A gutter guard is a piece of material that attaches to the top of your gutter system and prevents unwanted debris—such as leaves, pine needles, and roof grit—from clogging and damaging your gutters. Put simply, gutter guards ensure your gutter system functions optimally with as little maintenance as possible.
Clogged gutters can cause damage to both the gutter system and the home. When gutters are clogged or damaged, they can’t perform their primary purpose—collect roof water and channel it away from the foundation.
With leaves, pine cones, pine needles, and other debris taking up space in your gutter, it has a lower capacity to handle roof water. Without the capability to collect roof water, this water ends up running down the side of your home and falling to the ground surrounding your foundation. This water can pool up and can result in serious water intrusion or structural damage.
Kinds of damage that can clogged gutters cause are:
– Foundation damage. The number one cause of foundation damage is improperly-channeled roof water—or overall poor water management. When gutters fail to collect roof water and direct it away from your home, this water can oversaturate the soil surrounding your foundation. Oversaturated soil places thousands of pounds of pressure on your foundation walls, eventually causing them to bow, crack, and leak.
– Exterior wall and fascia damage. The overflow from clogged gutters can spill out onto the home’s exterior walls and fascia boards. This continuous cascade of water can cause wood to rot and water to saturate interior walls, leading to mold growth and deterioration. As your fascia boards deteriorate, the risk that your attic leaks and insulation becomes damaged increases.
– Gutter damage. Clogs increase the weight of your gutters significantly. If your gutter’s bracket system is not strong enough to support the added weight, they can pull away from the roof fascia. This damages your gutters and creates a gap for water to run down the siding of your home. Additionally, clogs can cause water to become stagnant in the gutter system, leading to rust.
– Bug and critter infestations. Rust and waterproofing or structural failure aren’t the only outcomes of standing water accumulating at the base of your gutter system. The excess moisture provides an excellent environment for bugs and critters and can lead to mosquito, termite, rodent, and stinging insect infestations