Living in Alabama and turning our calendars to Fall means football, cooler temperatures, and leaves falling. While many leaves fall in our driveways and backyards, most of them fall on our roofs and gutters. It is easy to rake and dispose of the leaves on the ground. However, the leaves up higher on your roof and gutters are more complicated. The perfect solution to this are gutter guards. Gutter guards fit over the gutters to prevent leaves and other unwanted debris entering the gutters. Thus clogging them, making them insufficient, and not doing their job appropriately.

The Dangers of Taking a D.I.Y. Approach to Gutters
Some think getting on a ladder and cleaning the gutters yourself is a cheaper and more sufficient option. Recent years show injuries occur more and more each year from people trying to clean gutters themselves. Whether it is falling off a slippery, unstable ladder, catching diseases from animal feces, mold spores, becoming dizzy from steep heights, or getting electrocuted from nearby power lines, all of these instances prove how dangerous it is for one to clean their gutters themselves. Gutter guards eliminate these situations completely. Hiring a professional gutter company to assess your gutters and install gutter guards is crucial to protect your home and avoid potential injuries. Let’s now dive into some different types of materials for gutter guards.

Stainless Steel Gutter Guards
The first gutter guard material we will look at is stainless steel gutter guards. This is one of the more durable options, but more pricey as well. These types of gutter guards are resistant to corrosion, high temperatures, low temperatures, and most importantly, rust. These traits are all vital because it prevents the gutter guards from expanding, cracking and warping.

Copper Gutter Guards
The second gutter guard material we will take a look at is copper gutter guards. These are described as one of the strongest, toughest, and most resilient type of gutter guards on the market today. Due to this, they also come with the highest price tag. More so, copper gutter guards can be hard to find because few manufacturers produce them, making them a rarity. Copper should only be used with copper gutters to prevent corrosion due to mixing metals.

Aluminum Gutter Guards
Gutter guard number 3 will be the aluminum gutter guards. This option can be more affordable compared to the previous two. Aluminum gutter guards are able to withstand temperature changes and severe weather throughout the year without bending, warping or breaking. Because of this, aluminum is not prone to become filled with debris overflow.

Painted Aluminum Gutter Guards
The fourth gutter guard material we will take a look at is painted aluminum gutter guards. With the painted gutter guards, there are many color options available for you to choose from. If you expect a mass amount of leaves, branches, debris, etc. to fall then this is the perfect solution. The price point for these are a little more than your standard aluminum, given these are painted.

Powder Coated Steel Gutter Guards
Powder coated steel gutter guards is the fifth material we will look at. This powder coated system is durable and eco-friendly. This material lasts longer than your typical coat of spray paint. On the contrary, one drawback is the color options are limited with this type of gutter guard compared to others.

Foam Gutter Guards
Foam gutter guards will be the sixth material we will examine. For this type, the only material used is foam. This guard is fairly simple; It is a block of foam that allows water to flow through the materials while blocking unwanted debris from falling down into the gutter. Foam is a mainly cheap and durable material. However, some instances can cause it to be susceptible to mold growth. More so, these have a tendency to become clogged and require complete removal of the gutter system for cleaning.

Plastic Gutter Guards
The seventh and final gutter guard material is plastic gutter guards. Plastic is less expensive compared to other guards, but it is known to swell and crack. Exposure to UV light over time is also known to damage this type of guard. More so, harsh and cold temperatures can lead to the material being brittle over the years.

Conclusion
When the leaves are falling, it is crucial that homeowners assess their gutters. Whether that is hiring a professional cleaning service, purchasing new gutters, or having gutter guards installed, homeowners need to address how they want to handle their gutters. The consequences are pricey and dangerous if you choose to go about working on your gutters yourself or simply putting off work that needs to be done on your gutters. Installing gutter guards is a great add-on for your gutters, makes your gutters work smoother, and operate more efficiently. If you are looking for a professional gutter contractor who offers gutter services in Alabama, you can trust USA Gutter Company. We offer free estimates for property owners in Central and North Alabama. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help you with all your gutter and gutter guard needs!