Install Vinyl Gutter Guards
If falling leaves clog the gutters of your house, install vinyl mesh guards which act like a sink strainer to deflect leaves and twigs from dropping into the gutter and stopping the flow of rainwater. The guards are strips of three-foot-long vinyl mesh-like screens that fit on top of the gutter and snap in place under the roof shingle.

A handyman or carpenter will charge $100 to install gutter guards on 150 feet of gutters; you can buy the guards and install them for $25, saving a whooping 75 percent. Anyone who can climb a ladder can do this project.

Wear rubber or cloth work gloves and clean out the gutters before installing the guards. Scoop out the debris and then hook up a couple of garden hoses to reach the roof. Turn on the spigot and flush the gutters so water runs freely through the system.Pro vs DIY Cost and Time

If you see a leak in a gutter or downspout, make the repair, then install the gutter guards.

You don't have to put guards on all the gutters around the house. They're most effective where sections of the roof are near trees that shed leaves.

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