Tips to Keep Gutters Free of Leaves
The air begins to cool, the leaves begin to change color and there is a fresh aroma of autumn is surrounding you. Then it hits you, fall is here. Those beautiful red, orange and yellow leaves will soon be clogging up your gutters! As a homeowner you know not to overlook the importance of keeping your gutters clean and functioning, but the frustration of it can be all too consuming.
When too many leaves get into your gutter system, it can cause your gutters to clog. This can make them inoperable and your house becomes susceptible to damage. If you find that your gutters are being clogged too frequently then it might be best for you to have metal or plastic mesh protectors or guards installed on your gutters. This makes it easier to keep clean, and prevents clogs as long as they are well maintained. Nothing makes gutters completely maintenance free, as some small debris can still work its way through the mesh protectors. However, this can keep the project much easier to handle.
The gutter protectors come with many different names and brands but two basic designs. The simpler and least expensive version is a mesh bulb that is attached to the top of the downspout of your gutters. This keeps the debris from washing down the downspout. This helps prevent the possible clogging of the downspout or the dry well. This option does not prevent leaves from clogging your gutters. Once the leaves wash toward the downspout, it can potentially cause water to back up into your gutters. This is a quick fix. It's something inexpensive to keep the leaves from causing bigger problems down the road but still requires quite a bit of maintenance.
The second and pricier option is to cover the entire gutter with a mesh protector made from either plastic or metal. These are also known as gutter guards. This helps prevent the leaves from getting into your gutters. This makes gutter guards much more effective than the previous option. They are often clipped to the outside ridge of the gutter or onto the roof. These will require minimum maintenance of brushing the leaves off the top. It's also important to check and clear out any smaller debris or seeds that may have gotten through the mesh protectors.
Nothing is fool proof when it comes to keeping your gutters free of leaves besides manually removing and cleaning your gutters. Keeping gutter guards in place should prove to be the most helpful and require the least amount of maintenance. If you are looking for a less expensive way to manage the functionality of your gutters, then go with the mesh bulb to keep debris from entering the downspout.
Regular observance and clean up is the best way to keep your gutters in the best working condition. It is important to remember that gutters are necessary to keep water running away from your house to prevent water damage. Be sure to keep those gutters free and clear of those beautiful yet pesky leaves, whether it be manually removing and cleaning or using some sort of shield.