Anybody out there who just loves cleaning the gutters every year?

Just kidding. Even with power washers and hose extenders, invariably the work is dirty and sloppy. The best you can say about it, especially if your home is surrounded by leafy shade trees, is that you CAN get some nicely-decayed compost out of them, if you put the maintenance chore off long enough.

But, all kidding aside, using rain gutters for compost bins can lead to expensive water damage to your house. A properly functioning gutter and downspout system is a critical component of the water management system that was designed to protect your home. Keeping gutters clear of debris and free-flowing should not be taken lightly. Or ignored, no matter how much you hate the task. If you can't bring yourself to do the job, hire someone to do it.

One of the best labor-saving gutter options that's been gaining a satisfied following in recent years is a kind of perforated gutter cover that fits snugly overtop the gutter trough. The concept is that rainwater flows in, but leafs and twigs cannot.

Also dubbed gutter guards or leaf guards, the covers additionally keep out nesting birds, squirrels and rodents, which find the lofty cavities highly desirable home sites.

Despite the fact that a complete gutter-and-guard package costs roughly twice as much as an old-fashioned aluminum or vinyl system without covers, they are being installed in about 20% of all gutter systems today. The benefits in maintenance time and labor clearly outweigh the additional costs.

Your existing gutters can be retrofitted, however, if you don't feel ready to shell out to replace your entire gutter system. So, that's good news, too.

All the same, gutter covers aren't the utter end of gutter maintenance. Even the best will collect shingle grit, and dust that turns to mud. They'll need flushing, as necessary, which means occasional inspection.

Best case, the covers will sharply reduce the volume of debris that gets into gutter troughs. And THAT will reliably reduce a big part of your legitimate concern about gutter-source water damage to fascia boards, exterior siding, interior drywall, paint, basement and foundation, as well as to the roof itself.

Speaking of the roof.a cautionary note regarding ANY type of gutter system, with or without covers. If you live in an area where there is snow and a tendency to roof ice dams, be forewarned.

Winter is on its way. The best way to prevent ice dams is to improve insulation in the attic. Ice dams form when escaping heat from your house melts snow into the gutters, where it re-freezes, accumulates, and eventually holds the melting and freezing snow against the edges of your roof. Gutter guards won't make a bit of difference.

Gutters can collapse under the weight of ice accumulation. Water damage to the roof, attic and walls are common companions to ice dams. Insulation is cheap. So, while you're thinking about potential solutions to your gutter cleaning headaches, keep in mind - that's a decision you can put off. Do yourself a favor. Don't put off doing the simplest home improvement project that can protect your existing gutters and roof this winter.