As the seasons turn, animals and pests are searching for warmth and happiness in a home, moving into your dirty gutter with little interference. Birds and bees have been known to successfully build nests and raise their young in gutters. Even weeds, flowers, and the occasional tree seedlings are allowed to grow roots before they are evicted. Sooner or later, you’ll have to deal with the annoying pests. Why not take preventative measures instead of coming face to face with the bane of your existence while cleaning out your eavestrough system? But do you know exactly how to avoid pests in your eavestrough system?
Understanding the gutter pest community
Dirty gutters attract all kinds of pests and vermin. Wasps, roaches and lots of microscopic organisms love the wet, rotting environment of decaying leaves and mold that develops in a dirty gutter. Usually, the pests gather gradually as the gutter clogs but eventually become a cause of further clogging.
But even clean, unclogged, gutters can get invaded by nature. Most birds, for example, diligently bring their own supply of grass and twigs to make a nest. Bees seem to prefer a clean gutter to make a hive. In some areas, squirrels assume the right of way in gutters, which they use as the front-porch to their homes in the attic. As a result, a clean gutter soon gets clogged and the gathering debris quickly attracts the rest of the gutter pest community.
Once a gutter has been invaded by pests the only way to reclaim your ground is to clean out the gutter. A homeowner with time to spare and some ladder experience can adequately perform minor gutter cleaning. But major gutter cleaning, particularly for houses that rise beyond one storey, are best left to professional gutter cleaners. If the invaders are unusual – such as bees, squirrels or rats – there is really no option but to call in rodent control specialist.
A better strategy in dealing with gutter pests is to prevent the pest invasion before it happens. By far the best deterrence is the use of gutter guards.
Using gutter guards to keep gutter pests away
When homeowners ask how to avoid pests, the first answer should always be gutter screens. Also known as gutter covers, they are specially designed covers that are installed over roof gutters. Some gutter guards are designed to protect the gutter from being clogged by leaves, twigs, and other debris. Others are designed to also keep bees, birds and larger animals such as rats and squirrels from accessing the gutter. It is therefore important for a homeowner to choose the right kind of gutter guard, keeping in mind the pests that are prevalent in their area. It is also important to know the limits and drawbacks of each kind of gutter guard.
Main types of gutter guards
Gutter guards came in varieties and types to match different roof types, circumstances and homeowner preferences. By some estimates, there are upwards of 30 kinds of gutter guards in the U.S market. The main types are:
- Gutter Screens: Gutter screens are gutter guards that have a mesh cover mounted on a frame to block leaves from entering the gutter.
- Bottle-Brush Gutter Guards: Bottle-brush gutter guards consist of cylindrical brushes that are placed in the gutter to block the entry of leaves and twigs into the gutter.
- Slit or hole gutter guards: Slit or hole gutter guards envelop the gutter, leaving a slit or series of holes through which water is directed into the gutter.
- Reverse-Curve Gutter Guards: This kind of gutter screens is a variant of the slit or hole gutter screens and are designed in such a way as to pull water into the gutter while letting the debris falls off the sides of the house.
- Foam Gutter Guards: Foam gutter guards, also known as sponge gutter guards, are made of porous foam that is inserted in the gutter. It allows water to pass through but leaves no space for debris to gather.
Preventing gutter pests with LeafFilter™ gutter guards
LeafFilter™ gutter guards are a safe and reliable deterrence against gutter pest infestations. LeafFilter™ offers a choice of gutter guard widths and colors to match every gutter type as well as to match different kinds of areas. The company also brings to bear its long experienced in installing, repairing and maintaining gutter guards on all types of gutters.
LeafFilter gutter screens are patented and fully compliant to the terms and conditions of all kinds of roof warranties. LeafFilter’s gutter protection system will prevent the headache of having to deal with pests or animal infestation, as well as roof, structural and foundation issues. And you’ll never have to get up on the ladder again to clean out your gutters.
