Keep Your Gutters Clean And Protected With A Highly-Rated Costco Find

Did you know that gutters need to be cleaned at least twice a year? Neglecting to clean your gutters does more harm than you think. Left full of wet, soggy leaves and other debris, clogged gutters can cause serious water damage to the exterior and interior of your home. It doesn't take long to create a perfect breeding ground for algae and mold, which shows up as a dark film that's difficult to remove. Worse still, if moisture seeps into your attic, mold may go undetected while causing serious health problems for you or your family. Over time, eventually the accumulated moisture in the rotten leaf mold living in your gutters will have nowhere to go but up, pooling water on your roof and causing damage that can necessitate costly shingle repairs. Fortunately, you can help keep your gutters clean and protected with a highly-rated Costco find.

Although leaves are the most common culprit of clogged gutters, you may be surprised to learn that weeds, bird's nests, and even rodents (both alive and dead) can end up in what becomes a sludgy mess without regular maintenance. How to really clean your gutters is debated, landing somewhere between an art and a science. Some swear that cleaning by hand is the best method. Others use plumber's snakes or vacuums. No matter which approach you choose, the task becomes much easier when you limit the amount of material that can accumulate in your gutters in the first place.

The EasyOn Gutter Guard from Costco is a micro-mesh made of stainless steel that can be secured over gutters using either the included self-tapping screws, 3M VHB tape, or both. The fine mesh keeps out leaves, branches, pine needles, and pests while allowing rainwater to easily pass through. Available in both five- and six-inch widths, the gutter guards are each four feet in length. Each one has an extruded aluminum rail that sits on top of your existing gutters, and mesh that uses a V-shaped bend to create a trough that improves the system's rigidity while increasing the ability to filter water. Costco sells kits that can cover 24 or 100 feet in total gutter length. The guards can be cut to length wherever a shorter piece or mitered corner is necessary. When considering how many gutter guards you need, keep in mind that the manufacturer recommends overlapping to join sections. The product has a 25-year warranty that backs properly installed guards.

Over 20,000 customers have given EasyOn Gutter Guards a five-star review. Thousands say the product is relatively easy to install, thanks to thorough instructions that include pictures and various methods for differing rooflines. The stainless steel material also gets high marks for being sturdy and less likely to degrade or get moldy than plastic. A few customers warn that these guards may not be a good solution for anyone who experiences heavy snow, freezing rain, or ice that renders the mesh virtually useless in colder climates.

Still on the fence about whether you should DIY a gutter installation or hire a professional? If you are comfortable climbing a ladder, remember to wear a toolbelt for fewer trips up and down, and take your time with careful measurements and installation, you can DIY gutter guards for a fraction of the price of professionally installed solutions. Although EasyOn Gutter Guards have received more five-star reviews than any similar product on the market, there are other options you may want to consider.

The Raptor Contractor Grade Stainless Steel Micro-Mesh Gutter Guard Kit from Amazon fits gutters five inches wide or less, and includes 48 feet of guards. Sharing many of the same features, from the V-shaped trough to the 25-year warranty, the product is largely indistinguishable from the EasyOn Gutter Guards except that it only includes self-tapping screws to secure the mesh panels into place. Although they come at a slightly higher price, customers are similarly pleased with the easy installation and long-lasting material that keeps their gutters from clogging.

No matter which guards you choose, some upkeep will be required. Instead of spending hours scooping out wet leaves, you'll need to occasionally brush leaves and debris off the screens. Hundreds of homeowners recommend The Gutter Guard Brush by Gutterglove, which has 360-degree bristles and fits on most telescoping poles, to make quick work of gutter maintenance.