Prolong The Life Of Your Gutters With Gutter Guards
Every so often you may find that your gutters are in need of replacement. One way to prolong the life of gutters is with Gutter Guards, however, over the lifespan of your home, you may find the need to replace your gutters and here’s why:
- Clogged or leaky gutters are one of the biggest causes of basement leaks, mold and other foundation problems. Also, standing water in gutters is one of the common places mosquitoes breed – mosquitoes are known disease carriers. Old worn out gutters look ugly and reduce the value of your property.
- Your old gutters may have become bent or dented or may be pulling away from your property in a manner that they cannot just be reattached or reworked.
- Your old seamed gutters may have begun to pull apart or have drippy leaks and you would like to replace them.
- You want to change the color of your gutters.
- The drainage of your current guttering is not sufficient so you want to install a larger size gutter and downspout system. Most homes and commercial properties have 5 inch gutters with 2×3 downspouts, but we can install 6 inch gutters with 3×4 downspouts when necessary.
- According to experts, gutter cleaning for an average sized home containing 150 feet of gutters costs approximately $75, and should be cleaned twice a year. Over a 30 year period, the total cost would be $4500. By comparison, a lifetime lasting gutter protection system, at the price of $15 per foot, would only cost $2250 for the average sized home. This makes gutter cleaning twice as costly as having a covered gutter protection system installed. And this calculation doesn’t even count the cost of damage to a home that can be caused by sub-standard gutters.
How to Tell if Gutters are Draining Properly
If during a rainfall, you can hear the water slapping the ground, pouring over the sides of the gutter, there may be a blockage or the gutter itself may not be aligned evenly.
If you notice paint peeling or corroded wood that means the gutter is most likely clogged and is causing the water to overflow and run down the back of gutter along the exterior walls of the house. If you notice mold or if you see puddles of water forming around the outside of your house it’s a sure sign that there are drainage problems.
The Answer Is Gutter Guards
Thankfully there are gutter guards which can be installed that will reduce the amount of cleaning you have to do considerably.
Spend a few dollars now and fit your gutters with gutter guards. There will be no messy, soggy leaves to pull out of the gutters every couple of week. There will be no pine needles and pine cones stuffed into your gutters to the point even the slightest trickle of water cannot escape.
The gutter guards will allow water to flow through just as clearly as if you had just cleaned your gutters. The leaves and debris are trapped on top, they dry out and the wind blows them away. The ease with which the gutter guards work will amaze you. There is no other way of keeping your gutters clean unless you take them down and do not use them. This is not a solution because you will have water running down your house and collecting at the ground level.
Installing Gutter Guards is a cost effective way to save yourself from paying for expensive foundation and home roof repair in the long run. Just make sure you do enough research before buying so you make the right choice.