Leaves, sticks and falling debris can make a mess of your gutters but it can also cause damage to your home if water backs up and underneath your roofline. Choosing the right gutter guard can save you money in roof repairs and interior water damage repair and free up your weekends.
What is The Best Gutter Guard?
Take a look at these gutter guard options.
Screens
Screens are the most commonly used type of gutter guard. That’s because they are relatively easy to install, come in a variety of materials and are usually pretty inexpensive. They come in a variety of sizes of mesh from micro with holes as small as 50 microns to catch smaller pieces of debris. Screen gutter guards might be best suited for a do-it-yourselfer but plan on spending time after installation cleaning and even replacing them as sludge, dirt and debris compromise the screens’ ability to filter. Areas with heavy rain might also find the screens are no match for a heavy downpour that can come at a volume that circumvents the screen system or can even dislodge it.
Foam Gutter Guards
Foam gutter guards work by simply filling up the gutter with a porous foam product that allows water to pass through but trapping leaves and other debris on top of the foam product. The result is that the gutter stays clear but the homeowner must now remove the debris resting on top of the foam. Failing to remove that top-layer of leaves and other natural debris can be the perfect environment for mold to grow. Mold can spread into your home where the clogged gutters meet your roof speeding the mold toxins inside your home.
Brush Gutter Guards
Instead of using foam, brush gutter guards use a wirey material that fills the gutter and allows water to filter through but debris to get caught up in the bristles. Leaves and light debris can be blown away by the wind, but heavier debris will stay lodged in the bristles. Be prepared to to do some regular cleaning of the bristles. Clogged bristles will mean back to square one with clogged gutters.
Hooded of Reverse Curve Gutter Guards
This type of guard is shaped with a rounded edge toward the gutter that will funnel water into the gutter but direct debris to slide over the guard and off the the home. The way the work is by using the principle of water tension. Water follows the contour of the guard while debris slides off the top of the guard. These guards are custom fit to your home and professionally installed and they can blend into the roofline and your gutters because they come in a variety of colors.
Choosing a Gutter Guard For your Home
When choosing a gutter guard it’s a good idea to take a look at the types of foliage that are around your home. What kind of debris will you have falling into your gutters? Do you have trees that drop needles or leaves or the fruit of maples trees called samaras or “helicopters” that will make a landing into your gutter cavity. You can read all about the trees and plants that thrive in the Mid-Atlantic and which might be less of a gutter-offender on this University of Maryland site. Glance at your neighbor’s property as well to check out the types of trees they have. Wind direction might make their tree choices the cause of your gutter backup.
There are some additional factors which can affect which gutter guard you choose:
Rainfall: Rainfall is a factor that helps determine which gutter guard is most appropriate for your home. You can find the average rainfall and other weather information about your city by visiting U.S. Climate Data.
Size of Your Home: The size of your home will also determine how much you will spend in installing gutter guards. Homes with several stories may have several layers of gutters while ranch-style homes have only one tier.
Keeping your gutters debris-free means your gutters are free to do their job directing water off your home and channeling it away from the foundation of your home. The task of cleaning gutters can be time-consuming and dangerous. Gutter guards are a great way to extend the life of your home and avoid risky weekend work.
Contact Thompson Creek for A Replacement Gutter System
At Thompson Creek, our replacement gutter system uses unique gutter hoods to filter leaves and debris to keep your gutters clear. That way they are professionally installed as one seamlesss trough means there aren’t areas along the gutter system that might trapped leaves in the seams. And the injection-molded caps have the added bonus of keeping out critters.
You can get a free estimate for a Thompson Creek replacement gutter system and once your new gutter system is installed your seasonal gutter worries will wash away thanks to the Thompson Creek No-Hassle Warranty and Buyer Protection Guarantee.