What Are Gutter Guards?

W

A gutter guard (also known as leaf guards, rain gutter protection, rain gutter covers, and gutter covers) are gutter accessories that attach to a buildings gutter system to filter all possible causes of outflow blocking such as (debris, animals, leaves, twigs, stones, and more). Ultimately gutter guards will protect your home from floods and, by extension, damage to your home

The Pros & Cons of Using Gutter Guards.

Gutter guards can protect you in multiple ways, including:
  1. Preventing debris piling in the gutter system.
  2. Preventing insects, vermin, and critters from invading and settling in your gutter system.
  3. Easier maintenance: Using a leaf gutter will result in a less and easier maintenance process as you won't have to go deep into a gutter system to remove its content, but rather, you'll have to occasionally remove some of the debris stuck on top of the gutter guard.
  4. Rust protection: Gutter guards protect your gutter system from rusting (a clogged gutter system will pool water which hastens the rusting process).
  5. Fire protection (there have been many reports of embers flying into a dry leaf-filled gutter system which ultimately caused houses to burn).
  6. Long-term cost-benefit: Despite the upfront cost, a gutter guard will save you money in the long run.
Cons of using a gutter guard:
  1. Requires maintenance: Although a gutter guard requires less maintenance than a gutter system, some still find gutter guards maintenance as a tedious job.
  2. Upfront cost: While the long-term benefit of a gutter guard outweighs the short-term upfront cost. However, many can find it relatively costly.
  3. Installation process: Some of the gutter guards will require modifications that might harm your rooftop, such as fixing the gutter guard to your roof under a row of shingles. In contrast, other types will require professional assistance and are hard to do DIY style.
  4. Replacement: Gutter guards don't last forever; rather, they last for a certain amount of time, based on their type and the material they are made of, which you will have to change later, which can be annoying, especially if it requires assistance.

Is using a gutter guard a waste of money? Do gutter guards work, and can they save money?

Using gutter guards is definitely a way to save money. However, although you can survive without using a gutter guard, in the long run, not using them will mean more trouble for you in terms of maintenance and cost. Not using a gutter guard is similar to not wearing shoes; yes, we can live without shoes, but it won't be as comfortable, and the possible repercussions and (medical) bills will ultimately cost more.

What costs can a gutter guard cut down?

A gutter guard can cut down on your costs in multiple forms, which are ramifications of a clogged gutter system, which include but are not limited to:

  1. Rotting rooftop.
  2. Basement flooding.
  3. Attracting pests, critters, mold, and vermin.
  4. Garden damage.

Who can benefit from a gutter guard?

A leaf guard is beneficial for all building types on the long run, and this becomes especially the case when considering areas where the weather is rainy on a regular basis. These include:

  1. Homeowners
  2. Hotels and Motels
  3. Hospitals
  4. Warehouses
  5. All work health and safety (WHS) related occupations

Types of Gutter Guard

Not all gutter guards are the same, as different types of gutter guards will reflect different filtration capabilities, durability, price, gutter guard installation ease, and maintenance requirement. Types of gutter guards include:

1. Screen gutter guards

Screen gutter guards have large pores, meaning they will filter large objects, but the smaller, finer debris such as insects, pine needles, and dust might still fall and cause some level of clogging and congestion to the gutter system. They are the most commonly used type of gutter guard.

But on the bright side, a large pored gutter guard will have less of a chance to gather mold and algae relative to the finer pored gutter guards such as the micro mesh rain gutter guards.

The installation process of screen leaf guards involves lifting a row of shingles and placing the gutter guard below it.

This process can sometimes be harmful to your roof and can cause a warranty to be removed. As for the difficulty level when installing a screen gutter guard, it is often considered at a DIY level, as it is relatively easier than most other types.

Typically, a screen rain gutter protection is made of copper, stainless steel, plastic, aluminum, or vinyl, with the plastic option costing less but also lasting less.

The reason screen gutter guards are the most commonly used type is because of their relative functional and cost-efficiency.

In general, screen gutter guards are more durable than mesh gutters and micro mesh gutters when unifying the type of material the gutter guard is made of.

2. Mesh gutter guards

When considering the mesh gutter guards, it is easiest to compare with the screen- type gutter guard. As the general structure is the same, with the exception that the gutter mesh will have smaller pores which means they will filter more and better but on the other hand, they will be relatively more fragile and susceptible to damage. Typically, you can find mesh gutter guards made from copper, stainless steel, or aluminum.

The smaller pores of the mesh rain gutter guard mean that the gutter system itself will require less maintenance and won't get clogged as often compared to the screen gutter, which will pass some of the smaller debris and occasionally cause clogging.

Similar to the screen gutter guard, a mesh gutter guard will require you to place the gutter guard under a row of shingles, which - as mentioned before - could damage your roof and possibly remove any warranty placed.

