Gutter Guard Education
Before You Buy: Everything You Need to Know About Gutter Guards
Gutter guards offer exceptional benefits that can protect your home and keep your gutters free from clogs. However, not all gutter guards are created equal, and buying the wrong type of gutter guards can prove to be a costly mistake that could even cause damage to your property. Here’s everything you need to know so you can make an informed decision when you buy gutter guards.
Gutter Guard Benefits
Gutter guards promise the following benefits:
Keep leaves, sticks and other debris out of your gutters so water can flow freely away from your home and foundation
Eliminate clogs that cause water and ice to get behind your fascia and siding (and damage your home)
Eliminate the need to clean your gutters (never climb the ladder again!)
Gutter guards are available for new, replacement & existing gutter systems
Gutter guards are perfect additions to new and replacement gutter systems, and they can also be added to existing gutters.
The Gutterman Co. offers retrofit gutter guards designed to fit many existing gutters, so you can get the added protection of clog-free gutters without the expense of a completely new gutter system.
Types of gutter guards
The type of gutter guard you choose will have a significant impact on how well they work. Unfortunately, some gutter guards simply do not work, as homeowners who have paid to install poor gutter guards quickly discover. The good news is that, when you install the right gutter guards for your needs, you can expect years of clog-free gutters that look beautiful and protect your home.
Alu-Rex DoublePro gutter guards
The best in the industry, these gutter guards feature a membrane that keeps debris out of your gutter. Manufactured by companies like Alu-Rex, these are the only types of gutter guards we use at The Gutterman Co. – and they’re the reason we can 100% guarantee you’re gutters will never get clogged.
Note that there are different styles of gutter guards for different applications. For example, the Alu-Rex DoublePro is specifically made to keep pine needles out of your gutters. Normal gutter guards won’t do this, so if you have pine trees and buy gutter guards from a big box store or pay a company to install “normal” gutter guards, pine needles will still get through and you’ll eventually get clogs.
Solid gutter guards
Solid gutter guards try to keep debris out of your gutters with a solid cover and a slit designed to allow only water to make it into your gutters. However, that slit can easily clog when leaves and twigs build up, causing water to flow over and out of your gutters and down toward your foundation. In addition, small debris can infiltrate the slit and cause clogs inside the gutters. If the water freezes, it can damage your gutters and siding.
Mesh screen gutter guards
With these types of gutter guards, a mesh screen is intended to keep debris out of your gutters. Unfortunately, the screen itself is prone to getting clogged with dirt, seeds and other small debris. When this happens, water cannot get through the screen, and instead pours over and out of the gutters. The water can ruin landscaping and your foundation and cause costly damage over time.
Foam gutter guards
The idea behind foam gutter guards is that solid objects can’t permeate the foam, so only water gets through. That sounds good in theory; however, in reality what happens is the foam gets clogged by dirt, twigs and other small debris and doesn’t allow water through at all. Like solid and mesh screen gutters, this can cause a blockage that forces water out of your gutters, into your yard and down to your foundation.
Questions to ask about gutter guards
Before you buy gutter guards at your local building store or pay a company to install their gutters, be sure to ask these questions:
What is the water flow rate? Has it been tested?
Many installers do not know the water flow rate of their gutter guards. If they don’t know that answer – and they haven’t tested it themselves – then they don’t know which type of gutter guard you need to ensure they work as intended.
For example, our Alu-Rex DoublePro gutter guards allow a superior flow rate of 29.7 inches per hour – more than enough to keep up with the downpours we have in west central Ohio.
How does it prevent clogs?
If the answer is “foam,” “solid cover,” “screen,” or “micro mesh,” it will eventually clog and either you or someone you pay will need to climb a ladder to remove the blockage.
We’re so confident our gutter guards are clog-free, we 100% guarantee rainwater will flow freely through your gutters.
What is it made of?
Flimsy aluminum and plastic gutter guards don’t last. If you install them, chances are you’ll need to replace a few sections in a few years as they get damaged due to high winds and the blockages caused by poor gutter covers.
Our gutter guards are made of high-quality aluminum and with a retro system it is screwed tt the top of the gutters with stainless steel screws. So they’re built to stand up to wind and last for years.
How to choose the right gutter guards for your home
Homeowners who have installed poor gutter guard systems often feel it’s not worth trying again; however, with the right gutter guards, you can enjoy years of clogged free gutters that beautify and protect your home.
The Gutterman Co. has more than 34 years of experience installing gutters and gutter guards on homes in west central Ohio. We know what works, and we’re more than happy to help you choose the right gutter guards for your home. Call us today at 1-800-842-2345 to learn more about how we can help.