Gutter guards, often called gutter screens, helmets, or coverings, are designed to keep debris out of your gutters. You need to clean your gutters for less time as a result.
While gutter guards do an excellent job at blocking leaves and other large debris from getting into your gutters, smaller items can still slip through the barrier. Eventually, these items build up and create a blockage.
They Prevent Water Damage
Gutters are a critical part of your home’s drainage system. Without gutters, water can pool and cause damage to your roof, walls, and foundation.
A clogged gutter can also result in mold, mildew, and pest infestations. These issues can be costly to repair.
You should install a proper set of gutter guards Lynnwood to prevent a gutter from becoming a breeding ground for these problems. The appropriate gutter guards free your gutter from debris and allow water to flow correctly.
Gutter guards come in a wide variety of designs, each created to match the requirements of a given residence precisely.
They Prevent Ice Dams
Gutter guards can stop ice dams and keep out leaves and pine needles. They help reduce the debris in your gutters and make it harder for ice dams to form, but they won’t prevent them from forming altogether.
Ice dams are formed when the snow on your roof melts and refreezes. It happens when heat from inside your home rises to the attic and warms up exposed areas of the roof, melting the snow and allowing it to drip off.
When this water runs down the roof and reaches the gutter, it freezes, causing an ice dam to form.
Ice dams can be a costly problem for homeowners, as they can cause extensive water damage and leaks to your roof and inside your home. The easiest method to avoid ice dams is to insulate your roof correctly.
They Prevent Fires
Gutter guards prevent fires by blocking debris from collecting in the gutter and creating a barrier that keeps embers, pine needles, and other flammable material from landing on your roof. They also protect homes in areas prone to wildfires.
Embers from the forest, structural, and car fires can travel long distances to your home if they land on dry leaves and twigs in your gutters. A faulty gutter system is the most common source of a house fire.
Many gutter guards on the market can help prevent a fire. However, not all gutter systems are created equal.
They Prevent Mold and Mildew
When a clogged gutter causes water to spill over the top of the house, it can also cause mold and mildew to grow inside the home. It can lead to foundation cracks, damage the roof and even cause basement flooding.
Mold and mildew can eat through drywall, carpets, and other building materials, making the air around the affected area smell bad. They can also discolor paper and leather.
Controlling household humidity is the best way to prevent mold and mildew from developing. For example, drying clothes on hangers before they go into the closet and removing wet towels from laundry baskets can help to keep mold spores from landing where they can grow.
If mildew does occur, take the fabric or upholstery outside to be laundered in chlorine bleach and hot water as soon as possible. Rinse well and then allow it to air-dry in the sun if possible.
