Installing Leaf Guards

Installing Leaf Guards, when replacing gutters and fascia boards make a lot of sense!

When we replace the gutters, most of our customers ask us about leaf guards and leaf diverters and how effective are they to ensure the gutters cleanliness and the keep the down pipes unclogged.

Types of Leaf Guards

Also called gutter guards and there are two primary forms or types of gutter guards. 

Don’t forget to consider where you live. For example, if you live in a bushfire-prone location, you may require further guidance about gutter guards. Please visit the Rural Fire Services page for New South Wales.
Gutter guards are mentioned in the guide lines – The Australian Standard for building in a bushfire prone area (AS3959:2018)
They must be made of non combustible materials. This means that any of the cheaper plastic based meshes are not compliant.
If you are also wanting to use gutter guards to help with ember attack, then there are only 2 types of guard that are recommended and these are the 1.9mm Aperture aluminium or stainless steel mesh.

Are gutter guards really important?

You may need Central coast gutter guards known best for their efficiency.

Clogged gutters are a significant issue

To be honest, it’s preferable to have no gutters than to have blocked gutters, which result in overflowing gutters.

This results in internal water damage, rotted fascia boards, and even foundation problems. If you reside in an area with numerous trees, you’ll need a strategy for keeping your gutters clear and running efficiently. Gutter guards may be pretty effective at ensuring that rainfall flows easily down gutters and downpipes.

If your property contains a large number of trees, a gutter guard system may prevent your gutters from being clogged. We only propose gutter guards that have been correctly fitted and are of good quality.

What sorts of leaf guards are available?

Gutter guards have a variety of styles. Each provides a unique solution based on the needs of your home.

We install two different types of leaf guards, depending on the type of leaf litter and the amount you have to deal with. You can learn more about them by clicking here.

How Do Leaf Guards Work?

Leaf guards are often referred to as , gutter guards, gutter grates, gutter helmets, or gutter covers. While gutter covers can be an excellent product when fitted and appropriately maintained. As a general rule, gutter guards do not give 100% protection from debris. If they were 100% effective they would stop the gutters from being able to handle rainfall.
They do, however, assist you in lowering your annual maintenance, cleaning, and upkeep costs.

Your Gutters Still Must Be Cleaned

No gutter protection system is completely maintenance-free. As noted previously, we do install self-cleaning gutters, specifically the HALF ROUND GUTTER.
Please visit our guttering web page to view the various designs we install, including the self-cleaning half round.

Excessive leaf litter build up, falling branches, and hail can damage leaf guards

Whatever system you install, someone will always need to climb a roof or a ladder to remove large debris and inspect the gutters for tiny particles and silt. If this is not done, your gutters will eventually clog. Eventually, the buildup will result in rainwater overflowing, which is when the water damage begins.
Debris in the gutters is also the cause of corrosion and, in severe circumstances, can become too heavy, bending and even pulling the gutters away.

We strongly recommend that you hire a gutter cleaning business on a regular basis to clean your gutters completely and to maintain your gutter guard system at the same time.

Are gutter guards effective?

The answer is not always a straight yes or no, and there are trade-offs. For example, your gutters collect a variety of debris, such as twigs, dirt, roof overflow, and leaf litter.

Gutters have an important function to perform and they work in conjunction with the roof structure to channel water away from your home. If you fail to monitor leaf litter or sludge build up in your gutters, it will prevent your gutters from working efficiently

We always recommend you use a gutter cleaning service to clean your gutters and inspect them. Ladder falls are real risk and we do not wish any of our clients (or readers) to have an easily avoidable accident. When removing gutter covers for a thorough cleaning, slips from ladders are a possibility, as are sharp edges, depending on the material used to make the covers.

Without routine gutter cleaning and protection, your gutters may accumulate heavy material that, if left unchecked, will cause serious harm. This is why installing proper gutters with a gutter guard will significantly aid in maintaining free-flowing gutters.

Gutter guards are an important component of protecting your house from water damage.

While experts agree that gutter guards may not completely prevent clogging, they do significantly minimise annual gutter cleaning maintenance.

Don’t believe inflated marketing promises

Be suspicious of assurances that you would never again need to clean your gutters. In reality, gutter coverings do not prevent all material from entering.

If your local area is windy and densely forested, branches, leaves, and blossoms may still find their way into your gutters. When leaf guards are installed, it becomes more challenging to determine when build up gathering in the gutters.
You will need to check gutter guards throughout the year to guarantee that water drains into your gutters, as well as remove and clean any debris that enters your gutters.

Be cautious of low quality leaf guards

You can have gutter guards professionally installed, or you can purchase them online or at local home improvement stores and install them yourself.
While a do-it-yourself option can save you money, it’s also likely to purchase the incorrect gutter guard for your home. Please do not be tempted with inferior plastic or Poly Mesh Leaf guards. Not only are they not effective, they do not meet Australian standards if you are in a bushfire zoned area. In a bushfire, these guards will catch ion fire.

If you’re doing it yourself, take care to measure and install it properly. If gutter guards are not installed and repaired properly, they might cause more harm than good. To eliminate the possibility of poor installation, have your gutter guards professionally installed.

Using a roofing company like AWS roofing will ensure you get the right guards fitted and installed. We will select the most appropriate type of guards for your property.

If you opt for a gutter protection system, you should anticipate a different sort of maintenance to guarantee that your gutters and roof continue to work in harmony.

Leaf guards: Are they a good fit for your home?

There is nothing like an incorrect or correct response. Leaf Guards can help you save money on annual maintenance.

However, they are not entirely maintenance-free. 

Contact us today to discuss installing new gutters and gutter guards.