How do I maintain gutter guards?

Maintaining gutter guards takes two habits: a regular look from the ground, with a brush-off when debris has collected, and a yearly check under the guards and through the downspouts. Most of the work can be done standing on the ground. The rest is single-storey ladder work, or a short visit from a gutter cleaner.

Why guards still need attention

Guards reduce cleaning; they do not end it. Gutters should be cleaned at least once a year, and more often with trees close to the house,^[6] and guards can help reduce how often that cleaning is needed.^[6] What changes is the job: brushing the top a few times and checking the system once a year, instead of scooping out every gutter.

Skipping it brings back the problems the guard was meant to stop. A clogged system spills roof water beside the foundation, and Fairfax County's health department lists roof gutters among the places that can hold standing water, where mosquitoes live for at least a week before they start flying.^[8]

Regularly: look and brush

Periodically inspect for debris that has not blown off, particularly where two sections of the roof meet in a valley or in areas protected from wind.^[1][2]

To clear the top, screw the brush on the end of an extension pole, then from the ground, reach up and brush off the debris.^[1] Gutterglove's tips add: "Be sure to wear protective eye wear."^[1] Grit falls straight down. Sweep gently along the run.

Then watch the gutters work in a heavy rain. Water should disappear into the guard. Water sheeting over the front, or pouring off one corner, tells you where to look next. After the storm, check for streaks or watermarks on the outside of the gutters and erosion along the drip line,^[6] which are signs that the gutters overflow when it rains.

Once a year: under the guard and down the spout

Debris can also get under a guard through gaps at joints and ends, where you cannot see it from the ground. Once a year, on a single-storey eave and only where the guard is fastened to the gutter rather than slid under the shingles, lift one section near each downspout and look. Screwed guards can be backed out and reattached through the same holes, and a taped guard is cut free with a sharp knife and refitted with screws.^[2]

Clean any strainer at the outlet or the bottom of the downspout. Screens require regular cleaning to avoid clogging the downspouts.^[5]

Then flush. Flush the whole gutter system with a hose and make sure water flows freely from the bottom of each downspout without backing up.^[3] Check where the water lands while you are at it. Each downspout should end on "a concrete or plastic splash block at the end of the pipe to direct flow away from the foundation wall and prevent erosion,"^[6] and the Department of Energy recommends terminating downspouts at least 5 feet away from the foundation.^[7]

On any ladder work, stay on single-storey eaves, use a standoff so the ladder bears on the wall rather than the guard, and remember that the top two rungs of a straight or extension ladder are not for standing on.^[9]

Keep the fit right

Check that every section is still fastened and sitting flat. The front frame should sit flat against the gutter's front lip, with the mesh trough at least 1/8 inch below it,^[2] so refasten anything that has lifted. Look at end caps and joints for gaps where leaves or nesting birds could get in.

For the whole gutter system, Peak recommends that you regularly check for and remove ice and snow buildup and repair any cracks, tears, leakage or other damage.^[4] From the ground, that means watching for sagging runs, dripping seams and gutters pulling away from the fascia.

Winter

Gutterglove warns that icicles and ice dams can form on a gutter with any gutter guard in freezing conditions,^[2][1] and that "Icicles can break and cause serious bodily harm."^[2] Keep people and cars out from under heavy icicles and do not chip ice from a ladder. Properly installed, operated and maintained heating elements on your roof and gutter can melt icicles and ice dams; for installing them, use a licensed electrical contractor in good standing.^[2]

Protect the warranty

Long warranties come with conditions. In Gutterglove's warranty, tree sapping on mesh, moss and mildew accumulation, and maintenance procedures not followed properly are among the conditions that void it.^[2] It also says to keep the warranty document with the original purchase receipt.^[2] A short log of when you brushed and flushed the guards costs nothing and answers questions later.

Stop and call a pro if

• The guards are on a second storey, or the only way to reach them is from the roof.
• The guards slide under the shingles and lifting them would mean lifting roofing.
• A gutter sags, leaks at the seams or has pulled away from the fascia.
• Water still spills after the guards and downspouts are clear, which points to undersized gutters.
• A ladder position would bring you near the service wire or any overhead line. A metal ladder must not be used when working on or near electrical wires.^[9]
• Ice builds up every winter and you are considering heating elements, which call for a licensed electrical contractor in good standing.^[2]

If water still spills after a clean-up, read why gutter guards keep clogging. For the yearly visit, browse gutter cleaning on Loclis, read how often gutters should be cleaned, or see the rest of the exterior answers. To have the guards checked and refitted, describe the job once and local businesses quote it.