Yes, brush gutter guards reduce – but don’t eliminate – gutter cleaning. Brush gutter guards catch large debris in the bristles, reducing the frequency of gutter cleaning.
Brush gutter guards are worth a look because, unlike other kinds of gutter guards, these simple bottle-brush designs can be purchased cheaply and installed quickly, even by someone with little do-it-yourself experience.
How Brush Gutter Guards Work
Brush gutter guards are designed to fit snugly inside your gutter to catch leaves, pine needles, and other debris in their stiff bristles to stop clogging. Catching large debris reduces the frequency of gutter cleaning but does not eliminate it. The bristles hold onto debris so leaves can be blown away or washed away from heavy rain or wind.
The truth is, some of the debris like whirly-birds does get trapped in the bristles of the brush gutter guards but due their design, you need not worry about clogging.
History of Brush Gutter Guards: Brush gutter guards have been on the market for about 20 years and are popular with homeowners and cabin owners with heavy tree coverage or homes with hard-to-reach gutters.
How Brush Gutter Guards Are Different: Unlike other gutter guards like micro-mesh guards and gutter screens that sit over the top of the gutters, brush gutter guards sit inside gutters — filling the space but leaving room for the flow of water to run freely toward downspouts while preventing clogging from leaves and other debris.
How Brush Gutter Guards are Made: Like a bottle brush, brush guards are wound with high-quality galvanized metal or stainless steel, securing the heavy-duty and weather-resistant polypropylene bristles. Brushes can come in several sizes to fit standard gutters, usually 5” and 6” in diameter. These guards can fit snuggly inside most gutter styles, including half-round, K-style, and box gutters.
Cost: Brush gutter guards are relatively inexpensive. They are easy to install yourself with minimal tools. The average cost of a brush guard is between $3 and $5 per linear foot. Professional installation typically starts at $500 and goes up depending on the square footage and style of gutters on your home.
Pros of Brush Gutter Guards
- Easy to Install: Brush guards are easy to install and can be customized to fit most gutter styles without fasteners or brackets to keep them in place. It’s a great home improvement project for the DIY homeowner.
- Make Gutter Cleaning Easy: By catching leaves and other debris, brush gutter guards make yearly gutter cleaning a quick job.
- Keep Pests out of Gutters: Brush gutter guards deter rodents and birds.
- Help Gutters Last Longer: The tightly packed bristles allow air and water flow, keeping gutter rust at bay and prolonging the life of your gutter system.
Cons of Brush Gutter Guards
- Need to be Replaced Every Few Years: While brush gutter guards help keep debris out of your gutters, they may need to be replaced every few years, which can be hard on your home improvement budget.
- Less Aesthetic: Brush gutter guards are also less aesthetic than the clean lines of a traditional gutter because the bristles may be visible.
- Potential Fire Hazard: Brush gutter guards are made from fire-resistant materials, but the debris caught caught in the bristles often is not and this could be a fire hazard if you live in an area with frequent brush fires.
- You Still Need to Clean Your Gutters: Lastly, you’ll still need to clean gutters regularly to remove large debris stuck in bristles as well as small seeds, sticks, and sediment.
Are Brush Gutter Guards Worth It?
In a word yes, but with this caveat.
Brush gutter guards aren’t as effective as micro-screen gutter guards for a very simple reason: As mentioned earlier, an awful lot of leaves, sticks and other debris cling to the bristles, and smaller debris like dirt and grit from roofing shingles easily slips between the bristles and ends up in the gutter.
Our Verdict: You’ll still need to clean your gutters a couple of times a year, but brush gutter guards make the work easier.
FAQ about Brush Gutter Guards
No, brush gutter guards require no hardware to keep them in place. They are designed to fit snugly into your gutters and can be installed without tools.
If you have lots of trees, you might notice gutter blockages or clogged gutters throughout the year.
Some gutter guards can alter your roof’s warranty, especially if guards touch fascia boards or use fasteners. Brush gutter guards do not contact the roof, fascia, or soffits – they do not require fasteners. Brush gutter guards should not affect the warranty of your roof.
If you need help keeping your gutters clean and don’t want to deal with this dirty job, My Gutter Gnome connects you to the best local gutter-cleaning pros.
Main Image Credits: Comstock / Canva Pro / License; Bill Oxford / Canva Pro / License created using Canva Pro
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