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Yes, gutters can still get clogged even with gutter guards installed. While guards significantly reduce the amount of debris that enters your gutters, they are not 100% effective.

Small debris such as pine needles, seedlings, algae, small leaves, and pebbles can pass through the guard's screen or mesh and accumulate over time. Clogs can also form if the guards themselves are not cleaned and become overwhelmed with debris on top, preventing water from entering the gutter.

If this buildup is neglected, it can lead to clogs, water leaks, mold growth, and even plants sprouting from the gutters. The primary benefit of gutter guards is not the complete elimination of maintenance, but a dramatic reduction in how often you need to perform it, often from several times a year to just once a year or less.

Shingle granules can be cleaned out of gutters using a small scoop or a hose, depending on the quantity of granules and how much other debris is in your gutters. First, clear your gutters of leaves and other debris. This may remove granules in the gutters if they are mixed in with the debris. Use a plastic scoop to remove larger quantities of granules or a hose with a high-powered nozzle for smaller amounts, and collect and dispose of the granules once they’ve been removed.

If you do end up with frozen gutters, it's important to thaw them correctly. Thawing your gutters slowly is far safer than trying to break apart the ice. Once you get through the ice, bring in a gutter professional to check out the effectiveness of your heated system.

The trick to getting gleaming gutters can vary based on the material of your gutters. Aluminum gutters can often be restored to pristine condition by using a cloth to scrub them with a solution consisting of 1 cup of vinegar and 1 cup of water. Vinyl gutters can be whitened using dish soap and water. For deeply stained vinyl gutters, adding bleach with water and dish soap may help to remove black streaks. Many retailers sell premixed gutter sprays. Applying cleaning solutions to dry gutters before rinsing can help cleaners attach to dirt and grime for easier removal.