Mosquitoes, worms, centipedes – these creepy and crawly things are often feared or disliked by most people. While just the mention of them can make your skin crawl, did you know that creepy and crawly critters and pests can call your gutter system home? It’s true – gutter systems are often a hotspot for critters and insects that you would never expect to take residence in your gutter system.
Odds are you can’t see the inside of your open-top gutter system or half-round gutter system unless you use a ladder. If you could see the inside then you’d be amazed at what critters are in there. Curious as to what critters and pests are capable of calling your gutter system home? Continue reading to learn about three things that are creeping and crawling in your gutter system.
What Pests Are Found in Gutter Systems?
1. Insects & Worms
Take a peek into an open-top gutter system and you’ll most likely see some insects wriggling around. Insects like wasps, millipedes, centipedes, mosquitoes, and other creepy crawlers like worms love to call gutter systems home. Why? If a gutter system isn’t cleaned well or often then it becomes an ideal ecosystem for them to live and breed. Insects and worms need the following to survive: high humidity levels, a steady source of food, and the ideal temperature for their species.
Take a gutter system and allow it to accumulate dirt, leaves, and other debris and you’ve got the perfect home for insects and worms to thrive in. When debris accumulates and water can’t flow through, humidity levels will rise and insects will naturally inhabit the gutter system as a result. Trapped insects will breed quickly and take over your gutter system if it’s not cleaned regularly.
2. Rodents
While some rodents like chipmunks and squirrels are cute little creatures, they should be admired from a distance like in a tree, not living in your gutter system. Rodents love untidy places and if your gutter system is left to accumulate debris then expect to have some new residents in no time. These pests will stay even longer if the untidy gutter system has everything they need to build a nest or drey (nest of a squirrel) including debris like twigs and leaves.
What’s so wrong about rodents calling your gutter system home? They can cause all sorts of issues including creating a blockage with their nests and even ruining your soffit and fascia. Nests will block water, preventing it from flowing freely through the downspouts and draining away from your home resulting in possible flooding and water damage. Likewise, they can also chew your soffit and fascia and can even enter your home.
3. Birds
Most of us admire birds for their beauty and sweet songs they serenade us with, however, they become a nuisance if they inhabit a gutter system. Birds will build nests just about anywhere and your gutters are no exception. Who can blame them for building a nest when untidy gutters have the building blocks for their nests: dirt, leaves, and twigs. If you’ve ever had a bird build a nest anywhere surrounding your home or if you’ve passed by one then you know how protective and aggressive they can be when baby birds are in the nest.
Because a gutter system surrounds a home, you’ll inevitably be dealing with aggressive birds and droppings if they end up in your gutter system. Not only will you be dealing with a protective mom and dad and bird droppings, but they’ll leave their nest behind in your gutters. Their nest will block water from moving freely throughout the system, resulting in clogs and overflowing gutters.
How to Prevent Pests from Entering a Gutter System
If you don’t want birds, rodents, and creepy crawlies to enter or take up residence in your open-top gutter system then you’ll need to ensure you keep it clean. Debris will naturally enter your gutter system by way of trees, wind, and birds that can drop materials and insects as they fly over your home. If left unclean, gutters will accumulate this debris over time resulting in a whole slew of issues like clogs and sagging gutters.
Preventing pests from entering your half-round or open-top gutter system will take some elbow grease and time. You’ll need to ensure you clean your gutters regularly, about 2 to 4 times a year. Debris will still enter your gutter system regardless of how often you clean it since there is no cover on half-round or open-top gutters, however, cleaning them will help prevent them from accumulating too much debris.
There is a way to completely prevent pests from entering your gutter system. The solution? Installing the K-Guard Leaf Free Gutter System! The K-Guard Gutter System has a curved hood that completely covers the gutters. Because of its curved design, the hood enables leaves to simply slide off of the gutter system rather than entering the gutter through the narrow opening where only water adheres. With nowhere for leaves, debris, and pests to enter, your gutter system will never become clogged and pests won’t be able to enter.
If you’re tired of unwanted pests lurking in your gutter system, contact us today. We offer free in-home estimates that include a detailed analysis of your current gutter system along with estimated costs for installing your K-Guard Gutter System. K-Guard proudly offers our gutter installation service to homeowners across both Missouri and Kansas including, but not limited to, the following locations:
