyers might see having gutter guards as a positive thing, but it’s not something you need to focus on.
There are many more practical ways that you can get people to be interested in your home. Raising the value of your home isn’t something you should count on when buying gutter guards.
Will Gutter Guards Work With a Metal Roof?
Gutter guards can work fine if you have a metal roof. Many people who own homes with metal roofs use gutter guards.
You just need to make sure to buy the right type. This is because metal roofs cause water to flow toward the gutters faster than usual.
So you need to buy gutters that can keep up with the faster pace of the water. Brush gutter guards seem to work well with metal roofs.
Other types of gutter guards can also work, though. Just do your best to find a recommended gutter guard option to pair with your metal roof.
Are Gutter Guards Bad in the Winter?
Winter weather can be tough for gutter guards to handle. This is because water freezes when the weather gets too cold.
If you live in an area where it gets really cold these problems will be pronounced. Sometimes the gutter guards will trap water in certain spots.
Water might be trapped by a bit of the debris that is sitting on top of the guards. This water is going to freeze, and that might make the weight of the gutters higher than usual.
So you’re even more likely to deal with issues such as the gutters bowing or collapsing. It can be a big problem during the winter, and this is why it’s imperative to keep your gutters clear of debris.
Can You Hang Christmas Lights With Gutter Guards?
Hanging Christmas lights won’t be hard even if you have gutter guards installed. The gutter guards in no way prevent you from hanging Christmas lights.
It should be possible to hang Christmas lights no matter what type of gutter guard you’re utilizing. So don’t let wanting to decorate for Christmas deter you from wanting to buy gutter guards.
Do Gutter Guards Keep Rodents Out?
Sometimes rodents will use gutters as a nesting spot. There are times when various types of rodents will infest gutters.
Gutter guards are a great way of keeping rodents at bay. The guards prevent rodents from being able to get in the gutters.
Water can flow through the gutter guards, but rodents won’t be able to fit inside the little holes. The best types of gutter guards for keeping rodents out will be mesh guards.
Some other types of gutter guard designs can work as well. Many people love the fact that gutter guards can keep rodents from messing with their gutters, but this isn’t the primary reason for buying them.
Final Thoughts
Now you should have a much better idea of what to do with your gutters. You can install gutter guards if you want to.
Gutter guards do indeed work, but they can have some problems if you’re not careful. Generally, it’s best to get the guards professionally installed so you won’t have problems with leaks.
You want to ensure that your fascia is capable of handling the extra weight that will be added by the guards. Also, you should choose a gutter guard type that will work with the type of roof and gutters that you have.
Remember that gutter guards don’t keep you from needing to do maintenance. They make maintenance easier and you should have to clean the gutters less frequently.
Don’t think that gutter guards are a free pass for you to ignore gutter maintenance. The gutters can experience many issues if you ignore the need for regular maintenance.
I have a bachelor’s degree in Computer Information Systems and over 10 years of experience working in IT. As a homeowner, I love working on projects around the house, and as a father, I love investigating various ways to keep my family safe (whether or not this involves tech). I’ve also played guitar for almost 20 years and love writing music, although it’s hard to find the time these days.