Gutter systems serve a crucial role in preventing water damage. By collecting and redirecting rainwater and snowmelt away from your home’s foundation, you are protecting your home from moisture issues that are often expensive to resolve.
Gutter repair professionals often advise homeowners to invest in a gutter protection system to prevent gutter and downspout clogging. All sorts of debris can pile up in your gutter system to cause clogs: leaves, pine needles, branches, and the occasional baseball and animal nest. Clogging is one of the leading causes of gutter damage and also damage to other parts of a home.
With a gutter protection system in place, you don’t have to worry about the tedious and often dangerous job of cleaning your gutters and dealing with clogged and frozen downspouts.
But what kind of gutter protection system should you choose? Here are some of your options:
Brush Gutter Guards
These gutter guards have stiff bristles that prevent leaves and other debris from ending up in your gutters. The bristles act as a filter to allow only water to pass through. You don’t need a professional to install these gutter guards. However, they don’t catch smaller debris and you will probably have to remove the leaves and branches that are stuck on the bristles.
Foam
Foam gutter guards are cheap and also easy to install, and they prevent more debris from entering your gutter system than brush gutter guards. However, debris can still accumulate over the foam. The foam itself will deteriorate and pieces of it might end up starting the clog. When they are new, however, they are highly effective in preventing overflows, so you won’t have to deal with siding replacement or any other big investment due to water damage.
Surface Tension Gutter Guards
These gutter guards function based on the principle of surface tension. They let debris slide over them and fall to the ground, but they collect water so it ends up in the gutter. However, these are often a lot more expensive than other gutter guards.
Metal Mesh or Screen
The small holes in the metal mesh or screen gutter guards prevent debris from ending up in the gutters. As with surface tension gutter guards, debris simply slides over the mesh and falls to the ground. These gutter guards are often highly effective during rainstorms. No gutter guards are perfect, so some small debris can still make it through, but these gutter guards are generally effective at reducing clogs and the need for cleaning.
Get in touch with New Image Elite for your gutter guard installation. We also offer window replacement. Call us today at (301) 934-5454 or fill out the form here.