It’s practically a universal truth about homeownership: nobody likes having to clean out their gutters. You have to balance precariously on a ladder, scrape out slimy debris, and get all wet and dirty in the process. But perhaps the biggest downside to cleaning your gutters is the amount of time spent performing a thankless chore when you could be doing something else.
“This stinks. And so do I.”
Now imagine if you never had to waste time cleaning your gutters again.
The Solution? Gutter Guards
That’s the true value of having a gutter guard system. The specially-designed shape of these gutter guards allows runoff water to flow into your gutters while repelling twigs, pine needles, leaves, dirt, and other particulates. Gutter guards are installed by a professional, so you don’t have to spend extra time putting them up, and they’re guaranteed to last as long as you own your home.
So here’s the question: how much time will you save over your lifetime if you didn’t have to clean out your gutters?
Get Out Your Calculators
Let’s recall exactly what’s involved in gutter cleaning. After assembling your tools, bags, and ladder, you have to climb up and scoop out all of the accumulated debris that you can reach safely. Then, you climb down, move the ladder, and repeat the process. When you’re finished with your front gutters, you have to do the same for your back and side gutters as well. Then you have to pick up all of the debris, bag it, and put away your tools. On an average home, that can take about two and a half hours for the typical homeowner.
Since it is recommended that you clean your gutters twice a year (at least), that’s five hours per year spent on this task. For the sake of argument, let’s say you become a homeowner at age 25 and remain that way until you turn 75 years old (even if it isn’t the same home, you’ll still have the same chores to perform). So spending five hours annually over a fifty year period comes to 250 hours in your lifetime.
(Of course, this assumes that you don’t fall off the ladder and injure yourself severely enough to require an emergency room visit — which could in turn lead to hospitalization and/or physical inactivity due to your injury).
Therefore, investing in a gutter guard system helps you reclaim 250 hours of your life.
What Could You Do with That Extra Time?
Think about that. 250 hours. That’s almost 10 and a half days for things that you wouldn’t have had time to do otherwise. Like host 50 more neighborhood barbecues. Or take 125 more two-hour midday weekend naps. Or engage in about 250 extra play sessions with your kids.
Sure, getting a gutter guard system does cost money. But can you put a really put a price on these extra activities that you can enjoy?
“Aaaaahh… Now that’s what I’m talking about!”
So look into the benefits of a gutter guard system today. And start experiencing life with less stress and more leisure time by not having to worry about keeping your gutters clean!
