The Truth about Gutter Covers and Systems that Claim That They Never Get Clogged With Debris
Being in the gutter cleaning business, we see just about everything on the market, and we get calls to come out and clean almost every kind of gutter system there is. This includes the both the cheaper systems, and the very expensive systems that claim that you won’t have to maintain them.
First I will say that gutter guard systems can be quite helpful if you understand the truth about them and use them accordingly.
The truth is, the better systems, and properly installed systems, will keep out debris to a certain extent, but the gutters should be cleaned and checked from time to time, because a certain amount of debris will either get through, lay on top, or build up in the openings designed for the water to come in over time.
Depending on the house and system installed, we see a number of scenarios, smaller seeds from trees that have accumulated in the gutters, bird nests, dirt, and shingle sediment that builds up from being washed off the roof with the rains. And of course the openings and ridges blocked with seeds. Because many gutter systems are permanently installed, if you do not catch the debris that build up, it can be quite difficult getting the gutters clean. We literally have to spray through the small opening in the system trying to push the debris out through the spouts. Or we have to open up the system and then close it back up when done.
So the idea is to realize the truth about gutter protection systems. Which is if you use them as a help to maintain in between cleanings (which may be less often) then such systems are great tools and can ease concerns about how often the gutters need cleaning. But if you believe that you will never have to clean the gutters again, in many or even most cases, this would prove to be a mistake.