Signs You May Need Gutter Guards
While gutter guards aren't always needed, signs of backed up gutters are clear. Issues stemming from persistent gutter problems include:
- Soggy ground or visible erosion around your foundation
- Mold growth, interior wall stains, or peeling exterior paint on walls near gutters.
- Frequent clogs that cause overflow and water to spill over gutters
- Visibly damaged, sagging, or misaligned gutters that no longer direct rainwater correctly
- Leaky joints or seams where water leaks from the gutters
How To Choose a Gutter Guard Installer
Assess Their Experience
Providers with extensive gutter guard installation experience that have worked with a wide variety of styles and models will know how to measure accurately and install guards to your home’s unique dimensions. Get in touch with these providers to get details regarding their experience and ask for local references.
Verify Proper Licensing and Insurance
When speaking with potential installation companies, always confirm that they are properly licensed, bonded, and insured with both workers compensation and general liability coverage. This protects you if any accidents or injuries happen. Request current licensing and insurance papers from potential providers.
Choose Reputable Brands
Look for reputable gutter guard brands such as Gutter Helmet and LeafFilter when selecting an installer. Avoid off-brand or generic no-name guards, which likely do not undergo the same level of rigorous testing.
Seek Custom Fit Services
For superior performance, gutter guards should have to be measured and fitted on-site to match your gutters. Pick a company that takes specific measurements and trims guards for your home instead of using universal guards. Properly-fitted guards avoid debris-trapping gaps.
Examine Warranties
Top gutter guard installers often offer 20-year or lifetime warranties against rust, clogs, leaks, and other issues. When choosing a company, look into the warranty details for both materials and workmanship guarantees. Warranties give you the most effective protection for your gutter investment.
Check Reviews and Referrals
Take some time to look at online reviews on Yelp, the Better Business Bureau (BBB), Google Reviews, and other review sites to find customer feedback. Ask neighbors to suggest companies that provide quality local gutter guard installation. When researching, look for providers with consistently good feedback rather than only one or two sporadic reviews.
Types of Gutter Guards
There are six typical types of gutter guards. These include the following:
- Brush guards are precisely what they sound like: large brush bristles that sit in your gutters to catch debris while letting water through. On average, you can expect to pay $4.04 per linear foot for brush guards.
- Foam guards are lightweight and easy to install. With this type of guard, debris lands on the foam instead of in your gutter. Foam guards cost around $2.46 per linear foot.
- Screen guards have large holes that let water flow through while stopping debris. Screen guards cost roughly $4.32 per linear foot.
- Mesh guards have smaller holes than screen guards and similarly stop debris while letting water filter through. These guards are durable and allow debris to slide off rather than sit on top of your gutters. On average, you can expect to spend $4.08 per linear foot for mesh guards.
- Micro-mesh guards are usually the most effective. They have smaller holes than standard mesh guards, which allows even less debris through. Micro-mesh guards cost roughly $5.16 per linear foot.
- Surface tension guards, also called reverse curve guards, use surface tension to let water flow into your gutters while debris slides off. Typically, they can be seen from the ground. Surface tension guards cost around $3.18 per linear foot.
