High-quality, well-maintained gutters not only add to the curb appeal of your home, but they can also prevent serious damage to your home’s foundation. Some of the most common questions our home improvement specialists at Thompson Creek hear are, “Do gutter guards work?” and “Are gutter guards worth it?” Here’s what you need to know about gutter guards and how they can help reduce your home maintenance costs.
How Gutter Systems Work
Gutters have one simple and very important job: to divert rain and melting snow from your roof away from the foundation of your home.
Water on your roof rolls down into the gutters, which are installed at a slight downward slope to direct the runoff into one or more downspouts. These horizontal downspouts carry the water away from the base of your home to prevent basement flooding, damage to your landscaping and erosion of your foundation walls.
Why Gutter Maintenance Matters
For gutters to work, they need to be clean, installed at the correct slope, and free from damage such as split joints and holes.
If you don’t keep your gutters clear of leaves, twigs, shingle grit, and other debris, they’ll clog up. Not only will clogs lead to premature failure of your gutter system, but the resulting blockage will cause roof runoff to cascade over the top of the gutters, directly onto your foundation walls.
While it’s easy to take your gutter system for granted, failing to keep up with regular gutter maintenance can lead to major problems.
What Are Gutter Guards?
Gutter guards are specially designed shields or screens that can help extend the life of your gutter system and eliminate the need for annual gutter maintenance.
Gutter guards keep leaves and other organic materials out of your gutters, which prevents clogs from forming. This means you won’t have to worry about water pooling in your downspouts, or even birds nesting in your gutters.
Reduced Annual Gutter Maintenance
Depending on where you live and how many trees are in your yard, you may need to have your gutters cleaned out twice a year, in the spring and fall. This can mean up to $450 a year in expenses, which really adds up over time.
Gutter guards help significantly cut back on the costs and frequency of gutter maintenance. Since they prevent mold, mildew, and debris build-up in your gutters, guards will also prolong the life of your gutter system.
Do Gutter Guards Work in the Winter?
When installed properly, gutter guards are safe and functional year-round, even in areas where snow build-up and ice dams are a concern.
You may have heard that gutter guards can be problematic in the winter, and while that may be true in some cases, it’s usually because the guards and gutters aren’t positioned at the proper slope. Another common reason why some gutter guards fail in freezing temperatures is that the openings are too large, allowing excess snow and ice to accumulate inside the gutter.
Are Gutter Guards Worth It?
Our roofing experts at Thompson Creek are confident that installing gutter guards is one of the easiest, most cost-effective ways homeowners can reduce ongoing maintenance costs and protect against water damage.
Contact us today to learn more about our seamless trough gutter system with an integrated gutter guard that’s designed to protect your home for many years to come.