Prefabricated pergolas are perhaps one of the easiest ways to add a bit of character to your home. They're easy for even the newest DIYers and fit just about any budget. Like most home renovation projects, there are pros and cons to adding these structures to your home. Modern-day pergolas are a far cry from traditional sun blockers. With built-in gutters, they funnel rain away from your beautiful new seating area into its own pergola drainage system. That sounds great, right? The problems occur when these gutters become clogged.
Fear not! We're going to run through the pros and cons of a prefabricated pergola gutter so you can decide whether it's your garden's perfect match. Who knows; there may even be a simple solution to your clogged pergola gutter problem (spoiler: there is! , solve the problem with a simple pergola gutter guard ).
The Advantages of a Prefabricated Pergola Gutter
Attractive home features, like prefabricated pergolas, add value to properties. If you’re trying to sell your home, these features help attract more buyers. However, if the pergola gutters become clogged, it can negatively affect the condition of the structure and eventually deter buyers from being interested in your home. Let's start off our pros and cons of a prefabricated pergola gutter with the positives:
- Easy to Build (Even for Newbie DIYers) — Prefabbed pergolas come with all the cutting and notching done for you. Everything you need to build the structure is shipped straight to your door, allowing you, or your contractor, to erect it easily with a little help from your friends.
- Budget Friendly — Of course, the cost-effectiveness of a pergola depends on a variety of factors. But, generally speaking, you can find one that fits your budget (whatever that may be).
- Lots of Material Choices — From wood to aluminum to vinyl, pergolas with built-in gutters come in a range of materials. Naturally, some are more expensive than others and are more durable than the rest.
The Disadvantages of a Prefabricated Pergola Gutter
Now, let's look at the not-so-great side of the pros and cons of a prefabricated pergola gutter:
- Maintenance — Nothing is maintenance-free. Depending on the material, you'll have to conduct maintenance to keep your pergola and its built-in gutter looking good as new.
- Quickly and Easily Clogged — Leaves, debris, and bird mess easily clog custom built in gutters found in prefabricated pergolas. While the structure itself may be aesthetically pleasing, the gutters' downspouts sit inside the supporting legs. When it gets clogged (and we promise you it will), you may have to dismantle the entire pergola to clear out the clog in the pergola downspout. That's certainly not how you want to spend your weekend.
Solution for Issues with a Built-In Pergola Gutter?
Luckily, you can purchase the prefabricated pergola with embedded gutters or built-in gutters without worrying about spending hours maintaining and unclogging the built in pergola downspout drainage system. How? With a simple yet effective gutter guard from GutterBrush!
The Pergola Gutter Guard
This simple made-in-the-USA brush gutter guard eliminates gutter clogs like nobody's business, protecting your brand-new pergola gutter from regular dismantling. It's so easy to install this simple pergola gutter guard (you can do it in a matter of moments, provided you have a ladder, just slide Gutterbrush sections into the gutter filling the gutter). Afterward, you won't have to worry about gutter overflow or regularly cleaning your gutters — they'll be leaf and blockage-free! Simply slide the 3 foot sections of the Gutterbrush pergola gutter guard into the pergola gutter filing the entire gutter. Once the gutter is filled with Gutterbrush, leave it in place to keep the gutter from clogging. The brush keeps gutter leaves and debris out, while the rain water flows through the bristles.