Australia's Best
DIY Gutter Guards

DIY Gutter Guards Australia

It’s easy to fall into the trap of leaving gutters unprotected. They’re easily forgotten because they don’t intrude on the appearance of your home. But forgetting to add them in can have some major consequences. Gutter guards have been an important part of roof protection for decades. They come in several different types of gutter mesh such as aluminium, stainless steel, and poly. All three types of gutter guards are high quality, but different guards may suit your house’s needs differently. To determine which type of protection is best with you make sure that you contact a consultant before purchasing. These guards ensure that the rainwater in your gutter and downpipes will continue to flow freely. They take out the gross job of cleaning out gutter debris and prevent pests from entering your home. They save time on your overall house-maintenance schedule and leave money for you to invest in other areas of the home. In areas where there are lots of trees gutter guards are essential for ensuring that the home is well kept. Professional cleaners can work to clean out your gutters once a year and protect your home from harm year-round. Failure to properly clean out your gutters, and protect them with a guard to stop the build up of leaves and pine needles, will cause water to overflow along the foundation of the building. In turn this water can soften the soil around the building leading to cracks in the foundation. In some cases this can lead to structural failure of the building.

Why do you need to protect your gutters?

Firstly, forgetting to protect your gutters leaves you open to pest infiltration. Gutters are perfect dark, damp places for pests like possums, snakes, birds, and vermin  to breed. They’ll often move from the gutters into your roof causing more problems as they go. A common complaint about pests that we hear from clients is that they have been unable to eradicate the problem. They’ve spent thousands on multiple pest control services only to have the same problem return months later. Instead, we recommend clients choose a  gutter guard with high durability to prevent the infestation happening in the first place. The savings upfront and long term are amazing! Another common pest problem stems from clogged gutters. In addition to creating cool damp spaces for larger pests to breed, clogged gutters leave stagnant water perfect for breeding mosquitos. Gutter guards keep your gutters clear of any debris ensuring that all water is directed quickly away from the house and out of the gutters. These essential house add-ons protect homes from unwanted pests. Using a high-quality steel gutter guard is a low-cost investment with long term rewards. Our steel products last for several years, with regular maintenance, and cut out the need for pest control services. They also reduce harm to the environment as smaller animals like possums and birds don’t get trapped in your roof after breeding. Typically, gutters are used to keep water from pooling near the foundation of your home. They are standard for most modern homes as professionals are aware of their essential functions within the house. Most professionals are aware that high quality steel is best suited to homes because they are easy to maintain and slow to degrade. You’ll note that clogged gutters and nests will cause leaks, damage to the roof, and structural damage to the foundation of your home. Small damage caused by a lack of, or poorly maintained, gutters can quickly add up to more significant and expensive damage. The longevity of your home is largely dependent on a well-maintained gutter. One client shared a story with our team after we helped them to choose new gutters to install; “I had to battle a possum in my home more than once, because it had to defend its territory – even though that territory was my home!” Despite the benefits of gutters, you may be nervous to introduce them to your home. There are many horror stories on google of gutters become blocked, leaves and debris getting caught, and pests moving in. However, these are largely caused by poorly maintained gutters.

There are three common types of pests that you should be looking out for in your gutters;

Mosquitoes

Mosquitoes are a common pest in Australia. They often carry diseases and at best leave itchy bites on humans. They breed rapidly and can quickly become a significant issue. The most common reason for mosquitoes breeding is stagnant water. They’re particularly drawn to open-style gutters which are filled with water, wet leaves, and other debris. Horrifyingly, it only takes one tablespoon of standing water to breed hundreds on mosquitoes. To ensure that your gutters don’t become the reason for mosquito growth regularly check for blocks or restricted water flow. Don’t be fooled by these small little pests the larvae for mosquitoes are small and remain inside the water until they’re ready to hatch as adult mosquitoes. In general, if you’re seeing mosquitoes flying around it’s safe to assume there’s some larvae waiting somewhere.

Termites

When you think of termites, you typically imagine damaged wood and renovation work. However, you should also bring to mind rotting wood from rainwater overflow. A rainwater overflow is caused by clogged gutters that prevents water from flowing away from the house. Rotting wood gives termites an opportunity to chew their way into the house. This rotting wood can also have other ongoing problems that your familiar with. Such as damage to the foundation, structure, and overall appearance of the house. Once this damage has been caused other pests can follow the path that termites have left leaving more damage behind.

Birds

Despite their pretty songs in the morning, we’ve all felt fed up with bird noises at some stage. Especially after they make their way into your roof. Firstly, birds can build nests inside of gutters causing significant blockages. Secondly, birds in your gutters will leave droppings that carry diseases. For both structural and personal hygiene reasons it’s best to avoid this happening rom the very beginning. Covering your gutter with an appropriate guard to prevent pests from entering the gutter. Also regularly check your gutter to ensure that the guards are working efficiently, and no debris is blocking the way.

• Bird Mites

Bird mites are small parasites that live off birds. When their bird host dies the mites can find a temporary human host. While on humans they will bite, typically causing skin irritation. Some bites can lead to secondary infections. Again, for personal hygiene reasons it’s best to install gutters on your house.

