Homeowners, nearly universally, despise gutter cleaning. Depending on how your home is situated, gutters must be cleaned at least once a year, and if your home is surrounded by trees, your gutters could need to be cleaned as often as once a week during the fall! For centuries, people have searched for a way to keep gutters cleared of debris while still allowing rain water to flow through them. Currently, there are two popular methods for keeping gutters debris free: Solid-top gutters or micromesh gutters.
Solid-top gutters
Solid top gutters, or reverse-curve gutters, have been around for more than 100 years. They commonly are pushed as the answer to gutter debris. Solid-top gutters feature a curved cover over the top of the gutters. Based on the design, water is meant to flow over the gutters, clinging to the curve through a small opening, until it falls from the underside of the curve into the gutter. Large debris, such as leaves and twigs, hit the solid top and fall to the ground, rather than into the gutters.
While solid-top gutters do work to repel some larger debris, they can introduce a host of problems. Some debris, like pine needs and seed pods, can make their way through the reverse-curve opening and clog gutters. Because the gutters are enclosed, there is no way to clean them out. Also, when water washes down your roof and over the gutters, it brings with it oil and pollution from your shingles. That oil and pollution can leave the gutter curves dirty and clog them over time. Reverse-curve gutters don’t always work to drain water properly from the roofline. The water won’t cling to gutters before they are fully wet, so when rain first starts to fall, it won’t fall into gutters. And during heavy rains, water can pour over the top of the gutter guard and flood your landscaping and your home’s foundation. Finally, the small opening in the reverse-curve gutter can allow insects, like bees, and small animals inside to nest.
Micromesh gutters
Micromesh gutters are the solution to clogged gutters! Made from a stainless steel frame and an extremely fine mesh, micromesh lets in rainwater and only the very smallest particles enter the gutters. With micromesh, all of the water from your roofline can make its way through the gutters as it should. The debris that is small enough to enter the gutters is also small enough to wash safely through the gutter system without causing clogs. The larger debris that hits the gutter guards will fall away or be blown away by the wind. Micromesh gutters also have a lower profile and don’t turn gutters into an eyesore like solid-top gutters can.
If you are interested in maintenance-free gutters with micromesh gutter guards and live in the Nashville or Franklin, Tennessee, areas, call the Gutterman of TN today! We can talk to you about our SafeGuard gutter guards and how they can keep your gutters free from debris.