Is It Better to Clean Your Gutters or Cover Them?

If you’ve recently had to deal with cleaning your gutters, you may have found the task to be somewhat challenging. Gutter covers are a good option to spare yourself from that task altogether.

Won’t Stuff That Goes Into Gutters Come Out of Them?

Gutters are meant to drain water off of your house, and it’s reasonable to think that a lot of the material that goes into them will simply drain out along with the water. However, you have to consider that gutters work just like any other draining mechanism. Small particles can pass through, but larger pieces of debris will get stuck together and form blockages. A slow drain caused by something as simple as leaves can cause a thick sludge to form. Over time, sludge becomes harder. Eventually, you’ll have a complete obstruction.

What’s the Downside to Cleaning Gutters?

Cleaning your gutters requires working at a considerable height; a lot of people don’t have a ladder as tall as the height of their gutters. A fall could be very serious. Also, it’s a really messy job. You may encounter slime, mold, and pests. Gutter guards eliminate the need for this dangerous and unpleasant job.

Are Gutter Covers Effective?

You may be wondering about the efficacy of gutter guards: If covering gutters can make them work better, then why wouldn’t all gutter systems have gutters? In reality, gutters have been around a lot longer than gutter guards. An older home’s gutters likely won’t have covers. Also, not all gutter covers are created equally. Their functionality can diminish over time, particularly when they’re not installed well. New gutter guards that are well-made and properly installed will work well indefinitely.

Ultimately, getting protective covers for your gutters will keep them clean. Having gutter covers installed once is easier than cleaning them again and again, and it will prevent a problem that could result in damage to your home.