October
20
The Good News: Leaf Season is FINALLY Here!
It’s officially been fall since September 22, but it really hasn’t looked like it or felt like it in North Carolina or Virginia yet. Warmer temps have been hanging around since summer, and even most of the mountain areas haven’t seen peak color yet. However, the cold front that finally pushed through over the weekend should help to change all that, and Leaf Season should finally make its way into our neck of the woods this week. The colors likely won’t be as vibrant this year due to the lingering warm temperatures, but at least it finally FEELS like fall now!
The Bad News: All Those Leaves Will Be Coming Down Soon!
So, why are falling leaves bad news? Well, they’re not bad news if you’re a child looking for a pile of leaves to jump into. And falling leaves also aren’t bad news if you’re someone who’s looking to gain a little more visibility through the trees to see what your neighbors are up to. But falling leaves certainly can be bad news for roofs and gutters. Leaves that pile up on your roof eventually make their way into your gutters, and once those leaves get wet, they tend not to ever leave your gutters on their own.
Why Are Leaves in My Gutters a Bad Thing?
In order to understand that, you need to know a bit more about how roofs and gutters work. When rain and other precipitation fall on your roof, it then all has to go somewhere. That’s where gutters and downspouts come in. They serve to conduct the flow of water off of your roof, and away from your home or business. When everything is working together properly, it’s a wonderful sight to behold.
But all it takes is a bunch of accumulated leaves to back up your system. And clogged gutters can lead to all sorts of headaches, and even some very real damage to your gutters and your roof. Not good!
And once your gutters start to clog up in NC or VA, you really only have two options:
- Clean your gutters out yourself, or pay someone to do it every time your gutters get clogged.
- Have a gutter guard installed so your gutters won’t ever clog up again!
How Do Gutter Guards Work?
If you’re not familiar, gutter guards are attached over the gutter itself, and are designed to prevent leaves from getting in while still letting water flow through. A pretty cool invention, really. Some gutter guard designs basically entail a mesh or screen cover material, while others take the form of a gutter “helmet” of sorts. In most cases, gutter guards are made from either thick vinyl or metal.
But, Is Having Gutter Guards Installed Actually Worth It?
It really is. Here are just a few of the benefits that come with having gutter guards installed:
• No more cleaning gutters by hand, & fewer headaches
Scooping decomposing leaves and debris from your gutters is no fun chore. And even if you go with a blower or a stream of water, roof cleaning can still get quite messy. Worse still, you can end up hurting yourself if you fall off your ladder – or worse still – off your roof! Why go through that hassle and headache when you don’t have to? Gutter guards can save you lots of time, effort, and stress.
• Icicle & ice dam protection
Liquid water isn’t your only gutter concern; frozen water can pose some real dangers, too. Water in a clogged gutter can turn into expanding ice in the winter, and this can lead to ice dam formation, as well as to overhanging icicles. But with a gutter guard in place, all that water keeps flowing through the system, so you won’t have to worry about any ice formation issues.
• Help prevent nesting critters
Critters like birds, chipmunks, squirrels, and other rodents can be cute. But cute or not, you still don’t want any of them nesting in your gutters. And you certainly don’t want a bunch of wasp or hornet nests, either. Any of these nests can lead to one or more gutter blockages. By installing a gutter guard, you can prevent most of those nests from ever happening inside your gutters to begin with!
• Better fire protection
Dry leaves and twigs which accumulate in your gutters can easily become kindling, too. If fire threats are a concern, you can rest easier by having a good gutter guard installed. That way, your gutters won’t ever collect a bunch of combustible material in the first place!
• Extend the life of your gutters
Without gutter guards, your gutters are prone to more damage from standing water, rust, and corrosion. And not only will these do damage to your gutters, but they can also result in leaks which can damage other aspects of your home or business. It’s simply not worth the risk! Gutter guards prolong the life of your gutters, and also serve to better protect your roof and your structure.
What Are Some Good Gutter Guard Products?
While there are many gutter guard products on the market, here are three that are worth a closer look:
1. Shur Flo
Shur Flo is a perforated aluminum drop-in which is designed to allow water to flow through with its patented filtration system. Any small debris which collects on top can’t get through, and usually just blows off with the wind. Shur Flo carries a low profile, too; it’s basically undetectable from the ground.
2. Raindrop
Raindrop is another drop-in product made with heavy-duty vinyl fashioned in a patented lattice grid screen. Raindrop Systems conduct a greater volume of water than traditional screen or mesh systems, and they’re incredibly sturdy, too. Raindrop offers a 20-year manufacturer warranty, tops in its class.
3. Leaf Slugger
Leaf Slugger is made right here in NC, just down the road in Hickory. This is a gutter helmet system made with the thickest available aluminum in gutter guards. It installs directly over existing gutters, is available in many colors, and comes with a patented Speed Channel Hood and Speed Bracket System for sure performance. And here’s another benefit worth noting – Leaf Slugger boasts a lifetime clog-free guarantee!
Trust Skywalker to Put Up Your Gutter Guards Right!
Looking for a local roofing contractor, you can trust to provide reliable gutter guard and gutter installation services? Skywalker Roofing is a name you can trust. We’ve provided comprehensive roofing services across the NC Piedmont Triad, Piedmont Triangle, Lake Norman area, and southern VA region for years, and we’d be happy to take care of your gutter and gutter guard needs, too. We stand behind everything we do, and nobody in the business provides a better customer experience or customer service than Skywalker. And in addition to roofing, gutters, and gutter guards, we also provide windows replacement, siding replacement, and other key exterior services, too. Connect with us today at +1 (336) 627-5596, and let us show you the Skywalker difference!
