The value of gutter guards cannot be overstated. They prevent leaves, pine needles, and other debris from accumulating in a home’s eavestrough system. This, in turn, dramatically reduces the possibility that rain, and snow melt will back up in downspouts and gutters and overflow into soffits, exterior walls or negatively impact the foundation.
Do Gutter Guards Need Maintenance?
Though they require little to no care when compared to an uncovered eavestrough, maintaining your gutter guards is vitally important to preventing water damage and unnecessary home repairs. Allowing debris to pile up on top of the protective screens over a long period of time can block water flow, rendering eavestroughs less effective. These are tips about gutter guard cleaning worth considering.
How to Clean Your Gutters with Gutter Guards
It’s important to take a few steps to get organized for a gutter guard cleaning. Gather the necessary tools and equipment, such as thick work gloves, a firm brush or broom head, a tarp, and a sturdy ladder. Often, maintaining your gutter guards means simply sweeping off any debris that has accumulated on top of the guards. This said, if you notice that dirt, leaves or other debris are sticking to the top of the gutter guard, you can use a hose to clear off your gutter system.
How Often Should You Clean Gutter Guards?
Cleaning an eavestrough system with gutter guards requires significantly less work than an uncovered eavestrough and only requires light maintenance 1-2 times a year. Without gutter guards, it’s recommended to clean your gutters every 3-4 months, and they’re often harder and more labour-intensive to clean.
How Gutter Guards Reduce Gutter Maintenance
A discussion about how to clean covered gutters sometimes makes homeowners wonder whether guards are worthwhile. The thinking revolves around sparing the expense and just cleaning out the gutters periodically. But, in reality, maintaining gutter guards and cleaning out the eavestroughs themselves are vastly different.
Because guards prevent debris from clogging up the eavestroughs system, they protect against water pooling and freezing inside. Expanding ice inside the gutters typically cracks them, or the weight pulls them down. It’s not uncommon for homeowners without protective guards to pay for a new gutter installation.
Diligent homeowners who spend weekends maintaining their house experience a much more difficult and time-consuming chore of clearing out the debris from gutters. Having to reach into every section and scoop out gunk is not the quality of life homeowners desire. And repeatedly hiring a gutter maintenance company to clean them often costs more than the gutter guards themselves.
Reliable Gutter Guard Installation in Southwestern Ontario
At Home Service Solutions, we specialize in professional gutter guard and eavestrough installations in Southwestern Ontario. We are fully insured, offer installation and manufacturer warranties, and dispatch only meticulously trained professionals to your home. If you are interested in gutter guard maintenance or installation, contact us today.