Signs You May Need Gutter Guards
While gutter guards aren't always necessary, indicators of clogged gutters are clear. Some indicators of persistent gutter problems include:
- Soggy ground or visible erosion around your house's foundation
- Leaky joints or seams where water leaks from the gutters
- Visibly saggy, damaged, or misaligned gutters that no longer direct rainwater correctly
- Frequent clogs that lead to overflow and water spilling over gutters
- Mold growth, peeling exterior paint, or interior water stains on walls near 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. Reach out to these providers to get details regarding their experience and ask for local references.
Verify Proper Licensing and Insurance
When getting in touch with potential installation providers, always confirm that they are licensed, bonded, and insured with both general liability and workers compensation policies. This protects you if any injuries or accidents happen. Ask for current licensing and insurance papers from potential providers.
Choose Reputable Brands
Look for installers that carry leading trusted gutter guard brands such as Gutter Helmet and LeafFilter. Steer clear of companies that only install their own off-brand products or generic no-name guards. These lesser-known products may not have the same level of rigorous testing as major brands.
Seek Custom Fit Services
For the best performance, guards should be sized and trimmed on-site to fit your gutters. Pick a company that takes specific measurements and does custom cutting for guards for your home rather than using one-size-fits-all guards. Accurately fitted guards won't have any gaps where debris can get trapped.
Examine Warranties
Top gutter guard installers often offer 20-year or lifetime warranties covering clogs, rust, leaks, and other issues. When selecting a company, read through the warranty details for both workmanship and materials guarantees. Warranties offer the best protection for your gutter investment.
Check Reviews and Referrals
It's a good idea to research online reviews on the Better Business Bureau (BBB), Yelp, Google Reviews, and other review sites to see customer feedback. Ask neighbors which companies they recommend for quality local gutter guard installation. When researching, look for providers with a history of steady positive reviews rather than only one or two sporadic reviews.
Types of Gutter Guards
The six most common types of gutter guards are as follows:
- Brush guards are made of large brush bristles that sit inside your gutters, catching debris and allowing water to pass through. On average, you can expect to spend $4.04 per linear foot for brush guards.
- Foam guards are lightweight and easy to install. This type of guard catches debris on the foam and keeps it out of your gutter. On average, you can expect to spend $2.45 per linear foot for foam guards.
- Screen guards have large holes that let water through while keeping debris out. On average, you can expect to spend $4.16 per linear foot for screen guards.
- Mesh guards stop debris but let water through. Mesh guards have even smaller holes than screen guards. They're durable and encourage debris to slide off as opposed to sitting on top of your gutters. On average, you can expect to pay $3.96 per linear foot for mesh guards.
- Micro-mesh guards have even smaller holes than mesh guards, allowing even less debris into your gutters than mesh. These guards are very effective. Micro-mesh guards cost around $5.05 per linear foot.
- Surface tension guards, sometimes called reverse curve guards, use surface tension to encourage debris to slide off while water flows into the gutter. They are normally visible from the ground. On average, you can expect to pay $3.07 per linear foot for surface tension guards.
