Everything You Need to Know About Low-Maintenance Rain Gutters

Gutters are great… except for the part where you have to climb up your ladder and clean them out from time to time. It’s no surprise that many Asheville homeowners wish they could devote a little less time each month (or each week, depending on the season) to gutter maintenance – especially in fall and winter!

If that sounds like you, good news. There are low-maintenance gutters and gutter guards that are just what you’re looking for.

Gutter maintenance – inevitable or preventable?

Here’s the thing: gutters protect your home, so you can’t go without them. These essential roof accessories like gutter downspouts help to manage water flow, funneling it away from your home’s siding and foundation. That’s important for summer thunderstorms. But it’s also vital in fall when you need to make sure your gutters are clear and ready for the snow of the winter season! Without gutters, not only would your yard often become soaked, but you might run into other issues in the long run, like foundation cracks, mold in the basement, and even possible flooding.

But sooner or later, your gutters will eventually become clogged with debris and gunk. That’s when you need to head up top and clear out the gutters so they can do their job. Gutter maintenance is inevitable, even with the right guards and gutter types. But that doesn’t mean you can’t reduce how often you need to break out the ladder and brushes.

Top gutter-clogging hazards

Depending on where exactly your Asheville home is located, you might encounter certain gutter-clogging debris more or less often. For many homeowners, the most common gutter gunk includes:

• Twigs
• Leaves
• Ice
• Bird or rat nests
• Mud from the above-mentioned critters

Luckily, most of these things can be diverted or blocked out by Leaf Relief Gutter Guards.

There’s no such thing as no-maintenance gutters

Leaf Relief Gutter Guards are excellent home improvements and gutter upgrades. They act as physical shields, preventing twigs, leaves, and ice from getting deeper into your gutters, where they’re harder to scoop out. But even the best gutter guards can’t stave off blocks forever.

Still, even though you won't find maintenance-free gutters, certain sturdy gutters with tight seams and smart construction will clog up less often than you think. On top of that, the right gutter guards and other preventative measures can turn a monthly chore into a biannual, low-hassle task.

How to make your rain gutters low maintenance

If you’re tired of cleaning out your rain gutters every month, here are a few simple steps you can take to make your life a lot easier!

First, clean your gutters thoroughly

There’s no getting around this part, so head up top and make sure your gutters are totally clean and clear before making any big changes or upgrades. Use a shop vac with a long hose if you have one or let your elbow grease handle the majority of the work by scrubbing your gutters down with scoops, brushes, and a mixture of soap and water.

Next, trim branches near your home

As you clean your gutters, you'll probably notice that twigs make up a huge portion of the collective debris. If tree branches hang over your home, they're the likely culprits, so trim some of those branches back or hire a professional tree trimmer to do it for you.

Finally, install Leaf Relief Gutter Guards

Once you’re ready, buy and install new Leaf Relief Gutter Guards. The entire installation process shouldn’t take more than a day or two. These resilient guards do an excellent job of keeping your gutters clean and sturdy, even during heavy storms.

Best types of low-maintenance rain gutter guards

By far, the best gutter guards to reduce your overall gutter maintenance are the Leaf Relief Gutter Guards. If your existing gutters have served you well so far, great! You can install Leaf Relief right onto those existing gutters. They’re so effective they can drain about 30 inches of rainfall per hour, so there’s no danger of them preventing your gutters from working properly.

Or you can opt for the Leaf Relief Continuous Hanging System, which helps to strengthen your gutters and protect them from system damage like ice, snow loads, warping, and more. In either case, you’ll find that one simple install can save you a lot of time and effort throughout the year!

Is installing gutter guards worth it?

All in all, installing Leaf Relief Gutter Guards are the best way to reduce the maintenance you have to tackle each year, especially in the chilly winters and rainy summers of Asheville. Plus, you don't have to figure out all the details of this rooftop renovation by yourself.

Window World of Asheville is ready and waiting for your call. Not only do we offer various gutters and gutter guards, but we can also help you choose and install completely new gutter systems if your current gutters aren’t in stellar condition. Contact us today to learn more!