The yellow, gold, orange and crimson leaves of autumn are one of America's most beautiful sights. However, once they have fallen, they are held in far less esteem, particularly if they must be removed from your roof or gutters. Even worse are pine needles that in some regions fall all year round. They seem almost devious in the way they are able to maneuver themselves into spots that make removal nearly impossible.
Gutter protectors, or guards, are designed to eliminate this problem. They prevent leaves from getting into your rain gutter, especially the full flat leaves that fall from trees like the mulberry, oak, birch and maple. Pine needles, small blossoms and berries are a special problem. With large leaves, almost all of the gutter protectors on the market work well. Each allows water into the gutter and keeps large leaves out.
The most common - and easiest to find - gutter protection device is the tension-mount screen type. Rolled gutter screening is made from a pliable, flexible metal or plastic that is slightly wider than the gutter opening. Once positioned, the wider cut material arcs upward. The arc shape causes pressure between the screen and the gutter, holding the screen firmly in place. The best thing about this type of gutter screening is that it is comparatively inexpensive, and easy for the do-it-yourselfer to install. It snaps into place, and keeps wet or dry large leaves from getting through. The downside is that tiny leaves, seeds, berries and the like can clog the screen. In fact, small debris can clog a gutter screen to the point where rainwater will pass over the gutter instead of into it. Another problem arises when one uses screening to prevent pine needles from clogging rain gutters. These needles have an ability to weave themselves into the holes in the screening and to lock themselves into place. Although we believe that there are advantages to gutter screening, we don't feel that installing a gutter screen below a large pine tree is a good idea.
Another gutter protector is the snap-in screen. These screens are a little more expensive than the tension-mount type because they are self supporting and simply remain in place at the top of the gutter. They are the easiest type to install and also are easy to remove. This makes them especially easy to clean. Also, the ability to quickly and easily remove a snap-in screen makes it an excellent choice when debris has fallen through the mesh and into the gutter. The framed screen is somewhat more expensive than the rolled tension-mount type, but we feel that its ease of removal makes it a better bet in the long run. And don't forget, when the screen can be removed, it makes cleaning pine needles a less difficult chore.
When combating pine needles and other tiny debris, there is an alternative called the gutter helmet. The helmet can be installed by experienced do-it-yourselfers, but generally is best left to a sheetmetal contractor. The reason we recommend a contractor is because this type of flashing is somewhat difficult to install. It is supposed to be mounted above the gutter and below the roof shingles and felt. This can be a little tricky for the average person since nails must be driven through the flashing into the roof frame from beneath the existing shingles. Needless to say, commercial installation makes this a more expensive alternative.
It is important to keep gutters clean and running free. Wet debris lodged at the bottom of a metal gutter will promote rust and deterioration. This will lead to premature replacement and higher home-maintenance costs. Also, debris lodged in the gutter eventually can end up clogging downspouts. This leads to gutter flooding that can damage wood surfaces by promoting fungus damage and, in some instances, cause water to back up and leak into the home.
If vast quantities of pine needles or leaves are not a problem in your area, and you don't need gutter protectors, it still is a good idea to check gutters each fall to ensure that they are clean and running free.
Homes that don't have gutters and downspouts could utilize the drip edge extension system to prevent damage to the fascia and overhang materials, but we strongly recommend a top-quality gutter system. We like 26-gauge galvanized sheetmetal gutters and downspouts. The sheetmetal is stronger than aluminum, far more watertight than plastic and far less expensive than copper.
