Keeping your basement dry is one of the most critical things you can do to protect the integrity and safety of your home. A comprehensive basement waterproofing strategy can save you tons of time, money, and hassle over time. Conscientious Milwaukee-area homeowners know that keeping their basement dry starts with prevention, and there is no better basement moisture prevention system than your home’s gutters and downspouts.
Unfortunately, gutters aren’t a set-it-and-forget-it system; leaves and other debris can collect in gutters and downspouts and block their ability to effectively drain water away from your home’s foundation. Heavy debris collection can also cause gutters to sag, break, or even rust (depending on the material), leaving your home even more vulnerable to water damage. That’s why it is so important to take the necessary steps to keep your gutters and downspouts clean and working effectively.
You have choices when it comes to how you maintain your gutter system. Many homeowners choose to manually clean out their gutters roughly twice per year, hauling out their long ladder, gloves, and trash bags and digging leaves and debris out by hand. Others hire a professional or a neighbor kid to do this dirty work for them. If this is a chore you hate doing or dread spending money year after year to have professionally done, consider gutter guards!
What are Gutter Guards?
Gutter guards are any type of screen or material designed to keep debris out of your gutters while letting water in. Depending on your needs and budget, there are several different styles of gutter guard to choose from — keep reading to learn more.
Types of Gutter Guards
While there are many different models of gutter guard on the market, they tend to fall in one of four major categories:
- Screen-style guards. Made of metal or plastic mesh, screen-style guards are installed as gutter covers, blocking most or all debris from entering the gutter while still allowing water to flow through.
- Brush guards. Brush guards are literally a large, pipe-cleaner style brush that rests inside the gutter and blocks leaves or debris from settling in the bottom. This is a highly DIY-friendly option as you can simply purchase and cut the brush to fit your gutter system.
- Foam guards. Like brush guards, foam guards are easy to install and budget-friendly. These are lengths of foam material that rest inside a gutter, allowing water to flow in but blocking the way for larger debris.
- Reverse curve guards. This style of gutter guard is a curve of metal or plastic installed over the gutter that allows water to flow downward into the gutter while leaves and debris slide off. Reverse curve guards are generally a more expensive and less DIY-friendly gutter guard option.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Gutter Guards
The major advantage of gutter guards is that they provide effective protection against debris buildup in your gutters, which allows them to effectively do their job of moving water away from your home’s foundation. But gutter guards have many other advantages as well:
- By preventing debris buildup that can damage your gutters over time, gutter guards can ensure your gutters last longer before needing to be repaired or replaced.
- Gutter guards allow you to skip the dreaded and time consuming bi-annual gutter clean out.
- While coming with a higher upfront price tag than a gutter clean-out, gutter guards will likely save you money over time.
- Gutter guards will not only keep debris out, they will prevent animals from nesting in your gutters.
- Gutter guards can prevent the formation of ice dams in winter, which can weigh heavily on your gutters and cause damage.
The major disadvantage of gutter guards is the cost of purchase and installation. Depending on the size of the home and how many gutters need to be covered, gutter guards can cost hundreds or thousands of dollars. However, the protection they provide to your home means that, in the vast majority of cases, gutter guards will save you more money over time than you will pay upfront.
At Zablocki Waterproofing, we help home and building owners in the greater Milwaukee area with the entire spectrum of foundation repair and basement waterproofing services. No matter your budget, there are steps you can take to eradicate basement moisture and keep your home sound and dry for decades to come. If you’re interested in learning more about how to protect your home from dangerous basement moisture, give Zablocki Waterproofing a call today.
