Don’t ever underestimate the value of a well functioning gutter system. Gutters are a bit of an unsung hero on the exterior of your home.
When they’re working well, they direct water runoff away from your home and help prevent water intrusion. When they’re not working well, your home could be at significant risk. Gutter guards can help keep your gutter system functioning – and they can also help increase your home value in the process.
In this post, we’ll take a closer look at the return on investment that you can generate when gutter guards are installed on your property and some of the reasons why gutter guards are associated with an increase in property value. Here’s a closer look:
How Much Do Gutter Guards Cost?
The cost to outfit your home’s gutter system with guards varies based on the type of guard and the quality of the guard, but generally ranges anywhere from $1,000 to $2,000 when you consider both materials and installation costs for higher-end products. But the key to any return on investment when it comes to your gutter guards is ensuring that you’re selecting a quality type of protective guard and that it is properly installed on your home.
5 Reasons Why Gutter Guards Can Increase Your Home Value
1. They Can Help Prevent Foundation Degradation
Even when your gutters are clogged, the rain and snowmelt runoff still has to go somewhere. In many cases, it will likely spill over and out of your gutter system as water accumulates and can’t properly drain – and it will pool directly below where your gutters are installed near your foundation. This won’t just potentially lead to foundation degradation over time, something that can significantly impact your property’s value, but it can also lead to water intrusion, water damage and even eventual mold growth.
Water should flow freely through the gutter system and the downspouts should evacuate water either at least 10 feet away from your home or in an area where the land grade slopes away from the property. Gutter guards can help ensure proper drainage.
2. They Can Help Prevent Home Water Damage
To piggyback off the above point, gutter guards can help prevent home water damage in a few ways. Like we mentioned above, they can help prevent gutters from overflowing and water from pooling up near the foundation, potentially entering the home and causing property damage.
And two, they can also lend a huge hand during the winter months. In the winter, ice dams can become a major problem. Ice dams form when snow melt re-freezes as it leaves the warm roof shingles and reaches the cooler gutters. If ice dams become too large, they can prevent water runoff from properly draining into the gutters and away from the property. And being that the water still needs some place to go, it could end up seeping through roof shingles and into the attic or ceiling of your home. Gutter guards are made from a variety of materials that aren’t likely to be as cold as gutter guard-less metal gutters, thereby minimizing the potential for snow melt refreeze. They can also ensure the gutter system is clear and can properly drain snow melt when it’s time.
3. They’re Preferred for Their Ease of Maintenance
While gutter guards may require occasional maintenance to ensure that they’re still working properly, maintenance is far less than what you’d have to perform on a conventional gutter system – and that can be an attractive feature for many homebuyers, especially those with mobility issues who may not feel comfortable getting on a ladder to clean out debris several times a year.
Being that gutter guards are designed to effectively block branches, twigs, leaves and other debris from entering the gutter system, potential homebuyers or current property owners will have one less thing to worry about when it comes to exterior home maintenance, and spring and fall cleanups.
4. They Can Help Your Gutters Last Longer
Gutters can last anywhere from 20 to 50 years before replacement is necessary – and gutter guards can ensure that your gutter system doesn’t fail prematurely. That’s because gutters can take a real beating over time. When leaves, branches and other debris accumulate within them, the excess weight may cause them to pull away from the home and sag. Excessive weight and debris in the system can also cause joints to become dislodged and leaks to form in the system. Installing a well functioning gutter guard system can prevent debris accumulation and thereby prevent gutter damage, helping to ensure that the system lasts longer overall.
5. Gutter Guards Can Help Prevent Damage to the Roof & Fascia
Like we’ve said throughout this piece, if water can’t properly drain, it’s going to figure out some other place to go. In some cases, this might be the attic or a pool around your foundation. And in some cases, it might also just hang out on the roof and cause shingle damage or fascia board rot or even damage to your siding. Like we said in the opening, you really shouldn’t underestimate the value of a well functioning gutter system – and gutter guards are purpose-built to help this system continue to function at a high level.
Contact K-Guard Today
For more information on how gutter guards can help increase your home value and also help reduce maintenance and the risk of property damage, contact K-Guard today. K-Guard’s gutter guards feature high-impact, all-weather hangers and use a unique, patented technology to ensure that leaves and debris stay out of your gutter system. Contact K-Guard today for more information or to locate a dealer near you.
This post first appeared on https://www.kguard.com