Protect Your Home From Pests and Water Damage With Gutter Guards

Most homes have rain gutters than run the perimeter of the house at the roof line. The gutters, in conjunction with downspouts, carry water away from your home’s foundation. Without rain gutters and downspouts, water would simply run off the roof, down the side walls, and pool at the base, causing problems.

As essential as gutters are, if they are clogged, they won’t work. Thankfully, professionally installed gutter guards eliminate most clogged rain gutter issues. Gutter guards are covers that go over the gutters and prevent debris entering. Here are two benefits of installing gutter guards.

1. You Won’t Have to Clean Your Gutters as Often

Homeowners who do not have gutter guards will need to clean their gutters at least twice a year. In fall, deciduous trees shed their leaves. While most collect in your yard and await your rake, many find their way to your roof and gutters.

Some maple tree species, such as the sugar maple,  also add to autumn debris as they drop their samaras — commonly called helicopters or whirligigs — the seed packets they use for propagation. Mighty oak trees drop their acorns. Apple and other fruit trees drop their crop.

In spring, pollen enters the air. Trees such as the cottonwood release copious amounts of fluff, and silver maples drop their samaras in late spring. Additionally, conifers drop needles and cones year-round, and summer storms blow everything around, as well as branches and twigs. A lot of plant debris can end up in unprotected gutters.

If you have ever cleaned your gutters, you know how tedious and dangerous it can be. You must continually move a ladder around the perimeter of your home, climb the ladder, and then remove whatever debris has collected, being careful not to fall.

While gutter guards won’t completely eliminate cleaning as experts recommend you still clean your guarded gutters every two years, that is far better than two or more times a year.

2. You Won’t Have as Many Critters Infiltrating Your Home

Your rain gutters can serve as a superhighway and breeding ground for many common creatures.

Rodents

If your rain gutters are clogged with acorns, apples, and bedding material, they are a virtual rodent motel with a smorgasbord. Everything mice, squirrels, and chipmunks need is also conveniently located in your gutters.

And because they are rodents and like to chew to keep their teeth from growing, the gutters provide ready access to the roof soffit and fascia. A little bit of gnawing and they will easily find their way into your attic and home.

Mosquitoes

Clogged gutters don’t just have tree debris in them, they also have pooled water because the rain cannot drain out properly. Stagnant water is a mosquito’s favorite breeding ground. Not only are mosquitoes annoying, they can be dangerous from the diseases they may carry.

Birds

Many people would much prefer to have a bird nesting in their rain gutters than deal with other vermin, but birds still pose a problem. Their nests will block the rain gutters from draining properly. Their droppings are unsightly on your house, and their eggs and chicks will attract other animals.

Snakes

Some snakes can climb quite well. They perform acrobatic feats to climb trees or coil themselves around things, such as your downspout, and shimmy their way up to your gutters and roof. And why wouldn’t they? If your gutters are filled with debris and have attracted rodents and egglaying birds, that’s plenty of food for them, too. Once up there, they can also find their way into your home through any nook or cranny.

Gutter guards prevent these and other critters from setting up shop on and in your house. Autumn is the perfect time to have professionals install gutter guards. Contact us today to schedule your appointment.