LAST UPDATED: March 2025
Tired of clogged eavestroughs? Are gutter guards (gutter covers) the solution to your problem?
Gutter guards can be a valuable addition to your home’s maintenance routine, but whether they are worth it depends on various factors. These devices are sold to keep leaves, debris, and other objects out of your gutters, reducing the need for frequent cleaning. For homeowners in areas with heavy foliage, gutter guards can be a real-time and effort saver, as they prevent clogs and potential water damage to your property.
However, the first thing to remember: there is almost nothing maintenance-free. Please don’t fall for those marketing tricks about gutter guards. There is no “set it and forget it” type, doesn’t matter how expensive it is. The only way it works is if your property doesn’t need gutter guards anyway. Funny, eh? So if there is anything besides water that gets into your gutters, you would have to keep cleaning your guards and, most likely, the gutters too. Check the photo below. That’s one of the GUTTER GUARD CLEANING jobs we had to do.
Types of gutter guards
We know of 7 different types of gutter guards:
- Screen or Mesh Gutter Guards: These guards consist of a metal or plastic mesh that covers the gutter. They allow water to flow through while blocking leaves, twigs, and other debris. They are relatively easy to install and are cost-effective. However, fine debris may accumulate on the surface and necessitate occasional cleaning.
- Bottle Brush Gutter Guards: Bottle brush guards are essentially a series of bristle-like brushes that are inserted into the gutter. They prevent large debris from entering while allowing water to pass through. They are easy to install and maintain, but fine debris can still accumulate between the bristles over time.
- Foam Gutter Guards: Foam gutter guards are made from a porous, spongy material that fits into the gutter. They block debris from entering while permitting water to drain through the foam. Installation is relatively simple, and they are effective at keeping most debris out. However, they may deteriorate over time and require replacement.
- Surface Tension Gutter Guards: These guards have a curved or sloped surface that directs water into the gutter while preventing debris from entering. They work by creating a surface tension that allows water to adhere and flow into the gutter. They are highly effective at shedding debris, but they can be more expensive and require professional installation.
- Reverse Curve Gutter Guards: These guards are designed with a curved edge that extends out over the gutter, directing water into the gutter while keeping debris out. They are durable and effective at shedding debris. However, they can be more expensive and may require professional installation.
- Nylon or Brush Gutter Guards: These guards consist of bristle-like brushes made of nylon or similar materials. They are designed to allow water to flow through while blocking debris. They are often used in regions with lighter debris loads and are easy to install.
- Perforated Gutter Guards: Perforated guards have small holes or slots that allow water to pass through while blocking larger debris. They are durable and effective at preventing clogs but may require occasional cleaning to remove smaller debris that can accumulate on the surface.
What to keep in mind
Things to research when you are thinking about installing gutter guards:
- What trees are clogging up your rain gutter system? Pines are so much different from maples.
- What is the problem? Is it leaves and twigs OR pine cones and needles? Maybe it’s very fine birch seeds or annoying ash tree seeds.
- Will a guard stop your trees from getting into your eavestroughs and downspouts?
- Will water from the roof still get into your eavestroughs? Because remember: the main function of the rain gutter system is to ‘direct the water to a suitable disposal site where it will not damage the structure and foundation of the building’.
Adding the guards will cost you, even more than you think. If you call us to clean your eavestroughs and they have guards, we’ll charge more, because it’s more work. Sometimes, it’s 2 or 3 times more work, because we have to remove the guards clean your eavestroughs, clean the guards, and install them back on.
What do we suggest?
- Trim your trees, that are close to your roof. Trim them as much as possible. Yeah, we love them too but they are bad for gutters.
- Clean your gutters regularly.
That’s simple.
No, we are not trying to trick you into calling us more for cleaning 🙂 We make money on installing and cleaning gutter guards too, so you will call us anyway. However, our houses have no gutter guards, think about it.
Contact us, when you are ready for your next cleaning in Calgary.
Not convinced yet? Research more about gutter guards: read other articles and watch Youtube videos. For example:
Why choose ‘Gutter Cleaning on a Budget’ for your eavestrough and other exterior cleaning needs?
A small but dedicated family business. We are in the TOP THREE gutter cleaning companies in our beautiful city, and #1 by volume of eavestrough cleaning jobs in Calgary. Thank you, YYC. We’ve been working hard to achieve and sustain this status. Our spotless reputation is backed up by the CLOG-FREE & NO STREAKS guarantee. Your satisfaction is our priority. We guarantee that your gutters, eavestroughs, and downspouts will have no clogs after our appointment. We guarantee that your windows will have no streaks.
Wonder if you can trust us?
Over the years, we helped CEOs, doctors, lawyers, politicians, engineers, IT-specialists, tradesmen, and even some local celebrities. We helped single moms, retirees, landlords, tenants, new homeowners, and a lot of other people who are not comfortable with heights or don’t have enough knowledge of the rain gutter system. That means you won’t be among the first thousand customers who trusted us, but we are very happy to work for you anyway 🙂
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