Are gutter guards a good idea?
Short answer. Gutter guards are a good idea when trees drop leaves, needles or seed pods on your roof and you clean gutters more than once or twice a year, but only if the guard type matches the debris. In Georgia, pine needles and oak tassels defeat coarse screens and foam inserts, so stiff micro-mesh guards usually perform best.
Match the guard to the trees
- Pines: needles slip through or lodge in coarse screens. Fine stainless micro-mesh on a rigid frame keeps them on top, where most blow or wash off once dry.
- Oaks: spring tassels and pollen form a mat. Micro-mesh handles them better than open screens, though an occasional brushing may be needed.
- Maples, sweetgums and other hardwoods: broad leaves are handled by most guard types; sweetgum balls sit on top of most guards.
- Few trees: guards may not be worth it, and occasional cleaning is enough.
Guard types
- Micro-mesh: fine stainless mesh over a support frame, the best overall filtration.
- Perforated metal or screen: cheaper, but larger holes let small debris in.
- Reverse curve: water wraps around a curved nose into the gutter, but can overshoot in heavy downpours.
- Foam and brush inserts: inexpensive, but they collect debris and can even sprout seedlings.
Installation matters
Guards should not lift shingles or require nails through them, which can damage the roof and affect the shingle warranty. Better designs attach to the gutter lip and the fascia or tuck under the drip edge as the shingle maker allows. Read gutters, sizing and guards and pine needles and leaves on the roof.