Gutter Guards - the Dirty Facts Uncovered

Gutter guards are meant to aid in keeping leaves and other debris from settling within your rain gutters. Unfortunately, not all of these guards are created equally. What this means is that you have to do your due diligence and research when deciding what brand of a gutter guard to buy, since there are many on the market. Here are some helpful tips.

One of the first questions many homeowners have is, do these rain gutter protectors really even work? It's a good question, and the answer is yes they do, but to an extent. Gutter guards do aid in preventing a build up of leaves and other debris within your rain gutters and downspouts, but they are not 100% foolproof. Smaller items will often still find their way into the gutter channel and eventually need cleaning out. Of course, by using a guard you can substantially reduce the clogging of bigger items that you would eventually have to remove manually if you didn't have one at all. It will also reduce the times you will need gutter cleaning as well.

You'll find that each company that offers these protectors for your gutters all have a variation to the invention. Most will have small holes or slits. Even though the designs may vary, the ultimate goal remains the same which is to protect your gutter from a build up of debris and leaves.

Cleaning rain gutters can be a pain to say the least, especially in the summer time, which is why these items have become such a hot commodity. Anything that decreases the amount of clean up needed when cleaning your gutters is a welcomed invention in my books. It goes without saying that anytime you are cleaning the gutters, you need to be very careful when climbing ladders and when you're actually on the roof. The gutter guards were created to limit having to head on top the roof to do this arduous task.

We all know the hype surrounding these items. The advertisements all tout that you will never have to clean your gutters again, etc. Even though this may not be the case, it does give you the advantage of having less work in the long run. When deciding if these are right for you, take the time to analyze the overall costs, get the facts about their effectiveness, and do thorough research on the company providing the gutter guards. After doing your research and analyzing the cost, you can then make an informed decision.