Leaf Strainers – What, Why and Do You Need Gutter Cleanings if You Use Them?

What’s metal, shaped like an egg, and helps your downspouts not get clogged?

Leaf strainers of course!

Leaf Strainers

From gutter guards to plastic extensions, we’ve seen a lot of additions that are intended to make gutters work better and easier to maintain while servicing customers in the Colorado Springs, Monument, Black Forest, Peyton, and Falcon areas. Leaf strainers are one such tool. Before we explain what these do, let’s look at the gutters from a holistic view.

Gutters As A System

Think of your gutters as a water management system. They help carry water away from your house and business. Rain and snow go from the roof into the gutters, and from there towards an outlet (above the downspout). This outlet or hole is very important to keep clear and that’s where downspout guards come into play.

A downspout guard or leaf strainer is typically steel or aluminum and is designed to be placed into the downspout outlet. The general shape looks like a bulb or an egg that is meant to allow water to pass through, but not leaves or other debris. Leaf strainers come in a universal size, usually fit either round or square downspouts, and can be purchased at most home improvement stores. A major advantage of leaf strainers is that they require no tools to install. Getting up to the gutters is another story.

Is Gutter Cleaning Still Needed With Leaf Strainers?

Gutter guards may seem like a one-and-done solution to keeping your gutter system working properly. Consider these two recent experiences we had serving customers in Monument, Colorado, and Woodmoor areas. Both were lovely homes, very well-maintained, and both used strainers at the outlets. In both cases, the strainers were surrounded by dirt, pine needles, and leaves. This debris formed a barrier between the water coming down the gutter and the strainer, causing it to spill over and impede water going through the downspout.

So, if you have leaf strainers or downspout guards, do you still need to clean your gutters? Yes!

Frequency of Gutter Cleanings – Monument / Colorado Springs / Blackforest

The question then becomes – how often. At COS Exterior Services, we recommend a gutter cleaning frequency based on the trees around and on the property. A minimum of once a year is a great place to start, however, more cleanings may be needed. Don’t just take our word for it either. According to The Natural Handyman (https://www.naturalhandyman.com/iip/infgutter/infkeepguttersflowing.html), the frequency of gutter cleaning depends on the number of trees surrounding or on your property. The more trees, the more frequently gutters and downspouts should be checked and cleaned. If you’re in a heavily treed area like Blackforest or Woodmoor, three or four times per year may be required! Finally, let’s cover the process COS Exterior Services uses to perform our gutter cleaning service, whether you have leaf strainers or not.

Our gutter cleaning service begins with removing the debris from the gutters by hand. Then, if there are leaf strainers at the outlets, we remove these, inspect and clean them. Next, we’ll check the downspouts. At many homes, there is still debris there, which is removed by hand or using an auger.

Whether you use downspout guards, are considering getting some, or simply want to make sure your gutters are functioning properly, call COS Exterior Services today. We offer free estimates and are your local, reliable, and professional gutter cleaning service for Colorado Springs, Monument, Black Forest, Peyton, and Falcon.