Are Gutter Guards the Solution to YOUR Rodent Problem?

Gutter guards are caps that are placed on top of gutters to help keep them free from debris. While they can be useful to keep the autumn leaves from piling up inside your gutters, there are also some companies who advertise their use for pest control. Though this may seem like a convenient solution, it may not be the cure-all that some claim it to be.

How Gutter Guards Work

Gutter guards are made to snap or screw onto your home’s gutters. Instead of an open channel into which rainwater can flow, they work like a colander to allow the water to go in but the leaves and other debris to deflect onto the ground.

Why Gutter Guards are used for Pest Control

The logic of using these attachments for controlling animals is simple. Gutters are a potential access point for rodents to find a way into your attic. Because gutters sit under the ventilation point of the eaves, it’s possible for rodents to climb up and under the edge of your roof into the walls or the attic. Though gutter guards may limit the locations where rodents can enter the attic, this solution doesn’t close the construction gap. Rodents can also get in and out of your home’s gutter system through elbows and downspouts.

The Reality of Gutter Guards

While this can help to prevent you from needing an annual cleaning of your gutter guards, they work better in some places compared to others. If you live under the classic Georgia pines, you’ll find that the needles can clog the gutter guards to the point where the water flows over the top and can’t enter the gutter channel. This causes the water to flow over the gutters and onto the ground around them. This can put your foundation or basement at risk and erode your landscaping.

Guards can also put your gutters at risk during the winter if they cause ice to build up on top of the gutters. If they cause enough weight to the gutters, they can snap off. This can happen at the gutter attachment point or even at a higher point, causing shingles to snap off and cause roof leaks.

Is this All You’ve Got?

When dealing with a rodent problem, it’s worth your time to ask questions. If the company you’re working with has gutter guards as its only solution, you may not be satisfied with the results. If your roof is too steep, there are guard-clogging pine needles falling into your gutters, or you’ve got other access points where the rodents are entering, you may be inviting more problems than solutions. If your pest removal company doesn’t have a plan B, you may be worse off than where you began.

Working with professional companies for wildlife removal services  who look at your home’s unique needs can help with this problem. While guards are certainly a solution that works for some, a company that does an assessment before proposing a fix can help you more in the long run.

To learn more about what we can offer you, give us a call today.