Your Choices for Protecting Your Home's Gutters
Your home's gutters are very important for the overall security of the home's framework and building materials; without proper guttering, rainwater can fall from the roof to the side of the home, damaging the exterior siding or brick. This water can then also collect around the home's foundation, causing cracks, water leaks and other serious damage.
While gutters are important, they can also require a tremendous amount of work to keep clean and free of debris, which is why it's good to get some type of protection for those gutters. You have several options for covering a home's gutters; note a few of those here, so you can determine the best choice for your home.
Screen
A screen over the gutters is a good choice of gutter protection for any home, as these screens are affordable and simple to attach; most are thin plastic or aluminium so that they can be cut to size with household shears, and then just clipped to the sides of the gutters. Screens will keep out leaves, twigs and other larger debris. However, many screens will still allow smaller debris such as seeds and even silt to make their way into the gutters, so the screens themselves will need to be cleaned on occasion, as will the gutters, to remove any debris that gets past the screen's mesh.
Brush
A gutter brush is a cylinder shaped brush that sits inside the gutters. It's also easy to install, as you simply snip it to size and set it right in the gutter itself, without clips or other attachments. The brush will keep leaves and twigs from settling into the gutters so that water can run freely to the home's downspouts. A brush also blocks out more mud and silt than screens. Brushes will need to be removed and hosed down on occasion, but they may result in less work in keeping the gutters clean than other options.
Cover
A gutter cover is just as it sounds, often made from a stretchable nylon material that actually goes over the top of the gutters, leaving the edge by the roof open to collect rainwater. Covers may provide the most protection from leaves, twigs, and other such debris, and may be the best choice for homes that sit under trees that drop seeds or sap onto the home. Covers can often be hosed down without being removed, making for easy cleanup, but they will also need regular inspection for tears and other damage and to ensure they're still properly clipped to the gutters.