Are pine needles constantly clogging your gutters? Do you live close to Puget Sound and worry about rusting gutter guards?
Even though pine trees and ocean views make the Seattle area an incredibly beautiful place to live, it also causes the need for more frequent maintenance and expensive remedies.
At RoofSmart, we install and replace hundreds of gutters and gutter guards all over the Greater Seattle Area every year. After 13 years helping customers find gutter guards that work best for them, we’re also well-versed in the gutter-related issues specific to this area.
In this article, you’ll learn exactly which gutter guard styles are best suited for Seattle’s year-round rain, evergreen shedding, and salty coastal air. We’ll break down the pros and cons of each option so you can make the right choice the first time.
Why do Seattle homeowners choose to install gutter guards?
Even though gutters are designed to capture and redirect rainwater, the unfortunate truth is that they also collect debris that falls on the roof, like:
- Leaves: Common in fall and easily pile up in gutters.
- Pine needles: Especially problematic in evergreen-heavy areas like Seattle.
- Seeds and petals: Appear in spring and can quickly clog narrow spaces.
- Debris in downspouts: Causes clogs that are harder to detect and remove.
Here are a few examples of what that looks like:
The clogging can cause your gutters to overflow and spill out onto the ground. Water that collects at the foundation of your home can cause flooding in your basement.
With gutter guards in place, you’ll have a reliable way to keep debris out of your gutters and prevent them from clogging.
If you have a very tall roof with gutters that are not easy to access, this makes it dangerous for you to clean them out. Even for a hired professional, it can still be dangerous. Using gutter guards means you’ll have to clean your gutters less frequently. Depending on the type of gutter guard you get, you might not have to clean them at all.
What specific gutter problems do Seattle homeowners face year-round?
The two biggest problems Seattle homeowners with gutter guards face are pine needles and rusting. Your gutter guard needs to be able to beat these problems.
Here’s why pine needles and rusting are bad news for your home:
Pine needles
Pine needles are a major issue in the Seattle area. In other places, there are two main seasons where trees produce debris: fall and spring. In the fall, there are leaves, and in the spring, there are seeds and petals.
However, the Seattle area is densely populated with evergreen trees and prone to frequent windstorms, which means:
Constant pine needle shedding creates a persistent clogging issue- Constant pine needle shedding creates a persistent clogging issue
- Evergreen trees shed needles year-round, not seasonally.
- Frequent windstorms increase the amount of airborne debris.
This constant flood of pine needles contributes greatly to plugging your gutters. Since it rains so much in the Seattle area, it is crucial to keep your gutters clear so that they do not overflow
Proximity to the ocean
Due to its location on the West Coast, plenty of homes in Seattle (and the surrounding cities) have access to beaches and waterfront property. If you have a house on or near the ocean, you know that this environment is rough on houses.
Typically, having metal gutter guards for your roof is ideal because they are more durable. But some metals are more prone to rusting than others, especially if you’re near the ocean.
What gutter guard styles work best for Seattle’s climate?
To ensure that your gutter guards are actually solving the problems you’re facing, it’s important to use the right kinds of gutter guards. This section will provide tips for choosing gutter guards that tackle gutter guard issues in the Seattle area.
Best Options for Pine Needles:
- Mesh and micro-mesh guards: Small holes block fine debris, making these ideal for keeping out pine needles
- Screen filters: Effective if the hole size is small enough to block pine needles (sometimes they can get through)
Remember that mesh guards lay flat, so you’ll need to brush off built-up debris occasionally. But the benefit to them is that the pine needles can no longer get into the gutter and plug it.
Mesh gutter guards look like this:
A top-tier product that we recommend if you want to keep out pine needles and eliminate the need for maintenance is MasterShield. It is the only filter guard that is installed at an angle, which allows debris to slide right off.
Best options in Puget Sound to avoid rust
Gutter guards are typically made out of two materials: plastic or metal. Here’s what we recommend for the salty Puget Sound air:
- Plastic guards: Won’t rust, more affordable, less durable.
- 304-grade stainless steel: Affordable but prone to corrosion.
- 316-grade stainless steel: Best corrosion resistance, higher cost.
The difference between the stainless steel options is the grade of the metal. Some brands use 304-grade stainless steel, which is really designed for interior use. Other brands use 316-grade stainless steel, which uses molybdenum to be much more corrosion-resistant.
Your roofing contractor can help you decide gutter guard material is best for your home. Make sure you hire an experienced roofing contractor who has installed gutter guards plenty of times before.
Not sure how to tell if your roofing contractor is experienced and trustworthy? Download our Qualified Roofer Checklist to confidently evaluate any roofing contractor’s qualifications.
Which gutter guards should I avoid in Seattle’s environment?
If you’re looking for a gutter guard to filter out pine needles, you should avoid hood gutter guards.
These are also referred to as reverse-curve gutter guards due to their design. These guards are curved on the top with a small opening running along the outer edge that lets water into the gutter.
The idea is that water will follow the curve through liquid adhesion and all other debris will fall off the side onto the ground. The problem is that smaller debris like pine needles and seeds follow the same path as the water and still end up in the gutter.
Here is an example of what that looks like:
As you can see, the needles are all over this roof, and there are also a bunch in the gutter despite having a gutter guard. So, if you’re looking to keep pine needles out of your gutter, hood gutter guards are not a good option for you.
How do I know which gutter guard is right for my Seattle home?
Finding the right gutter guards for your home in the Seattle area is crucial to keeping your gutters functioning properly. Whether you’re dealing with year-round pine needles or worried about rust from coastal conditions, the right type of gutter guard can make a big difference.
You’ve struggled with Seattle’s constant rain and needle-clogged gutters. Now you know which guards actually work.
Want to learn more about how different types of gutter guards compare? Check out our article “Which Gutter Guard Is Best For My Home?” and explore the pros and cons of each type.
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