Hate cleaning gutters in the fall?
Unless you're a fastidious home owner, cleaning out your gutters is often one of those chores you forget to do until the first hard downpour of the year. You know you've dropped the ball when your eavestroughs overflow. All those falling leaves land in the gutters and plug up your downspout. Not to mention dead pine needles, debris from crumbling shingles and the odd dead bird.
Keeping your eavestroughs clear of leaves and organic matter will help them last longer. Gutters are less likely to pull away from the edge of the roof or bend and twist from being too full. The clean lines of your eavestrough will also enhance your home's curb appeal.
It's recommended that gutters be cleaned out twice a year. However, you might be getting tired of hauling a ladder out of the garage and getting up to scoop out the muck that collects there. Consider investing in gutter guards or gutter covers to act as a filter over top of the eavestroughs. Most guards are perforated with holes so the water pouring down on the roof will still be draw away but debris won't collect them.
There are several types of guards for your eavestroughs. There are screens which are extremely inexpensive and often ineffective; inserts and reverse curved guards. It depends on your needs. It also depends on your budget. Gutter covers and guards are in the ballpark of $7.50 or $10 per linear foot. So, if you have an average-sized home you likely have about 200 feet of gutter. That's can add up to $1,500 to as much as $2,000 to outfit your home. There are also some complicated systems that can run even higher.
Is it worth it?
Weigh the cost of this investment against the money you could save if you outsource your gutter cleaning to a professional. If you are an older adult and getting up on a ladder is a safety issue, this might be a good alternative and provide peace of mind.
They're not fool proof
Gutter guards or screens aren't perfect. Small bits of debris can sneak in and you may have to clean your eavestroughs although likely only once every two years or so. It's still a vast improvement over twice a year. Make sure you purchase guards that are easily removed for those infrequent times you do need to get out the ladder and hose. Ask your retailer about lifetime warranties on your vinyl gutter guards as well. Some offer no-clog guarantees and will come to your home if indeed your gutters do dam up.
Another hazard can be bird nests. Birds seek shelter in the smallest of spaces and under a gutter guard might just be to their liking.
After you have invested in guards over you're eavestroughs and you are still experiencing gutter overflow during a heavy rainstorm, first check for a clogged downspout and if they're free and clear you may need more downspouts for the amount of water volume in your area.