Leaf guards, also known as gutter guards, are gutter attachments that prevent leaves, twigs, and other debris from clogging your gutters, while still allowing water to freely flow. There are a variety of gutter guard options available, with nuances designed to sustain various water flows and home designs. If you’re interested in adding gutter guards to your home, you likely have preliminary questions; one of the most common questions we receive is – do leaf guards work in heavy rains and snowy weather?
We’ll answer this question below and provide gutter guard suggestions for those concerned about the weather conditions in their area. Let’s dive in!
Gutter Guards and Heavy Weather
Leaf guards work in heavy rain and other intense weather, however, there are some variations that work much better than others. The primary issues surrounding leaf guards and heavy weather conditions that homeowners need to be aware of when selecting their gutter guards are gutter clogging and overflowing.
Gutter Clogging
Although generally speaking gutter guards do an exceptional job at keeping larger pieces of debris out of the gutter system, small debris and dirt can still get through. While one or two small pieces certainly won’t affect an entire system, an accumulation of debris and dirt overtime will. That’s why even with gutter guards it is still important to clean your gutters, although you don’t need to complete this task as frequently as you would without the guards.
Overflowing
Because leaf guards work to prevent debris and other objects from entering your gutters, the largest downside of their design is that they can sometimes be too stringent for large amounts of water or snow. When the roof runoff cannot be absorbed quickly enough by the gutters with gutter guards, the water has no choice but to go over the guards and the gutters; this is known as gutter overflow. Gutter overflow eliminates the benefits of having a gutter system installed.
Selecting a Gutter Guard to Work in Heavy Weather
If you only occasionally experience heavy rain or snowy conditions, you probably don’t need to be too concerned about your leaf guard system handling the extra activity. However, if heavy weather is a regular occurrence in your area, paying special attention to the leaf guards you add to your system is a worthwhile exercise.
Unfortunately, there isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution for all gutter systems and weather conditions, and your best course of action is to hire a professional leaf guard installer to consult on your particular situation. Nevertheless, the general recommendation for heavy weather leaf guards are wire mesh or slotted aluminum. Stay away from foam or gutter inserts and stick with the options that are precisely fitted over the gutters.
For all of your gutter and leaf guard needs in the Amarillo, Texas area choose New Vision Exteriors. Give us a call today for a consultation!