Gutter Guard - Is It Worth It?
Are you considering installing gutter guard? Here will hopefully be able to give you some insight into whether gutter guard is worth the investment.
Firstly what is the purpose of gutter guard?
Gutter guard is installed to minimise the build-up of leaf debris in your Gutters. That way you don’t have any blockages that can cause potential damage. So is it really worth it to spend hundreds, if not thousands of dollars to install gutter guard?
It depends on a few variables. You would have to consider how many trees you have around and near your property, how many times a year do you clean your gutters - more than 2 times a year? If so, you may need gutter guard.
Secondly, what style of gutter guard is better?
There are so many different styles of gutter guard, which one is the best one? There really isn't one size fits all, as it were. However, there are definitely some better than others. The one we use is a mesh style. It sits in the gutter, locking itself in using the natural tension. You have brush style and you have the metal mesh. Below we will list some of the pros and cons for each of the styles:
Poly Mesh - Pros
Allows water to flow easily into the gutter.
Easy to remove and refit without damaging the product.
Prevents debris from entering the gutter.
Poly Mesh - Cons
Birds can potentially lift the guard out.
Traps moisture which can cause an increased risk of rusting gutter
Does not work for all styles of guttering
Brush Style - Pros
Stops leaf debris filling the gutters.
Easy to install.
Reasonably cheap compared to other options.
Brush Style - Cons
Restricts water flow.
Can bend out of shape.
Traps moisture which can cause an increased risk of rusting gutter
Leaf debris gets caught in brushes and builds up
Metal Style - Pros
Seals the gutter completely.
Stops the majority of debris building up in the gutter.
Allows water to flow through the guard easier.
Metal Style - Cons
Lifting will damage the gutter guard by bending it out of shape.
Difficult to clean underneath.
Traps moisture which can cause an increased risk of rusting gutter
Expensive to install.
What is the verdict?
Gutter guard can be worth it if you have a lot of issues with leaf debris. However, it is important to remember, gutter guard does not cancel out a regular clean. So when considering which way you will go, remember that the gutter guard is purely just minimising the regularity of your gutter cleaning.
As for our choice of which gutter guard to use, we choose the mesh style as the best style to use for its ease while cleaning out gutters. To view our product brochure click here. If you are interested in installing gutter guard, contact us today for a free quote.