With winter right around the corner, many people start thinking of replacing or fixing their old gutters. And you probably should do it too! If your gutters are in a bad condition you may end up with leaks in the middle of the cold season. What’s worse-repairing it can be almost impossible due to the bad weather. Save yourself all the drama and take care of the problem before it occurs. But now you have another problem-what type of gutters is the right one for you?
Certain gutter guard manufacturers claim they’ve got the best thing since sliced bread. Designed to prevent leaves and other debris from clogging up your guttering system and doing away with the chore of gutter cleaning. And yes they do reduce the amount of build-up in your gutters and thereby reduce the need for cleaning them but they aren’t as maintenance free as some of them claim. A certain amount of debris will still collect on top of the gutter guard and require you to get up there and clean them. But be warned that some guards are extremely difficult to clean so choose wisely.
It’s also worth noting that some gutter guards systems can cost thousands of pounds. More in fact than employing a guttering services London company to come and clean your gutters for you, over several years. Your situation and the number of trees surrounding your property may determine whether it’s worth investing in a gutter guard system or to employ the services of an expert company to regularly clean your gutters.
THE PROS OF GUTTER GUARDS
- they can easily be added to an existing guttering system
- they will prevent birds and rodents from building nests in your gutters
- they will reduce frequent gutter cleaning needs
- they will prevent the build-up of stagnant water, a frequent cause of overflowing and favourite home for some unwanted insect pests such as mosquitoes
- your gutters will last much longer as they won’t suffer from premature ageing caused by rot and rust
- rain water harvesting will be more efficient as the gutter guard will filter out some of the contaminants
- gutter guards can be heated to melt icicles and snow
THE CONS OF GUTTER GUARDS
- installing gutter guards can be expensive
- they aren’t 100% maintenance free-your gutters will still need cleaning from time to time
- some gutter guards are no good at all-so do your research and buy carefully
- gutter guards can be easily dented, making them much less effective
- the extra weight of the gutter guards could cause your gutters to sag
- if you have a steep roof or valleys the rainwater will likely overshoot the gutter altogether
- gutter guards are only good at keeping out larger objects such as leaves. Tree or plant seeds will get caught in the mesh and sprout leading to unwanted trees forming in your gutters.
SOME ADVICE ON BUYING A GUTTER GUARD
- choose one with small holes that will allow water to pass through while preventing small debris
- vinyl guards with diamond shaped holes have proved to be most effective
- choose a guard that is easy to remove, clean and replace
When you are considering your guttering London has plenty of gutter cleaning services to help you if you’re not that confident in your DIY skills or are a little unhappy when required to scale a ladder. But if you’re confident you can get the job done get out there and fix up your gutters before winter sets in.
Written with the help of: gutterslondon.co.uk
