Periodically people try to sell “no-clog” gutters. These aren’t gutter guard products. Instead they are literally products that are designed to keep the gutter from developing any kind of clog or debris.

Some varieties of gutter guards don’t work very well, which is why we’re very careful about the ones that we sell. The problem with no-clog gutters, however, is that they typically work too well.

No-clog gutters don’t just keep leaves, twigs, and other debris out of your gutters. They can actually keep the water out of your gutters, too, defeating the purpose of the entire exercise.

There are a couple of different types that people try to sell. One form would be the awkwardly designed gutter hood.

These hoods have only very small, narrow channels for water to pass through. They also create the kind of dark, moist environment that moss loves.

If moss or other debris does get into these kinds of gutters they can be impossible to clean. You’d literally have to pry the hood back off of your gutters.

There are also inserts that are meant to go inside of your gutters. The triangle type, for example, is meant to hold back debris.

The triangle works pretty well until the debris build-up gets really heavy. At that point the water stops seeping through the filter. You essentially create exactly the same situation that you’d create if you never cleaned your gutters at all.

Brush-guards are similar except they add long, spiny brushes to the inside of the gutter. Here, the debris build up happens on top of the brush.

At that point you don’t just have a clog. Brush guards can cause a huge cascade of water to come sweeping over the side of the gutter.

There, it will wash directly towards your foundations.

It’s far better to get well-designed gutter guards and to remember that you will never get out of cleaning your gutters entirely.

Understand that not all gutter guards are created equal. Some actually trap debris. The ones that we use, however, use an industrial nylon gutter guard that prevents the problem.

If you’re trying to reduce the amount of time and energy that you put into gutter maintenance then call us for a free estimate on micro-mesh gutter guards. We serve Wesley Chapel, Land O’Lakes, New Port Richey and the rest of the Tampa Bay area.