Birds, and wild animals in general, consider gutters, eaves, and home ledges to be an ideal place to build their nests and raise their chicks. Pests favor small, secluded spaces because spaces such as these can protect them from predators. Bird nests, in particular, can be quite problematic for your home.
The gutter installation experts at Barry Best Seamless Gutters elaborate on the reasons how clogged gutters can damage your gutters.
Issues Stemming From Clogged Gutters
Left unattended, clogged gutters can cause several problems. These issues include:
Keep in mind trapped moisture might also have been caused by improper gutter installation—an incorrect gutter pitch can prevent rainwater from draining properly. As such, it’d be a good idea to have gutter installation contractors inspect your gutters as an added precaution.
Unfortunately, removing birds from your gutters isn’t as simple as it seems. Federal law protects more than 800 bird species in North America. As such, it’s illegal to disturb, kill, or trap certain bird species. Since nesting season usually lasts from spring to early fall, you’d have to wait until fall or winter to remove bird nests from your gutters. In this case, it’s best to err on the side of caution and call wildlife rescue or pest control.
Given the legal and physical hurdles of removing birds’ nests, it’s important that homeowners prevent birds from nesting in their gutters. Some of the ways to keep birds away from your gutters include:
Keep in mind that gutter guards can only reduce, not eliminate, your gutters’ maintenance needs. That is except for Gutter Helmet®, the only gutter guards on the market with a Never Clean Clean Your Gutters Again® guarantee.
How Gutter Helmet Keeps Debris and Pests Out of Your Gutters
Gutter Helmet takes advantage of surface tension to direct the flow of water to your gutters. Surface tension is when water molecules stick tightly to each other when they have nowhere else to cling to. A good example of surface tension would be how water in a glass forms a dome right before it spills over. When rain hits Gutter Helmet’s textured-and-ribbed surface, using the principle of surface tension, water is directed to the gutter covers’ patented nose-forward design, which allows water into the gutters and keeps leaves and other kinds of debris out.
Gutter Helmet is also attached using heavy-duty mounting brackets, so you don’t have to worry about birds and pests trying to dislodge the gutter covers. And thanks to its PermaLife™ finish, Gutter Helmet can resist fading, chalking, and corrosion as well as other forms of damage stemming from temperature extremes.
Helmet Heat
Speaking of temperature extremes, Gutter Helmet ® is fully compatible with Helmet Heat® heated gutter systems, a gutter accessory that’s popular in areas with cold climates. Its self-regulating heat cables are installed under the Gutter Helmet guards, ensuring there’s minimal disruption to your exterior design.
Helmet Heat increases the temperature of your gutter system to prevent ice dams from forming and clogging your gutters. Unlike other gutter heating systems, Helmet Heat doesn’t overheat your gutters. That’s because its self-regulating heating cable raises your gutters’ temperature just enough to ensure ice doesn’t form, but not too much that your gutters become hot to the touch.
To make sure you get to enjoy all the benefits of gutter guards, seamless gutters, and heated gutter systems, make sure to hire a qualified contractor. Here’s a vetting tip: The number of years a contractor has been working in the industry should give you a good idea of their level of expertise.
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