Cleaning gutters is, to put it lightly, an exhausting chore. Moving and climbing a ladder, balancing yourself carefully, handling wet leaves and litter – it all can feel like more trouble than it’s worth. But cleaning gutters yearly helps to protect your home from costly water and storm damage.
But the task’s drudgery inspired a creative solution: gutter guards. Made of mesh, nylon, or other substances, gutter guards shield your home’s gutter system from debris. In doing so, they lessen the frequency that you must clean your gutters. If this benefit sounds worthwhile, then reach out to Augustine Roofing. We are a professional gutter installation company in addition to our roofing repair services. Residents throughout Ashburn, VA, turn to us for high-quality products and excellent customer service, and our work keeps their families and homes secure.
Below, we discuss why you should invest in gutter guards and expand on their particular benefits:
How Gutters (and Guards) Protect Your Home
To fully grasp the significance of gutter guards, let’s first explore the role of gutters. Their function is simple: to catch the water from precipitation as it runs off your roof. Then, using gravity, the gutters guide water away from your structure so it drains safely.
Nevertheless, “away from your structure” is a key point here. While rain and snowstorms may leave no visible damage, they can undermine your home over several years. More specifically, they erode the soil around your home’s foundation, which de-stabilizes the structure.
By redirecting the water, gutters prevent erosion of the soil beneath the foundations. However, when leaves and other debris fall into gutters, they obstruct the water’s flow. Cleaning gutters avoids this problem, while gutter guards go a step further and keep the litter out.
Do Gutter Guards Work?
The crucial question here is if gutter guards “actually” work – whether or not they protect your gutters from debris. And this needs some context.
To be clear, manufacturers do not claim that their guards eliminate the need for cleaning gutters. So, homeowners who hope to avoid that chore may be disappointed. At present, no foolproof way exists to keep all leaves and litter from getting into gutters.
Nevertheless, gutter guards reduce the amount of debris that collects in your gutters, especially large pieces (trash, whole leaves, and so on). Thus, they curtail the frequency that you or another family member need to clean gutters.
Gutter Guard Options
With these benefits in mind, let’s consider some common kinds of gutter guards on the market. First, Augustine Roofing’s go-to product is a screen variety called EZ Lock Gutter Screens. We install this type because it is cost-effective and adaptable to various roofing materials (shingles, slate, tiles, etc.).
Another common kind, surface tension guards use gravity to trickle water into your gutters and filter debris out. However, these guards require careful installation to fulfill their role. They are also the most expensive option and, in heavy precipitation, may allow water to escape gutters.
The third kind of guard is fine mesh, which you can picture as a screen variety with smaller holes. And while mesh offers the same benefits as screen guards, they aren’t as readily available. Furthermore, fine mesh requires cleaning when shingle grit obstructs their openings.
A Roofing & Gutter Installation Company with Premier Services for Ashburn, VA
If you need roofing repair or gutter guards, reach out to the expert service team at Augustine Roofing. We are a roofing, gutter repair, and gutter installation company that serves Ashburn and the Northern Virginia region. We work with clients to coordinate our work, timeframe, and budget, then we deliver the results they expect. Call us today at (703) 281-7663 or fill out our online form for a free estimate