One of the most common questions we get asked is if gutter guards are worth the money. While it might seem a funny question to ask a bunch of folks who have a vested interest in saying yes, you might just appreciate the logic of our response.
First let’s start with, “Are all gutter guards worth it?” On this point, we’d say, “No.” That’s because there are so many gutter guards designs that will let in debris. In fact, you’ll often hear our dealers tell people if you want a gutter that lets in debris, you already own one. You don’t want to wind up changing one type of gutter cleaning for a second, more complicated job.
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We often get told that there are homeowners who remove their gutter guards every spring to clean their gutters. That's a lot of tiring work! The designs you'll hear people cleaning include your standard drop-in screens, those unique "gutter pipe cleaners," even some sponges.
Are some gutter guards worth it? Yes, we believe they are if they keep out all debris and only let water through and into the gutter.
Why Is Prevention an Ugly Word?
It's kind of funny, but humans have this weird thing about prevention or doing anything that's preventative. Most of us try to avoid doing things that might be good for us. For example, when do people spend money on home security? More often than not after they've been robbed. When do you buy a radar detector? Typically after you've gotten the speeding ticket. The old adage "an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure" makes sense but statistically, most of us wait until the problem develops to fix it. We're not fast learners.
When you consider your most expensive asset is your home, it just doesn't make sense to treat clogs and cleaning as afterthoughts. Water damage is one of the more common insurance claims, and it's a shame when the problem stems from infrequent maintenance. In fact, left unchecked, most problems can wind up costing tens of thousands of dollars. The worst thing is, if it happens, you tend to fix the result of the problem and rarely deal with the source of the problem. That means the same type of issue can develop again and again.
Does that mean gutter guards are worth it?
Check out basement waterproofing company's websites. Or exterminator websites. You'll often find in the not so fine print that many of the problems they address start with clogged gutters (so they recommend keeping your gutters clean, of course), and will still gladly sell you french drains or the annual spray treatment plans they provide. How much would you pay to avoid termites, carpenter ants or constantly wet basements from happening in the first place or ever again?
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When you think about avoiding problems from ever starting, you can rest a heck of a lot easier at night. You can also keep all your family members off ladders where they can't harm themselves, but that's a whole other issue worthy of its own discussion.
So, are gutter guards worth the money? For long-term protection and peace of mind to the most expensive thing you'll ever own (and eventually try to resell), our answer is a resounding, "Yes!"
