#Instal RSS Guard install#

For those products, you don't even need to snap them in all you need to do is measure them, cut them and set them inside your gutters (after cleaning them out, of course). Depending on the type of gutter guard you choose and the material it's made from, you'll need a circular saw, a chop saw or metal snips to cut it.įor an even easier installation process, you can choose a gutter guard that rests inside the gutter. If you end up ordering a gutter guard that's slightly too long for your gutters, you'll probably need to cut it so that it fits perfectly.

Although we're sure that you're pretty handy with a tape measure, we recommend measuring twice - just to be sure. During this stage, you should also check for any leaks that will keep water from making it to the downspout.īefore ordering gutter guards, you'll of course want to measure the length of the gutters on your home. In our experience, the only way to know for certain that your gutters are working right is to test them with water, and that means taking the garden hose up to the roof and running water through the gutters. Whether you're installing your new gutter guards yourself or hiring workers to do it, the first step will be cleaning out any existing debris in your gutters and making sure that they're working properly. The Gutter Helmet also has a textured surface that makes the rain cling to it as it flows downward, the company claims. The curved shape sends leaves and other debris off the roof, while channeling water through a narrow slit three-eighths of an inch (0.95 centimeters) in length. The Gutter Helmet, a popular design that was dreamed up by MIT alum Bob Demartini in the 1960s, falls into this category. Īnd finally, you have the surface-tension gutter guards, which fit over the gutter and are shaped in such a way that water runs into the gutter while debris flows over the edge of the roof. The company claims that the product has rain-handling capacity up to 10 times your normal rainfall. For a similar, but slightly more expensive design, the Gutter Filler is a porous polyurethane material that fits into existing gutters.

#Instal RSS Guard install#

But it earns the highest marks in the affordability realm, as it costs as little as $3.25 per foot, and it's so easy to use, you shouldn't need to hire anyone to install it. The beauty of the design is its simplicity: the brush acts as a filter, allowing water to enter the gutters while keeping larger debris out. The design consists of a cylinder-shaped brush that fits inside your existing gutters. įor the budget-minded buyer, the Gutter Brush might be a better option. The high-tech option comes at a price, though installing the Gutterglove on your home can cost as much as $2,500. Gutterglove also makes an 'Icebreaker' model that melts icicles and snow. The mesh filters out leaves and other debris, allowing rain to flow freely. Īt the higher end of the screen spectrum are brands like Gutterglove, a relatively high-tech system that consists of two parts: a perforated aluminum channel and super-fine stainless steel mesh that is glued into grooves along both sides of the channel. Your house is probably the biggest investment you'll make in life, goes the common real estate mantra, so take the simple steps to protect it, starting at the top. Gutter guards or covers keep the leaves and twigs and any other junk that can clog your gutters while ushering rain to the downspout and away from your home. If you have trouble keeping up with your gutters (and really, who doesn't?), perhaps it's time to consider installing gutter guards, a device that helps keep debris from clogging your gutters. The debris that fills our gutters is out of sight and out of mind - both literally and figuratively - and it's just one more item on the long list of yard work and home maintenance that often goes overlooked. But many people don't keep up with gutter maintenance. To prevent damage, most experts suggest cleaning out your gutters twice per year - once in the fall and once in the spring - and possibly more often if your home is shaded by trees that drop lots of leaves and branches on the roof. When gutters fill up with decaying organic material mixed with water, they become very heavy, and in extreme cases they can become so heavy that they tear off the house. In fact, ignoring your gutters is probably worse than having no gutters at all, because clogged gutters are likely to result in water damage to your roof and fascia board (the molding that sits just below the edge of the roof). If gutters become clogged with branches, leaves and other debris, they won't be able to do their job. Left unchecked, twigs and leaves can build up, and weeds and fungus can grow in the gutters and roof.