The Science of Gutter Protection: Why Install Gutter Helmet®?

Taking care of a home is serious business. It takes time and money, but those are resources most homeowners are willing to spend just to make sure their homes are in the best shape possible at all times. But what if you could save on time and money but still get the results you’re looking for? That’s what gutter protection has to offer.

Gutter Protection Systems at Work

Gutter protection systems play one simple role: protecting gutter systems from debris buildup in order to prevent clogs and overflows. To this end, numerous gutter protection systems have been developed, taking advantage of different designs and materials to keep leaves, twigs, dirt and other debris from accumulating in gutter troughs.

Available gutter guards in Fayetteville, NY, and the surrounding communities include:

• Brush – The most budget-friendly option, “bottle brush” guards are inserted into gutter troughs and utilize heavy-duty bristles to prevent leaf and debris accumulation. However, leaves can get stuck on or between the bristles, resulting in another form of debris buildup.

• Foam – Made from porous polyurethane, foam gutter guards are inserted directly into gutters, and are designed to let only water flow through. However, foam has a tendency to deteriorate quickly, losing its filtering ability in just two years. Some homeowners have also reported that sometimes foam lets shingle granules pass through and accumulate in gutter troughs.

• Perforated – Fitted with a perforated design, metal gutter guards cover gutters and fit under shingle material. This makes them great at keeping out leaves, but not seeds, pods and needles. Unfortunately, perforations in the design are big enough for small debris to get stuck, blocking the openings through which rainwater needs to move in order to drain properly.

• Mesh Screens – Super-fine mesh screens were developed in answer to the problems that perforated metal gutter guards have. Unfortunately, they have problems as well. They don’t do a very good job letting in water, which results in rainwater washing over the gutter system instead of being properly directed away from the house.
• Reverse-Curve – Reverse-curve gutter covers have been in use since the early 1900s. Gutter Helmet® improved upon the design, creating a gutter protection system with a patented nose-forward design to direct rainwater into gutter troughs. It takes advantage of surface tension as well, and was made with a flow capacity of 22 inches per hour. That’s double the highest amount of rainfall recorded in the U.S.!

All of these gutter protection systems are in place in various forms in various American homes, but there’s only one that stands heads and shoulders above the competition: reverse-curve gutter covers, the same system employed by Gutter Helmet.

How Gutter Helmet Works

Gutter Helmet’s patented system is designed to take advantage of surface tension and gravity. When it rains, water flows from the roof and over the ribbed/textured surface of the gutter covers. Once rainwater flows over the edge, it enters a small slit measuring just 3/8 inch wide. This gap is big enough to effectively let water through but is small enough to prevent leaves, twigs and other debris from passing through, letting them fall away from the gutter and not into it. With this design, rainwater is able to make its way into the gutter system, draining away as it should.

What It Does for You

While gutter clogs may seem innocuous, they can, unfortunately, cause a number of problems for homeowners. Fortunately, Gutter Helmet can help prevent those problems, which include:

Foundation Issues – Say you have a 2,000-square-foot home. Did you know that every inch of rain translates to over 1,200 gallons of water pouring down your roof? That’s a lot of rainwater, and a clogged gutter simply won’t be able to handle it. Instead of directing all that water away from your property, it will simply overflow, allowing water to spill over the sides and pour down the walls. This can lead to water pooling around your foundation, causing erosion that weakens walls. This in turn can result in foundation cracks and settling, compromising your home’s overall structural integrity.

Broken Gutters – With the rush of water that gutters have to contend with during a rainstorm, a clogged gutter system just isn’t able to handle it, straining sometimes to the point of collapse. When this happens, not only do you have to deal with rainwater not being properly directed away from your property, you also have to address the damage to your gutters (and roofing!) that the collapse may have caused.

Insect Infestation – Clogged gutters in Syracuse, NY, and nearby areas contain debris that prevent troughs from properly draining, making them an ideal breeding ground for insects of all sorts.

Ceiling and Wall Damage – Leaks can start from clogged gutters, moving into your home’s internal structures to cause rot and deterioration in ceilings and walls.

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Mold Growth – With all that water not going where it should, it’s not unusual for mold growth to occur. Aside from being unsightly, spreading on ceilings and walls as leaks persist, mold growth is also bad for your health, putting you at risk of developing respiratory issues.

What Sets Gutter Helmet Apart

In order to be able to do what it does, Gutter Helmet brings together a set of specially-designed features, including:

• A Nose-Forward Design – Gutter Helmet is fitted with a nose that’s flush with the gutters, leaving no vertical openings through which leaves, twigs, pine needles and other debris can enter.

• Strengthening Texture – Gutter Helmet’s patented texturing process lends amazing strength to a lighter panel, cutting back on the weight your gutter system has to bear. Compared to smooth panels, texturing also helps boost rain-handling performance by up to 60%.

• Permalife™ Coating – This is a patented Teflon-like coating with special additives that work overtime to prevent dirt and other debris from building up. Permalife also won’t chalk, fade or become corroded by acid rain.

• Ribbed Design – In addition to limiting the flow of water, ribs also spread water, causing it to sheet instead of beading. They also help to boost the overall strength of the Gutter Helmet system.

• Customized Brackets – Patented brackets allow for customized installation while reinforcing existing full-size sectional or seamless gutters in Manlius, NY, and the surrounding communities, enough to support even the heaviest of snow loads.

• 3/8-inch Horizontal Gap – Too small for debris to fall through but large enough to allow water in, this is the ideal spacing to accommodate the heaviest of rains while keeping leaves, twigs and dirt out.

Along with these features, Gutter Helmet also sets itself apart from other gutter protection systems by utilizing an installation method approved by all major roofing manufacturers, such GAF, Owens Corning, CertainTeed and IKO. It’s installed underneath the second course of shingles on a roof and will not void your roofing warranty, so you have nothing to worry about.

On top of that, Gutter Helmet comes with a triple lifetime manufacturer performance warranty. The brand stands behind their product and extends that protection to the next homeowner, as the warranty is transferable.

Gutter Protection: An Investment Like No Other

Investing in protecting your gutters may sound trivial, but it’s an important investment that’s truly worth making. Your home, after all, is one of the most important things you’ll ever own. It deserves the best kind of care available, starting with unbeatable, reliable gutter protection from Gutter Helmet.