Are Gutter Guards Maintenance Free?

October 24, 2022

A rain gutter is the first line of defense to protect a home from the damage caused by rainwater. Much of this damage is the result of months and even years of moisture buildup, with water slipping into the foundations of a house and leaving them vulnerable to cracks, decay, etc. While rain gutters are the main element in your home's drainage system, some Rain Gutter Accessories are ideal to take your gutter's functionality to the next level.

Among these accessories, nothing stands out more than gutter guards. A gutter guard is a sheet of metal or plastic, usually mesh-style, that's attached to the top of your gutters. It's usually secured to the lip of the gutter and the fascia board, serving as a barrier that blocks the passage of any dirt, keeping debris, leaves, twigs, and animals out of the gutter run.

Gutter guards help prevent different forms of gutter damage like:

• Clogs caused by debris inside the gutter.
• Rusting of the gutter's material if it's made of metal like copper and galvanized steel.
• Fissures and cracks caused by twigs and pine needles, which would eventually compromise the gutter's durability.
• A pest problem. Rodents and insects love to build their nest inside rain gutters.
• Stability issues when the gutter has to sustain extra weight from snow, ice, debris, etc.

Do Gutter Guards Need Maintenance?

When you install new gutter guards, they become part of the rain guttering system. As such, they can't go unattended for long. Gutter guards are exposed to the same elements and temperature changes as rain gutters. And just as rain gutters, gutter guards aren't completely impervious to damage, so you need to inspect them regularly to make sure there's no dirt gathering at the top.


At the end of the day, the main purpose of gutter guards is to prevent clogs and debris buildup inside your gutters, so they aren't structured to be maintenance-free.

The guard's material and the pattern on the screens will determine how much time you can take getting all the dirt off it. Since most of the dirt is just sitting at the surface, gutter guards are fairly easy to clean, but you can expect some dirt to get stuck on the mesh or to accumulate on top of the surface after a storm.

What To Expect from Gutter Guard Maintenance?

The best and most obvious approach is to do maintenance on your gutter guards each time you clean your gutters. If the amount of dirt and leaves inside the gutters increases the hours of maintenance, gutter guards will definitely make cleaning easier overall. Nevertheless, it's possible for some tiny particles of dirt to slip inside the gutter so you shouldn't neglect any part of the gutter after installing new gutter guards. These guards will mostly save you time and effort but they won't affect the frequency of your cleaning sessions.

In many cases, homeowners choose not to cover the entire gutter run with a gutter guard as leaving some part of its length open makes it easier to look inside the gutter during routine inspections. You can place gutter guards at strategic spots closest to the trees or depending on the amount of debris falling off your roof.

With or without gutter guards, your rain gutters need to be cleaned by a professional once or twice a year. When it comes to DIY cleaning, you'll need the same tools you'd use to clean the rest of the gutters: gloves and goggles for protection, an extension ladder, and a bucket to collect all the dirt after cleaning the area. To remove the debris from the guards, you can use a garden hose or a leaf blower, adding the proper extensions when needed depending on your roof's height.

If you have specific concerns about gutter maintenance in general or guard cleaning in particular, you can always ask the specialists at Miami Gutter Cleaning.


Miami Gutter Cleaning has everything you need for your rain gutters, including the best tips and accessories to optimize your maintenance efforts. Our crew will be happy to offer all the resources at our disposal, so don't hesitate to come to us if you want to enhance the protection of your guttering system. You can call (786) 676-8259 or contact Us filling out our website form to schedule an appointment. Get the best cleaning and maintenance service by the hands of the best gutter specialists in South Florida.