The Georgia Guide to Gutter Guards

Gutter guards make maintaining your gutter system more manageable than ever before. But, with all the available options, finding the perfect gutter guards for your Atlanta home can be challenging. At AquaGuard, we have been long-time advocates for gutter guards. The best ones will keep your gutters free of debris and functioning as they should, all while minimizing maintenance demands. However, some gutter guard designs are more effective than others. Our team of gutter professionals are here to share their knowledge so you can decide whether gutter guards are worth it and, if so, which ones fit your needs the best. 

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Gutter Guards: Are They Needed?

While it is possible for gutters to function without gutter guards, these useful additions are designed to prolong the life of gutter systems, minimize maintenance requirements, and prevent flooding in your yard like this: 

Gutter guards are especially useful for homeowners living in Atlanta because of Georgia’s unique environmental factors, most of which put strain on gutters such as: 

• Hot, muggy summers (which could cause gutters to rust) 
• Falling pine needles (which can clog gutters) 
• Intense rainfall (which could cause gutters to overflow) 

In short, gutter guards are not needed for gutters to function, but they are valuable and necessary if you want to extend the longevity of your gutters and ultimately protect your home’s structure.

Styles of Gutter Guards

With five different types of gutter guards on the market that all serve the same purpose, it pays to understand the differences between each. While every gutter guard seeks to keep debris out of the gutter, some styles do the job better than others.

Foam

Foam gutter guards are the most affordable and easiest style to install.  Permeable strips of foam are placed into the gutter so that when it rains, water goes through, but debris is caught.
Unfortunately, what they have in affordability and simplicity, they lack in effectiveness.
Water and other small particles, such as dirt, often get trapped in foam guards and restrict the flow of water. That makes foam gutter guards difficult to clean and more likely to need replacements every couple of years.

Brush

Brush gutter guards consist of a metal wire with 360 degrees of brush-textured coverage. Like foam gutter guards, this style is simple to install and relatively affordable. However, brush guards have their drawbacks.
Rather than letting debris roll off the roof, the brush style tends to capture things like leaves, pine needles, and twigs. They start to look messy and require annual cleaning to avoid clogs (which defeats the purpose of gutter guards in the first place).
When you factor in cost, maintenance requirements, and the unappealing look of brushes sticking up from your gutters, brush guards may not be the best fit. 

Screen

Screen guards are made with a metal gridwall design (like a very small fence). They attach to the front of the gutter with a hinge and are then flipped on top of the gutter trough to provide coverage.
The metal screen material allows water to pass through and keeps debris out as intended. Keep in mind, the small holes found in the gridwall design may cause certain types of debris (such as small leaves or pine needles) to get stuck, but cleaning and maintenance requirements are minimal. 

Mesh

With a metal or vinyl attachment, mesh guards prevent all but the smallest particles from entering your gutters. Mesh gutter guards cost more than screen, foam, and brush guards, but they do a much better job at keeping debris out.
Something to consider with mesh guards is that they may be difficult to install on your own. Consider hiring a professional gutter service company to ensure the guard is installed safely and properly. 

Reverse Curve/Surface Tension

Reverse curve gutter guards consist of a solid piece of material that covers the entire gutter. The curved end of the gutter guard sits just above the trough, leaving a sliver of an opening.
Once the water runs over the guard, surface tension adheres it to the curve draining it back and into the gutter. Reverse curve guards provide a significant amount of protection against debris.

The AquaGuard Gutter System

At AquaGuard, we utilize our own specially designed gutter system.  

Designed with the physical principles of water tension in mind, a liquid adhesion process allows the gutter to capture roof water, properly manage it, and drain it away from your home.
It’s a seamless system, completely covered and sealed with no vertical openings, no filters, and no screens, preventing the need for gutter cleaning. Our gutter system comes in two parts—the gutter and gutter protection—allowing for a superior bracket system installation. This bracket system ensures your gutters never sag or pull away from the home for a lifetime of the gutters. 

Installing Gutter Guards

Installing foam and brush gutter guards is easiest as you simply place the guard inside the gutter. Screen gutter guards have hinge clips lining one side of the screen. The clips attach to the gutter’s edge, and then you flip the screen over the gutter.

Mesh and reverse curve gutter guards are more challenging to install, and the specific directions often differ by brand. As such, we recommend contacting a gutter company to install either of these two more complicated gutter guards on your home for the best results. 

Currently, our gutter solutions are only offered in Atlanta.  

If you live in the area, you know it receives high amounts of rainfall every year. This makes gutters and gutter guards an indispensable part of any home. Installing them makes foundation problems and other structural issues much less likely to occur. If you are interested in learning more about gutter guards and which ones are right for your home, we want to help. Contact us today to schedule a free inspection with one of our gutter guard experts and we’ll come up with a plan to protect your home together! 

Georgia Gutter FAQs

Do gutter guards work in heavy rain?

So long as they are clean and clear of debris, gutter guards will work in heavy rain.

How do you clean gutter guards?

To clean foam and brush gutter guards, you can remove them and spray them off with a hose.
To clean the other three types of gutter guards, you should use a ladder and remove any debris by hand or call a professional for assistance.

Can you hang lights from gutters with gutter guards?

Yes, you can still hang lights from gutters with gutter guards.