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Why you need a gutter guard

We’re well into autumn and the leaves are falling like confetti, carpeting lawns and driveways and collecting on roofs and inside gutters and downpipes. Visually it’s great, but from a maintenance point of view, it’s time-consuming to clear and potentially hazardous too. Enter the gutter guard…

A gutter guard is fitted to your existing gutter system to protect your gutters from becoming clogged with fallen leaves, flowers, berries and other debris. It is fitted to the top of a gutter or sometimes slots into the gutter cavity itself.

The benefits of a gutter guard:

Prevents flooding – Blocked gutters can cause water overflow in the event of heavy rain, potentially damaging your home or business. This damage can include rotten fascia boards and gutter-bracketscrews coming loose due to the heaviness of accumulated plant debris. Overflowing gutters can even cause rising damp in your walls and ceiling leaks.
Prevents pests – Uncovered gutters provide easy access into your roof. A gutterguard can prevent birds, rats, mice, snakes and other pests from making themselves at home in your roof and down pipes, which can cause damage, health hazards and sleepless nights from hearing them scurrying around. Pests leave droppings, they can damage your insulation or even die and decompose in your roof. Removing them after infestation can also cost a lot. For homes with rainwater tanks, keeping pests out helps to prevent contaminated rainwater and havens for mosquitoes, amongst others.
Prevents fire – Gutters full of dry leaves and other plant debris can become a source of fuel if ignited by windborne embers. Embers can also get indoors through small gaps between your roof, gutters and fascia boards, which can then start a fire if they land on ceiling insulation and/or other fuel sources.
Saves on hassle (and money) – The cost of professional gutter and roof cleaning can quickly add up, plus there’s the risk of injury if you go the DIY route. With a gutter guard, leaves and other bits and pieces will dry on top of the mesh and either blow off or break down enough to fall through the perforations and drop straight out of the down pipes. No mess, no fuss.
Improves rainwater quality – If you have a rainwater tank, keeping plant matter out of your gutters is a big step towards having cleaner rainwater and more of it, as leaves can contaminate rainwater supply and reduce the volume of water flowing into your tank.

Care and maintenance

Gutter mesh strength and durability varies from product to product, but every kind of gutter guard will require some maintenance, as damaged gutter mesh isas bad as having none at all. Hail is probably your biggest concern, as heavy hailfalling at high speeds can puncture some gutter meshes, while the weight of accumulated hail can cause some meshes to tear. It’s recommended that you always do a post-hail inspection, to check for damage and punctures.

Supply and installation

At UPP, we partner with only the best brands to bring quality solutions to the local market – solutions that align with our passion for plumbing and water-smart way of thinking. When it comes to gutter guards, we can help you select the correct mesh to suit your needs. Contact us today to find the perfect Gutter Guard solution for you.

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