Although virtually all Canadian homes are equipped with gutters, not all homeowners have opted for eavestrough protection or actually know what it’s used for. Ironically, gutter guard features many advantages that allow for less gutter maintenance while helping you avoid costly repairs. Here are the main benefits of installing gutter protection.

Less eavestrough maintenance

As its name indicates, leaf guard is used as a means to protect your gutters from falling leaves and debris. Hence, rather than leaving your eavestroguhs open, as they generally are, gutter protection is installed on top of the gutter to prevent debris from collecting inside. As a result, thanks to your gutter guard system, eavestrough maintenance will be reduced to a minimum, and you won’t ever have to take out the ladder to empty your rain gutters again.

Prevents damage to the roof

Installing gutter protection prevents rain gutters from getting clogged. When eavestroughs get clogged, water is pushed back to the fascia board, which ends up rotting. This in turn causes your gutters to lose their overall resistance, not to mention that spikes and hangers will probably lose their grip as the fascia board rots.

Similarly, water will eventually reach the roof if it is not drained adequately through the rain gutter. There is thus a likelihood of water infiltration in the roof when gutters get clogged. Gutter guard prevents clogs, and water infiltration in the roof by the same token.

Prevents water infiltration in the foundations

When eavestroughs get clogged, a new problem arises as water tends to overflow. Consequently, it will fall directly into the soil near the foundations of your home. This will also damage flower beds in addition to remaining very close to the foundations. Water infiltration in the foundations is a serious issue that can be prevented with gutter protection. The latter will prevent rain gutters from getting clogged and, thus, from overflowing.

Provides protection against damage caused by ice and snow

As Canadian winters are rather tough, it is important to consider the fact that gutter guard will also help against these harsh conditions. Indeed, with gutter protection, ice and snow remain on top of the eavestrough rather than collecting inside of it. This prevents the rain gutter from being bent out of shape during freeze/thaw activity and helps water flow freely inside the gutter once snow starts to melt. As a result, thanks to your newly installed leaf guard system, the service life of your gutters will be extended as well!

Pest and vermin control inside the rain gutter

When gutters get clogged, you end up with standing water inside the gutter, which is the ideal location for insects to lay their eggs as it is very damp. However, if you have gutter protection installed, you can both prevent standing water and reduce the insect population inside the eavestrough. Moreover, as certain insects may carry the West Nile Virus, it actually becomes an even greater concern.

Additionally, installing gutter protection will prevent vermin from penetrating inside the gutter. You won’t ever have to deal with squirrels that stride along the gutter or bird nests that clog your eavestroughs!