Gutter Guards: Helpful Selection Guidelines
Gutter Guards Guidelines – What to Look for In Gutter Protection Systems
Gutter protection systems installed on your home will give you and your family peace of mind that you will avoid the troubles associated with clogged gutters. Gutter guards can also provide protection against a myriad of other potentially serious situations water can cause around your home. For example, the result of clogged gutters may be water in your basement, cracks in your foundation, etc.
As with any investment, it is important to do your research before making a purchase. There are numerous gutter guards a.k.a. gutter protection systems on the market. How do you evaluate your options and make the best selection? Here are two guidelines that should help you consider your options and identify the most important features in gutter covers.
Gutter Guards Guideline 1: Never Buy a System with Holes, Gaps, or Openings
Eliminate any gutter guards from consideration if they contain holes, gaps, or openings because they will allow unwanted debris to pass through and eventually into your gutters. Even gutter covers like reverse curve systems where water adheres to the curve and runs through the front channel of openings will clog up with pine needles, maple spinners, and worst of all, pesky bees! The gutter guards you find at your local home improvement store that have diamond-shaped gaps or slits in them will become a home for leaf stems, pine needles, and other debris. Not a good solution!
Gutter guards that use a surgical stainless steel micro guard leaf filter are ideal because nothing sticks to the material. You want to find a system that is completely sealed, which prevents debris from penetrating the filter and only allows water to flow through your gutters.
Gutter Guards Guideline 2: Never Buy a System that Disturbs Your Shingles
Next, eliminate any gutter protection systems that are installed underneath your shingles or disturb your shingles in any way. There are a variety of gutter guards on the market that are mounted underneath your shingles. This means that the product installers physically break the seal of the first and second row of shingles on your roof, stuff their gutter covers underneath, and then nail it back down. When the installers disturb your first rows of shingles, it breaks the adhesion seal between the roof and the shingles. And this automatically voids your roofing warranty. Breaking the adhesion also invites snow and ice to creep up under the shingles and create all sorts of havoc.
Instead, select a mesh gutter guard that sits on top of your existing gutters. A mesh gutter guard will save you money in the long run by not having to replace your entire gutter system and you will preserve your roofing warranty!
In Summary
Do not buy gutter guards that have holes, gaps, or openings. Do not buy gutter guards that go up under your shingles. Find a product that uses a surgical-grade stainless steel micro mesh gutter guard lead filter that sits on your existing gutters and comes with a rock-solid guarantee!
