If you have any kind of tree within 2 or 3 hundred yards of your home I don't have to tell you about clogged gutters. Climbing a ladder in the spring and the fall are almost a ritual for some people. Aside from the fact it is time consuming and unpleasant, it can be down right dangerous! The ER at your local hospital no doubt has countless stories of individuals showing up with all kinds of injuries from falling off of a ladder.
There are options available to eliminate the need to clean out your gutters but only a few of them actually work consistently. Over the years I have had experience with a whole lot of them. A few of the alternatives to cleaning your gutters are as follows:
Wire Screens
Nearly all the big box home improvement stores sell some kind of gutter screen or mesh panel. The good thing about this type of product is the initial cost, usually between one and four dollars. These panels attach to the gutter with tiny clips and in most cases do in fact keep leaves and debris out of the gutter to some extent. The problem with the screen type protection is they have holes large enough to allow debris through and end up getting clogged themselves. In most cases the purpose is defeated and the screens end up being discarded.
Helmet Systems
Over the last 10 years there have been a large number of gutter protection products designed and brought into the market based on a principle called Surface Tension or Liquid Adhesion. These "helmet" style panels attach to the roof on one side and clip on to the edge of the gutter on the other. Theoretically,http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif as the water runs down the roof and on to the reverse curved gutter guard, the rain water follows the curve around and down into the gutter, while the leaves and other debris pass across the helmet away from the house and on to the ground. It sounds good but if you have this type of system, you know it just doesn't work. The leaves get caught in the front opening and a log jam ensues, making it harder to keep the gutters clean at this point than it was before the gutter protection was installed.
Micro Screen Gutter Protection
There are two things to keep in mind when considering gutter protection:
1)If the guard has a louver, slot, hole, or an opening of any kind IT WILL CLOG!
2)If the guard requires being attached to the roof in any way, whether nailed to the roof or placed under the shingles, IT WILL DAMAGE YOUR ROOF!
As nearly every gutter protection product possesses one of these characteristics, finding a worthwhile solution has been difficult. That is until now. A very few manufacturers make what is called a Micro screen gutter guard. This product contains a stainless steel membrane and fastens to the gutter only, thus not disturbing the roof in any way. The micro screen covers the rigid mainframe, allowing only water to pass through it due to the extremely small holes in the screen itself. This system has proved to be quite effective in keeping leaves and debris out of the gutters while making sure the water goes down into the gutters, and on through to the downspouts.
Shelby Vinyl Products Co, LLC offers a micro screen system through our gutter protection division known as LeafMaster. The product carrys a "No clog, money back guarantee". If you've been looking for a gutter protection system that actually works,at a reasonable price, I urge you to consider one of our LeafMaster micro screen products. Call us today at (419) 982-3709, and ask about LeafMaster Gutter Protection, or visit our website at Leafmaster.