• Indian Myna Birds

This is a non-native invasive species that can be particularly difficult to get rid of. They will multiple nests at one time and spread out their eggs. If you have an Indian Myna bird infestation the pests will remain around until the carcasses have all been removed. Even if the nests aren’t active, they can restrict water flow within the gutter leading to other pest infestations or hygiene issues.  

Possums

Possums are a protected species, however they can still cause significant damage to your home. Their protected status means that if they are attracted to your gutters due to debris you will have to fulfill many condition in order to remove them from your home. The key issues that possums cause are physical damage. Possums are well known for chewing through items like insulation, natural materials, and wire. As such, any opportunity for these possums to gain access to weak points in your roof they’re likely to take advantage of. Combine possums with termites and you will have a serious issue on your hands. Other than physical shredding of items, possums can interfere with the temperature regulation of your home by damage your insulation. This is expensive and costly to fix, and possums are likely to be aggressive to anyone entering an area that they’ve marked as their own. Further, possum urination and defecation leaves behind odours and stains that ruin the appearance of the home. These unhygienic marks are made worse by the many diseases, pests, and parasites that possums can harbour.

Rats

Rats are similar to possums in that they chew through various materials. Rats are known for chewing through insulation and electrical wires – often leading to house fires. Rats are fast breeders, and are hardy creatures making them difficult to eradicate. Rats also carry diseases and parasites and can be particularly dangerous if they bite a human. Its best to call in professional services to remove these rodents quickly and then install gutters to prevent infestations in the future.

Snakes

Commonly attracted to rats nests, snakes can seek out prey through unguarded gutters. They may also be attracted to the shelter and warmth of the roof during colder times. Snakes may be defensive, and bites can be poisonous to humans. Its best to professionally remove snakes from your roof as soon as they are discovered.  

Summary of Risks

Overall, blocked gutters lead to a myriad of issues, including structural and personal damage. Blocked gutters create the perfect breeding ground for pests. These pests carry diseases that can impact your family’s health. In particular, Ross River Virus and Murray Valley Encephalitis are carried by mosquitoes which breed easily and are difficult to eradicate. Another issue caused by blocked gutters is structural damage. Blok gutters allow damp and mould to grow near the house foundations. As such the house is left vulnerable to flooding and other types of damage. Insultation and electrical wiring are exposed to the elements and local rodents. The cost to install a quality gutter guards may be a barrier for some homeowners. However, when the costs with not having gutter guards properly installed on your house is considered the savings are astronomical. There is a one-time purchase fee of $2000 and $250 every year for cleaning. Compared to $3500 to replace rusty gutters of $3600 to have the roof, insulation and gutters pest cleared and restored. In one year, you could be facing up to $10,000 in open gutter costs. The smarter decision is to purchase the best diy gutter guard for your needs and avoid any nasty, ongoing services.

But how does gutter protection work?

Gutter guards or gutter covers provide a physical barrier that stops pests climbing inside the gaps of the gutters. Australian animals are particularly intelligent and require top quality guards to stop them from entering the smallest of gaps. Further, the ski-slope design of gutter protection means that the water is pulled through the barrier’s mesh and the debris is left behind to fall off the roof. The design means that stagnant water is a problem of the past! Clogging is also a non-issue as the debris that would have caused the barriers in the past has now fallen to the ground. Other gutter protection devices like brushes, coils, or gutter foams may lack this feature – leaving your gutters vulnerable to clogging and stagnant water. Our product is a long term solution that creates a tight seal around the gutter and key roof areas. A roll of mesh is then added to fit the custom requirements of your home. This mesh is specifically designed to hold against the most destructive of pests. The gutter protection measures creature a unique system that can fend against bushfires by preventing debris collection. Another option is to choose an Ember Guard that maximises your opportunity to defend your home against ember attacks after a bushfire. The initial investment for a gutter protection system like the one we provide is minimal compared to the peace of mind that you can achieve. A second benefit from gutter guard protections is that you will need to spend less time and money on maintaining your gutters and roofing. Gutters without guards are a precarious investment at best, and a time bomb at worst. Their potential to house pests, debris, and facilitate rot means that they require the extra protection. Further, you’ll need to spend less money maintaining the home because you’ll discover that a well maintained gutter protects, rather than damages, your home. You’ll no longer need to hire expensive pest services for your roof or replace shredded insulation. Even better, you won’t need to be up and down a ladder clearing out debris, nests, or checking the health of your gutter. You can rest easy in the comfort of your own home in the knowledge that your gutter guard protection is actively working to keep you safe. Aussie DIY Solutions Mesh also only requires an annual inspection. A professional can handle this for the low price of $250, and that will give you the confidence to trust in your guards all year. Aussie Gutter Protection provides a zinc coated steel with corrosion resistant layer to ensure the longevity of their product. Unlike other items that have an inbuilt ‘obsolescence’ point our product aims to last. Further, our entire range is bushfire compliant, meeting the Australian Standard for the Construction of Buildings in bushfire-prone areas (AS3959-2009). You can confidently work with our professionals with the knowledge that they’re trained and able to provide you sound advice about which gutter bests suits your area. Our Ember Guard protection also meets the updated Australian Standard for the Ember Guard Protection of Sheet Roots (AS3959-2009/Amdt 2011) and is CSIRO rated. All our range is available in a series of styles and colours ready to match any style and roof type. Uniquely, our product comes with a  warranty and a team of experts to help you to make the best decision for your home.