If you are tired of your gutters clogging and creating water flow issues, a gutter guard is the perfect solution. The only hard part for homeowners is choosing which gutter guard systems are the best fit for their home. In our review, we will compare Gutter Helmet vs. LeafFilter and show you:
- The types of gutter guards offered by each provider
- Warranty information
- Customer reviews
- Associated costs and much more
Choosing the best gutter guards is incredibly important as some forms of gutter protection will come with a lifetime warranty. If you only have to make this investment once, make sure it‘s a good one.
Our Take on Gutter Helmet vs. LeafFilter
Gutter Helmet and LeafFilter are leaders in the gutter and gutter guard industry throughout the United States. Each of these companies has a patented gutter protection system, but their technologies differ.
The LeafFilter gutter guards are micro-mesh gutter guards that fit over the top of your current gutter system. This gutter cover is very high quality, will not rust or decay, and will prevent almost all gutter cleaning on the homeowner’s part. LeafFilter also installs new gutters and repairs old ones.
Gutter Helmet is an entirely different type of gutter guard called a surface tension or reverse curve gutter guard. The Gutter Helmet guards are made of aluminum material, and they encourage debris to fall off the roof while water falls through a 3/8“ slit on the edge of the guard.
It is always a smart idea to get quotes for both types of gutter guards if Gutter Helmet and LeafFilter are both offered in your area.
Read also: LeafFilter Review and LeafFilter vs LeafGuard
Compare them Side-by-Side
| Provider | LeafFilter | Gutter Helmet |
| Get a quote | Get a quote | Get A Quote |
| Gutter guard options | Three-piece gutter and guard. Clients are eligible for simple guard installation or full-system replacement | Alumium surface tension gutter guard, with heated gutter guard option |
| State availability | 44 States (not available in Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Arizona, Hawaii, and Alaska) | 41 States (not available in Delaware, Hawaii, New Mexico, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nevada, New Hampshire, Vermont, West Virginia) |
| BBB Rating | A+ | A+ |
| Years in business | 17 | 35 |
Compare Gutter Helmet vs. LeafFilter Services and Features
Gutter Helmet and LeafFIlter may offer different types of gutter guards, but the professional installation and overall service offering can be very similar. We will break down the services and costs of each provider and give a few customer reviews to help you understand the inner workings of each company.
Gutter Helmet Services
The Gutter Helmet gutter guard is an aluminum reverse curve gutter guard that is guaranteed to keep leaves and pine needles as well as other debris buildup out of gutters and downspouts. The Gutter Helmet name is fitting as this looks like a helmet or cover you put over the top of the gutter. The great thing about this is that both large and small debris will be pushed over the side of the roof onto the ground.
With Gutter Helmet, you won‘t have to worry about corrosion, and this product can work on metal roofs or with roof shingles without voiding roof warranties. The installation process is thorough and includes everything from the initial quote to the cleanup of your property. The patented design from Gutter Helmet has been around for more than 30 years and has earned them an A+ rating with the BBB.
A unique feature that Gutter Helmet offers is a heated gutter guard system. If you live in a colder climate and struggle with ice dams, a heating system can be connected to your gutter guards to keep ice from forming and encourage better longevity for your roof and gutters.
Gutter Helmet Costs
Gutter guard companies typically do not display the costs to install gutter guards on their websites. The size of the home and the condition of your current gutters are going to impact total costs significantly. Gutter Helmet can install new gutters if the aluminum gutter guard will not correctly fit, or the condition of your current guards is not good enough to keep the guards in place.
The Gutter Helmet complete installation for an average home could start around $3,000 and increase from there. Not all homes have gutters around their home, and this will impact the overall costs of your surface tension gutter guards. Also, keep in mind that the costs to repair water damage and replace fascia board are much higher long-term than the gutter guards themselves.
Gutter Helmet Reviews
“Very professional, competitive prices, good choices for color for gutters. I chose Gutter Helmet for my gutters because I have a gutter helmet and have had an issue with a roofing company destroying my old helmet. Gutter Helmet now does roofing and gutters, and I’m very happy with their work. I highly recommend Gutter Helmet for gutters.“
– Sandra H.
“Great service from initial sale to installation. The workers were friendly and professional. The gutter helmet looks great and blends with my roof perfectly. I am excited never to have to pay to have my gutters cleaned again! I highly recommend the product and this company. It comes with a lifetime warranty; that‘s what a quality product this is.“
– Steven D.
“Gutter Helmet installed a new roof and gutters/gutter helmets two or three years ago. They reached out to me to come by for a cleaning. I had the house painted in the meantime, and the guy apparently put the ladder on the gutters, and you can’t do that with gutter helmets. They were damaged, so it was recommended to have several panels replaced. I had interactions with at least ten people at Gutter Helmet. The guys came by to clean, saw the dented gutters, so they sent an inspector, and then another group came and replaced the panels very promptly. All the people I dealt with on the phone were professional and friendly and seemed to be very knowledgeable.“
– Lori C.
LeafFilter Services
LeafFilter is a full-service industry when it comes to gutter screens. Not only will they complete your gutter guard installation, but they can install entirely new gutter guards on a home that has no gutters. LeafFilter has a three-piece system that comes with a lifetime transferrable warranty. These are heavy-duty guards built to last.
LeafFilter will professionally install the gutters guards consisting of three main parts:
- Micro-mesh screen: 275-micron stainless steel micro-mesh screens are top gutter guards for keeping pine needles out of your gutters among other debris. Many homeowners report that even shingle grit will stay out of the micro-mesh screen.
