Nobody likes dealing with clogged gutters. They’re messy, smelly, and usually result in one or two unpleasant pest encounters. Gutter guards are a great way to prevent clogging by keeping all the leaves and debris out of your gutter troughs. But how do you know which guard is right for you?
We’re comparing the traditional screen gutter guards to the mat and reviewing how they measure up against our very own K-Guard gutter guards.
Screen gutter guards are the traditional gutter protection method. A mesh screen or perforated cover is placed on top of your gutter troughs to let water in while keeping out leaves and debris. These screens can be made of vinyl or metal and vary greatly in design, dependability, and fit for existing gutter systems.
K-Guard gutter guards are included with every K-Guard Leaf-free Gutter System, offering guaranteed protection with a zero-maintenance and clog-free experience. They use a reverse-curve design that fully covers the gutter while guiding precipitation into the troughs and repelling leaves and other debris.
When comparing K-Guard gutter protection to traditional screen guards, there are a few factors to consider. From cost to effectiveness, here is everything you need to know about how these two gutter guards measure up against each other.
The first role of every gutter guard is to prevent clogs from leaves and debris collecting in gutter troughs and downspouts.
Screen guards are generally good at keeping leaves and larger debris out of gutter troughs, although these materials may pile up on top of the guard depending on the design. Where screens fall short is with smaller, finer debris such as dirt, pollen, and seedlings, which can work their way through the openings and plug them up to make water flow more difficult.
K-Guard gutter guards are so effective at keeping all forms of leaves and debris out of the gutter system that they come with a 100% clog-free guarantee! The full coverage prevents everything from pollen to plant matter from getting into the gutter troughs, repelling this unwelcome debris down to the ground so it can’t pile up on top of the guards.
Gutters can overflow due to clogging, but it can also be an issue of gutter size and ability to withstand heavy downpours like we tend to get in Arkansas. Overflowing gutters can also cause water to drip back onto the fascia board, resulting in rotting or mildew growth around your home's foundation. Water damage is very dangerous and can be an expensive fix!
Screen guards do not effectively keep rain away from your fascia board, and if clogged, they can’t do much to prevent overflow. However, they don’t directly impact your gutter’s capacity and usually have enough space for rainfall to easily get into an unclogged trough.
K-Guard gutter guards pair with an oversized trough that is built to withstand the heaviest of downpours! Some may worry that the reverse-curve, nose-forward design of this gutter protection may not be able to keep up with heavy rainfall, but we haven’t found this to be the case! Since K-Guard incorporates principles of water flow into the design, their gutter hoods have no trouble directing water exactly where you want it to go.
So which gutter guard option will integrate the best with your existing gutter system? Well, the answer to that is somewhat nuanced.
Screen guards are typically sold separately from gutter systems and made to universally fit most standard gutters. This means you should have no trouble integrating some screen guards from the hardware store on your gutter system, but you might not get a perfect fit which will impact its effectiveness at preventing clogs. You should also keep in mind your
roof’s warranty, as foreign attachments may be an issue.
K-Guard gutter guards don’t work with any gutter system that isn’t K-Guard simply because they are only sold as part of a cohesive system! If you want the protection K-Guard gutter guards offer, you’re likely looking at a heavier investment upfront.
Another factor you should consider when choosing gutter guards is how often you'll need to clean them. Since their goal is to prevent (or at the very least reduce) clogging, the hope is that installing gutter guards will mean less frequent maintenance!
Screen guards may not be a lot of help here, unfortunately. In many cases, screen guards will simply create a shelf for debris to collect on top of, eventually blocking water from getting into the gutters. Some types of gutter guards may even need to be removed in order to properly clean them and get any smaller debris cleared out of the openings.
K-Guard gutter guards are zero-maintenance, so you’ll quite literally
never have to worry about cleaning them. Because they are built (and guaranteed) to be clog-free and maintenance-free, if you ever have an issue then all you need to do is contact us and we’ll handle the maintenance for you!
Installation costs will vary greatly depending on the specific type of gutter guards you use.
Screen guards win out for immediate installation affordability, especially considering you can often
DIY the installation. Installation is relatively inexpensive if you’re just adding screen guards onto your existing gutters.
K-Guard gutter guards cannot be installed on their own. A professional installation company, like Hanke Brothers, is needed to install the entirely new, custom-made gutter system. Naturally, this is going to cost more than adding screen guards to old gutters! But while the cost to install is greater, you’ll find significant savings in the long run for the better protection K-Guard offers.
While we may be biased, the objective facts prove that K-Guard gutter protection wins out over the competition every single time. It takes home the gold for preventing clogs and overflow, integrating beautifully with its own custom system, never requiring cleaning, and saving you money in the long run. There’s truly no better option for Arkansas homeowners than K-Guard.
If you’re considering K-Guard gutters to protect your home this spring,
contact Hanke Brothers for more information.
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