You know that excited, happy, yet oddly suspenseful feeling you get when you realize winter’s coming to an end? It’s spring fever!
Spring is supposed to combine pleasant weather, blooming nature, and increased sunlight. But for us here in Utah, the first day of spring brings afternoon thunderstorms, scattered valley rain, and mountain snowfall.
Spring weather in Utah can be more than a bit unreliable. And one of the best ways to protect your home is by installing gutter guards.
6 Reasons to Include Gutter Guards in Your Spring-Cleaning Routine
Gutter guards can drastically reduce the maintenance you have to do on your home. However, that’s not all they are good for. Here are six benefits of installing gutter guards in the spring.
1. Keep Spring Debris Out of Your Gutters
As the winter starts fading away, gutters can accumulate a significant number of debris, including fallen leaves, pollen, blossoms, and small branches. All these can clog them and lead to a world of problems, such as:
- Water Damage: Gutters are primarily designed to direct rainwater away from your home. Once the gutters are clogged, they prevent water from flowing freely, forcing it into your home. This can result in water damage to your walls, ceilings, and floors.
- Roof Damage: Clogged gutters can also cause water to pool on your roof, especially during heavy spring rainfalls. The standing water can seep into the shingles, leading to roof leaks, rot, and deterioration. This can compromise your roof’s structural integrity and require extensive repairs.
- Soffit Damage: Overflowing water can damage your soffit and fascia, causing rot and decay.
- Foundation Issues: When water isn’t drained from your home, it can accumulate around the foundation and cause cracks, shifting, and settlement.
- Landscape damage: Clogged gutters can cause water to overflow and pour down directly from the roof in a heavy stream of water that erodes your landscaping.
Gutter leaf guards play a crucial role in preventing spring debris from backing up your gutters. They can also eliminate the need for frequent gutter cleaning, although you’ll still need bi-annual gutter maintenance to keep them in top-notch condition.
2. Help Your Gutters Weather Heavy Spring Rainfall
As mentioned, Utah is notorious for receiving rain and snow in early spring. When leaves and other debris sit in your gutter system, they affect the way rainwater drains from the roof to the ground. Debris trap the water and causes the gutters to overflow.
You might not get a chance to clean out your gutters before the first spring rain. But with gutter guards, you won’t have to.
Gutter guard installation in Utah means preventing water from overflowing in the first place rather than realizing it too late. They can help you minimize the risk of clogs and ensure all rainwater is diverted properly.
3. Prevent Nesting and Breeding
Spring is the season of new life, meaning pest numbers increase dramatically as things start warming up. Almost every pest species will be looking to repopulate after winter, which can be a problem for your home, and your gutters.
Both hibernating and non-hibernating animals could try to set up shop in your gutter system in the spring, including bats, raccoons, squirrels, rats, mice, and insects. Uncapped gutters can become an attractive location for nesting, causing blockages. What’s more, the pests can also find a way indoors and risk your family’s well-being.
Leaf gutter guards are designed with small openings or mesh that allows water to pass while blocking larger debris. They also prevent birds, rodents, and insects from entering the gutters and your home.
4. Reduce Your Gutter Maintenance Efforts in the Spring
As a rule of thumb, you should be cleaning your gutters twice a year, even more, if you live in a heavily wooded area. But not with gutter guards!
One of the many reasons rain gutter guards are in high demand is they can reduce gutter cleaning woes. Because gutter guards help keep leaves and debris out of your gutters, they save you the trouble of frequent cleaning.
Remember, installing rain gutter guards does not mean you’ll never have to clean your gutters again. However, you can simply inspect and brush away the leaves on the guards instead of dealing with heavy clogs and messy cleanup. It’s a huge time-saver!
5. Help with Fire Protection
Utah is one of the most wildfire-prone states in the U.S., with 800-1000 fires occurring annually. So, if you’re living in an area surrounded by trees, you must be extra careful about your gutters. Here’s why.
Embers, or pieces of glowing hot wood in an ebbing fire, can travel a long distance through the air. In case they fall on the dry leaves and twigs stuck inside your gutters, they might ignite a small fire that can quickly spread to the rest of your home.
Fortunately, several gutter leaf guards can protect your home by acting as a physical barrier between the debris and lighted embers.
6. Extends the Lifespan of Your Gutters
Believe it or not, rain gutter guards can extend the lifespan of your gutters. Not only do they fend off blockages and overflow, but they also prevent premature rusting.
That’s not all. Excess debris can add significant weight to your gutter system. Over time, this weight can strain the gutters and their attachments, leading to sagging, warping, or even complete detachment.
Gutter guards help maintain a manageable gutter weight and reduce the stress on your gutter system. This, in turn, contributes to its longevity.
The Bottom Line
There you have it: six standalone reasons to add gutter guards to your home maintenance checklist! Investing in leaf gutter guards can save you time, money, and headaches by protecting your gutters, preventing water damage, and maintaining your home’s overall integrity. Hopefully, this post has shed light on the importance of gutter guard installation in Utah, and how they can aid your spring-cleaning efforts.
Ready to get brand new leaf gutter guards for your home? Look no further than Ace Gutter Inc. As Utah’s leading gutter installation and cleaning company, we have what it takes to get your home ready for spring. Get in touch with us today for more information!