Summer’s finally here and if you’re like most people, you’re enjoying backyard barbecues, working in the garden, and spending lazy days at the beach. What you aren’t doing is thinking about fall. You’re not thinking about crisp, cold days with leaves falling from the trees. You’re not thinking about raking all those leaves, and you’re definitely not thinking about cleaning all those slimy, disgusting leaves out of your gutters.
Sure, you could put it off. You could wait until that final tree has finally let go of that last stubborn leaf, and then climb up on that rickety old ladder and clean a season’s worth of muck from your gutters, hoping that it hasn’t been infested with insects. We won’t even bring up the smell. Just go back to your barbecue and worry about all that later.
But what if you could do something now that would virtually eliminate the need for that later?
You can!
Installing gutter guards now will help you avoid that mess later. By doing it before the leaves begin to fall, your gutters will be clean and ready to do its job draining water away from your home.
There are several forms of leaf protection to choose from but before deciding which leaf protection to use, it’s important to take a look around your yard and understand what types of materials your gutter guards need to keep out. Do you have trees right next to your house that put a lot of leaves on your roof? Are they mainly large leaf trees? Do they drop “helicopters”? Do you have pine trees that shower your house with pine needles or oak trees that drop “tassels”? With these things in mind, you can make the right choice on leaf protection.
Foam Guards
If you’re looking for the cheapest solution, foam guards are probably it. Foam Guards are foam tubes that are cut to length and placed inside the gutters and are made out of the same materials as pool noodles. They’re designed to only let in water which is diverted by your gutters. They tend to deteriorate rather quickly in the elements, however, and need replacing quite often.
Brush Guards
Brush Guards are another inexpensive choice. They are long tubes made of bristle brushes like a bottle brush and they work the same way as foam guards. They’re not the best choice if you have a lot of pine needles because they tend to stick in the bristles.
Micro Mesh
Micro Mesh or Perforated Aluminum Guards are thin sheets of metal with small holes punched in them and are placed over your gutters allowing water to flow in while keeping out leaves. They do a great job keeping out leaves but sometimes they need to be attached under your shingles which could be something that could void your roof’s warranty if it’s still covered.
Reverse Curve Gutter Guards
Solid Gutter Covers or Reverse Curve Gutter Guards are made of metal sheets that hang above your gutters. They’re designed to stream water over the smooth curve causing any leaves and other debris to drop over the edge. Pine needles sometimes cling and cause a clog but if you have a lot of leaves and sticks they work well.
Getting leaf protection won’t take you away from the beach for long. It’s as easy as calling Gutter Pros. At GutterPros, we specialize in commercial gutters, copper gutters, and leaf protection. We have several options when it comes to leaf protection for your gutters so call us today at (314)656-7195 and let us find the right solution for you!