Do your gutters clog so frequently that you have to keep cleaning them constantly to avoid issues? You might do well to invest in a gutter guard – protection against debris, leaves, pests, and other potential clogging hazards. If you are unsure whether it is worth installing them, we will introduce you to a few issues gutter guards can prevent. Let’s dive in!
1. Pest Infestation
Your gutters make a tempting spot for pests to inhabit and infest. For instance, it is not unusual to find mice, bats, squirrels, and even little birds nesting in them. More horrifically, spiders could make your gutters their homes, laying eggs and finding ways to enter your house. And what could be more nightmarish than dealing with a spider infestation?
So, to avoid unpleasant encounters with pests, make sure to install gutter guards. As a result, your gutters will become far more difficult to access.
2. Blockages
When leaves and debris accumulate inside your gutters, they can easily lead to blockages that will not go away on their own. Usually, you need to spend time and money to unclog your drains before the trapped water causes further damage.
Thanks to its leaf-proofing capabilities, a gutter guard will prevent blockages or, at the very least, significantly reduce their frequency.
3. Fires
If you live in an arid region, you may not consider gutter guards a must. After all, clogging is not too much of an issue if there is little rainfall. However, gutter guards can also protect you from fires – in particular, from embers blown into your gutters by the wind.
And it is not just embers that will stay out of your gutters. Dry debris, such as leaves and pine needles, will not accumulate either, thus lowering the chance of a fire even if a blazing ember manages to find its way through the gutter guard.
4. Mold and Other Growth
Wet, dirty gutters are perfect environments for seeds and spores to grow and germinate. As a result, all kinds of mold, bacteria, and mildew can begin spreading inside your gutters and potentially make it into your house.
To prevent this, install gutter guards to keep the spores and seeds out, as well as to avoid blockages that create hospitable environments for biological growth.
5. Freezing
Those who live in cold areas have surely experienced the water inside their gutters freezing and causing damage to the gutter seals. Although some freezing may be impossible to avoid, you can minimize the issue if you ensure there are no blockages to prevent the water flow and draining.
And, of course, one way to do that is by installing gutter guards that keep the potential causes of clogging out.
In Conclusion
Gutter guards can significantly improve your gutters’ overall health, be it through bird-proofing, leaf-proofing, or simply ensuring there’s no clogging or blockage. Thus, even though you will need to invest some money in their installation, they are ultimately worth it. After all, why pay for professional unclogging services if you can avoid the issue altogether?
