Any homeowner that has ever climbed a ladder to remove a clog from a gutter has probably wondered about gutter protection at one point or another. This is the method of keeping falling debris out of your gutters, while still enabling them to do their job of directing water away from your home. There are a few different types of gutter protection available; what you choose may be a matter of personal taste.
Gutter Covers
Gutter covers are one of the more popular methods of protecting your gutters. They fit over the tops of your gutters, often with holes or a perforated surface for the water to penetrate. The back of the cover may also be open to allow water to slide off of your roof and into the gutter.
The gutter cover blocks things like falling leaves and pine needles that may clog up your gutters. They can be made of any material, and usually end up matching the material your gutter is made of – copper, steel, aluminum, or vinyl – to give you the most curb appeal.
Gutter Screens
Gutter screens function similarly to gutter covers. They fit over the tops of the gutters and block larger debris from getting inside. Depending on the size of the mesh, however, they can sometimes allow smaller debris particles to work their way in, and pine needles and leaves may get stuck in the mesh itself.
Gutter screens are often less expensive than gutter covers, but they often lack the curb appeal of a nice cover. In fact, some screens are fairly obvious and can even detract from your home’s curb appeal if you have decorative gutters currently installed.
Gutter Guards
Gutter guard is the term that a lot of people use to describe anything that will cover the top of the gutter and keep out the debris. This could be a perforated metal sheet that snaps over the gutter, a gutter cover, or a gutter screen. Some gutter guards are made for high-flow gutters, as well to help them keep up with the large amount of water, while still blocking as much debris as possible. This can be a concern in some areas that get heavy rainfall; some gutter covers and screens do such a good job of keeping things out, that heavy rainfall may slide right off the surface and not be directed into the gutter well enough to have them function normally. Gutter guards designed for high-flow areas have a raised back and additional slits in the front to help capture the water, while the perforated metal top keeps out falling leaves.
Gutter Downspouts
Integral to any gutter system is the downspout. This is what takes your water away from the house and foundation. Most downspouts merely look like an enclosed gutter mounted vertically on the sides of your home, but new styles such as gutter chains are also available that can pull the water away from your home, while acting like a piece of water art.
Protect Your Gutters
Clogs and debris build up can be more than an annoyance; they can actually damage your gutters and shorten their lifespan. Look into gutter protection to help ensure that your gutters keep flowing free.
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