Still, a mesh gutter installation difficulty, while relatively harder than a screen gutter's, can be considered at a DIY gutter guard if you're familiar with installing gutter guards (i.e., it varies according to your experience).

Due to the finer details, work, and functionality of the mesh leaf guard, the price is also higher than the typical screen type.

3. Micro mesh gutter guards

Micro mesh gutter guards have the smallest and finest pores of all other types of gutter guards.

It resembles the mesh gutter guard but with pores as small as 50 microns (a micron is 1/1000th of a millimeter). To put this number into perspective:

  1. A bacteria's diameter ranges from 1-10 microns (depending on the type of bacteria).
  2. Spider silk's diameter ranges from 3-8 microns.
  3. Water droplets from mist or fog are approximately 10 microns in diameter.
  4. Wool fibers range from 10-55 microns in diameter.
  5. A Human hair's width ranges from 20-170 microns.
  6. The thickness of a paper ranges from 70-180 microns.
  7. The filters on micro mesh gutter guards are 50 microns in diameter.

The filtration capabilities of a micro mesh are beyond the typical everyday gutter guard. It is universally agreed that a micro mesh is the most effective gutter guard system when it comes to filtration.

However, this high filtration capability leaves it at two main disadvantages, which include fragility and low durability, as the smaller pores mean the thickness of pore walls will be less and hence will damage more easily.

The other issue includes clogging due to molds and algae, as the smaller pores mean that water can get stuck in these small pores due to surface tension, which creates the perfect micro-environment for molds and algae (both require humidity) to proliferate and block the small pores.

This issue regarding mold and algae blocking the pores cause micro mesh to be in need of more maintenance than other types of gutter guards. This becomes especially true in areas that constantly have humid weather.

Another issue many might face when using the micro mesh is the difficulty of applying it, as it almost always needs professional assistance to apply.

The micro mesh gutter guard is usually made of nylon, aluminum, or stainless steel, with stainless steel being the sturdiest and most durable of the three types. Most companies offering micro mesh guards will provide customers with a warranty to protect against the wear and tear effect.

4. Reverse curve gutter guard (Surface tension gutter guard)

Reverse curve gutter guards have a special design that is made with a downward sloping guard that inverts back inwards into small pores while pulling water droplets.

The way surface tension gutter guards pull water is by utilizing surface tension as the water is pulled into the inverting inner portion into the pores.

The surface tension of the reverse curve gutter guard is amplified by altering the texture of the down sloping guard, which makes sure water is drawn.

The Reverse curve gutter guard can provide a great combination of filtering, durability and price. They can last for longer times; the maintenance they require is minimal relative to other types of gutter guards.

However, the installation process is usually harder than others, and will always require professional assistance, as they need to be placed under the first or second row of shingles, furthermore they need to be attached properly to your roof's fascia (the strip right above the gutter). Hence they are more invasive than the other gutter guards, and often need to be matched with the house colors and design so they don't stand out awkwardly.

Reverse curve gutter guards aren't the cheapest either, and their price will depend on a few factors including what material they are made from including stainless steel, aluminum, and plastic.

5. Brush gutter guard

Brush gutter guards are cylindrical brushes that are placed inside the gutter pipe preventing large debris from entering the gutter but allowing water to pass through. The cylindrical brush with bristles poking out of it is one of the best solutions when considering a convoluted gutter system pathway, as it can easily bend and adjust to unusual turns and corners.

Furthermore, it doesn't require much expertise when considering attaching them to your gutter system, as they don't require any screws or attaching them under shingles (won't harm your roof). Brush gutter guards are the perfect solution for a low-budget and DIY gutter guard.

However, it must be noted that it isn't the best at filtering debris as sometimes even the large debris can get stuck around the bristles and thus will require frequent maintenance, which luckily is very easy to do by simply taking out the brush gutter guard and cleaning it manually (dusting it off and washing it with some water).

In addition, brush gutter guards will require replacement even once in a while as their durability is lower than the metal-cast surface, mesh, and micro mesh gutter guards.

6. Foam gutter guard

As the name suggests, foam gutter guards utilize foam material to cover your gutter system in the form of foam blocks that are cut and adjusted to your liking. The cut foam block is placed inside the gutter system and prevents any debris from entering the system while leaving space for water flow to pass effortlessly. Applying them is very easy; you don't have to be an expert in installing gutter guards when it comes to the foam type.

Foam gutter guards are both low in cost and readily available in many stores around you. If you search for: Home Depot gutter guards, Costco gutter guards, gutter guards Lowes, or Menards gutter guards, then you'll find the closest store to sell gutter guards around your place. But if you don't want to go far, you can always order it online by a search for Amazon gutter guards.

On the other hand, foam gutter guards are very fast to lose their durability, and their lifespan is the shortest among all gutter protection tools.