- UPVC frame: This provides full support for your micro-mesh screen. The UPVC will not rust or corrode, and it also does not fade over time. The gutter guards are properly supported with no restriction on water flow.
- Internal hangers: Hangers on the insides of your gutters will keep the entire system fully secure and in place and will actually strengthen your existing gutters as opposed to weaken them.
The great thing about the way LeafFilter gutter guards work is that you can be starting from scratch or replace a current system, and the company can help.
LeafFilter Costs
When it comes to gutter guard costs and installation costs, it can be hard to get an exact number without calling the company for a quote. LeafFilter will offer you a free quote, and a technician will come to your home to measure and inspect any issues that could impact your cost. The quote from LeafFilter will include all labor as well as the cost of the product.
Micro-mesh gutter guards are considerably more expensive than the best affordable gutter guards, like foam gutter guards or brush gutter guards, but they are also much more effective in keeping out debris and allowing heavy rainfall to flow off the roof properly. Average costs for a LeafFilter gutter guard system could start around $3,000 and go to more than $10,000, depending on the size of your home. The number of linear feet of gutter protection you need will impact the amount of mesh screen used in the project.
LeafFilter Reviews
“I want to show my appreciation to the gentleman that came to my house to service my gutters. He was respectful of the property and listened to my concerns before performing any work. When the work was completed, he thoroughly explained what he had done to take care of my concerns and assured me that if the problem happens in the future, to contact the company again. I rate this service technician an A+ for his professionalism and excellent customer service!“
– Eric J.
“Our salesman and follow up customer service was phenomenal. Follow up because the initial installation was not done correctly, which resulted in water in my finished basement. Extremely disappointed, but LF corrected it right away with a better crew. My only suggestion would be to better scrutinize your installers.“
– Scott C.
Final Thoughts
As you can see, choosing the best gutter guards is not always easy. Depending on the types of debris you have and your overall budget for the project, your preferences may change. Although we recommend getting a quote from both LeafFilter and Gutter Helmet, LeafFilter comes out as the best overall gutter guard provider. With more than 17 years in the industry and some impressive reviews, the LeafFilter guards are known for their remarkable quality and longevity.
Although gutter guards can be a significant investment into your home, choosing a company like LeafFilter or Gutter Helmet that will eliminate the need for DIY installation can help ensure your gutter guards last for a very long time.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is better, LeafFilter or Gutter Helmet?
LeafFilter is a better gutter guard than Gutter Helmet simply because of the way the gutter guard technology works. LeafFilter will hold up better in heavy rain as it encourages faster water flow off the home’s roof. With Gutter Helmet, the 3/8 inch slit for the water to fall in is sometimes not large enough in very heavy rain. Depending on what the weather is like in your area, Gutter Helmet could leave you with a lot of water on the ground.
Is LeafFilter the same as a gutter guard?
LeafFilter is a type of gutter guard protection system. LeafFilter utilizes stainless steel micro-mesh technology, but there are many other types of gutter guards. These include aluminum, foam, and even brush gutter guards.
What are the benefits of Gutter Helmet?
Gutter Helmet prevents leaves and debris from falling into the gutter and instead pushes them over the side of the roof or lets them sit on top of the gutter guard. Gutter Helmet comes in a variety of colors and is installed professionally to make sure that water flow from the roof is adequate.
What is the difference between a gutter guard and a gutter helmet?
Some homeowners will use the terms gutter guard and gutter helmet interchangeably. A gutter guard is any type of product designed to keep debris out of your gutters. Gutter Helmet is one gutter guard manufacturer that makes a reverse curve or surface tension gutter guard system. This system is a patented design that effectively ensures homeowners no longer need to clean gutters.
How We Ranked, Reviewed, and Tested the Best Gutter Guards
Here, we’ve broken down our rating methodology for gutter guards. You should know that we’ve taken the utmost care to provide the most up-to-date information and to ensure that you make the best choice for your budgetary and home maintenance needs.
Why Trust Today's Homeowner? Our Gutter Ranking Methodology
At Today's Homeowner, transparency and trust are our most important values for the reader. We’ve done the homework for you and have researched over 50 gutter guards so you can have the information you need to make the best choice for your home. That’s why we took the time to create an objective rating system and score each gutter guard and gutter guard provider company according to our gutter ranking methodology.
We also dug into the details of each gutter guard to ensure that you could make the best decisions for your home and keep your gutters debris-free for years to come.
To make the most of our research, we developed a formula to objectively determine the best gutter guards based on the following criteria:
- Material: Material durability was the single most important factor that went into our rating methodology for gutter guards. Whether they were stainless steel micro-mesh or plastic screening, we gave an in-depth rating for this criteria.
- Debris Resistance: Our testing served as the primary evaluator for this factor. We curated a rating based on customer testimonials and our own in-house testing here.
- Ease of Installation: Most of the gutter guard options listed have some DIY component involved. For this reason, guards that required the fewest specialty tools got the highest rating here.
- Cost: How reasonable are prices in comparison to the industry average? We compared the costs of each company to competitors.
- Warranty terms: We looked into the warranty of lifetime warranty terms if it is offered by the provider.
- Trust: What do customers rate the company? We looked into what customers are saying about their experience with the company.
- Buying process: if the gutter guard is a DIY installation, how easy is the buying process? We looked for shipping costs and shipping time, as well as where the product can be bought from.
