Pine straw and leaves are coming down fast across metro Atlanta, and the same question keeps coming up on almost every inspection: are gutter guards actually worth it? Depends which kind you get.
Cheap plastic screens look good in the ad, but pine needles slide right through the holes, so you’re still climbing a ladder every few weeks anyway. Micro-mesh guards do a much better job keeping debris out, though they still need a quick rinse once or twice a year — nothing up there is truly maintenance-free.
A gutter packed with leaves and pine straw, photographed on a routine TTR inspection — exactly what guards are meant to stop.
A good gutter guard saves you a ladder trip this fall. A bad install can cost you a roof. If you’re having them added, make sure whoever’s doing it understands roofing, not just gutters.
If a gutter guard is screwed straight into your shingles instead of the fascia, it can void your shingle warranty and create a brand-new leak point.
