You probably don’t pay much attention to your gutters, but they’re an essential part of your home. They collect rainwater from your roof and direct it away from your home’s foundation.
If you didn’t have gutters, rainwater would pool around the edges of your home, attracting pests and potentially weakening your foundation. If your gutters become clogged or obstructed by leaves and other debris, they can overflow, which negates their purpose.
Cleaning your gutters is an essential home maintenance task that should be done twice a year. Once in the spring and again in the fall.
You can make this home maintenance task simpler by installing a gutter screen to reduce the number of leaves, twigs, and pieces of debris that make it into the gutters. But how effective are these screens? Are they really worth the money?
How Do Gutter Screens Work?
Gutter screens sit over the top of your gutter and prevent debris from falling into them while still allowing rainwater to pass through. There are different types of gutter screens, with the most common being a rounded mesh that attaches to your shingles and covers the gutter.
Another option is the gutter hedgehog, a spiked system that sits inside the gutter. The spikes jut out preventing debris from collecting in the drain. However, these systems sometimes impede water flow, causing more problems than they solve.
Benefits & Downsides of Gutter Screens
Gutter screens and hedgehogs both greatly reduce the time it takes to clean your gutters. However, they don’t remove the need for maintenance work entirely.
These systems stop rubbish, twigs, and large leaves from collecting in your gutters. Unfortunately, small items such as flower petals, seeds, and pine needles are prone to building up in the mesh. If you don’t clean your screens regularly, they’ll become clogged.
Some reasons to use gutter screens include:
- They filter out debris, making rainwater collection systems more efficient
- They stop a significant quantity of debris that would otherwise collect in the gutter
- Cleaning screens is usually quicker and easier than cleaning a gutter
Gutter screens do have some downsides:
- Gutter screens protrude from the top of the gutter and may become damaged if you lean ladders against them
- Heavy screens put a strain on the hangers, causing the gutter to sag
- During the colder months, icicles may form on the screens, potentially damaging the gutters
Gutter Systems: A Durable Alternative to Screens
A long-lasting alternative to simple mesh screens is a gutter system with permanently attached guards. These systems have a solid guard to direct debris away from the gutter itself and a channel to capture water.
These systems are safe for your roof because they’re a part of the gutter. You don’t need to attach them under the shingles. They offer effective protection against both large and small debris and greatly reduce the need to clean your gutters. Thompson Creek’s gutter systems come with a robust lifetime warranty, which means the gutters are guaranteed for as long as you own the property.
If your existing gutter system is cracked, damaged, or difficult to clean, consider replacing it to save yourself time on home maintenance.
Contact Thompson Creek today to learn more and get a no-obligation quote for a gutter system for your home.