Gutter Guards

You may already know not to underestimate the importance of clean and debris free gutters; however, you may lack the time or the desire to clean and maintain your gutters. Gutter guards are particularly useful for keeping gutters clear of leaves and other elements that clog gutters. We offer our customers a choice in the type of gutter guards that we use. Each type has its advantages and disadvantages, but they all have one thing in common, they stop gutter problems before they start. Here are the most popular kinds of gutter guards along with some pros and cons.

• Aluminum Mesh – The aluminum mesh gutter guard is an efficient way to keep leaves & debris from entering the gutters. The fine mesh does a great job trapping even tiny leaves, and the angled design of the mesh allows the trapped remains to blow away. The biggest downside of the aluminum mesh is the cost. It is a fairly labor intensive guard to install and can take the most efficient installation crew twice as long to install as other types of gutter guards. The aluminum mesh guards also require that many holes be punched in the roof to hold it in place.
• Perforated Steel – These gutter guards are more affordable than the aluminum mesh and are also simpler to install. They typically give adequate coverage and protect the gutter from larger leaves and fragments. The perforations are often large enough for smaller leaves and seeds to fall into the gutter impeding the flow of water. The steel surface is prone to rust after a few years, and these have a tendency to gap allowing significant amounts of debris to collect in the back of the gutters.
• Brush Inserts – These guards do not prevent leaves or other waste from entering the gutter, but instead the guards trap these elements in the brush. The gutters still need to be manually cleaned and maintained, and the brush is often visible from the ground.

• Plastic Mesh – The plastic mesh is a poor example of a gutter guard. They typically do not fit gutters well, leave significant gaps where debris can enter the gutters, and often crack and break after a few years exposure to the brilliant Australian sunshine.
• Open Cell Polyurethane Insert – These gutter guards are a very porous foam material that sits inside of your gutter. Once installed inside of the gutter, these guards fill the entire space of the gutter blocking leaves and other gutter clogging material from entering the gutter. Because of their highly porous material, the foam guards allow for excellent water flow. These guards are rather costly and do not hold up well in freezing conditions.

A point that we stress to our customers is that even though gutter guards are a great help in keeping gutters clear, they are not a substitute for a thorough professional gutter cleaning.