Signs You May Need Gutter Guards
Gutter guards aren’t always needed, but the signs of blocked and overflowing gutters are clear. Signals of chronic gutter issues include:
- Mold growth, interior wall stains, or peeling exterior paint on walls near gutters.
- Visibly saggy, damaged, or misaligned gutters that no longer direct rainwater correctly
- Leaky seams or joints where water leaks from the gutters
- Soggy ground or visible erosion patterns around your house's foundation
- Frequent clogs that lead to overflow and water spilling over gutters
How To Choose a Gutter Guard Installer
Assess Their Experience
Providers with years of gutter guard installation experience that have worked with various styles and models will know how to take accurate measurements and attach guards to your home’s unique dimensions. Reach out to these companies to learn about their experience and ask for local references.
Verify Proper Licensing and Insurance
When speaking with potential installation providers, always confirm that they are licensed, bonded, and insured with both workers compensation and general liability protection. This protects you if any injuries or accidents happen. Request current licensing and insurance papers from potential providers.
Choose Reputable Brands
Look for installers that carry tenured trusted gutter guard brands such as LeafFilter and Gutter Helmet. Steer clear of companies that only offer generic no-name guards or their own off-brand products. These lesser-known products may lack rigorous testing.
Seek Custom Fit Services
Guards should be measured and trimmed on-site to match your gutters. Choose a company that specifically measures and trims guards for your home rather than using generic guards. Guards fitted for your home leave no gaps for debris accumulation.
Examine Warranties
Leading gutter guard installers are typically backed by 20-year or lifetime warranties covering leaks, clogs, rust, and other defects. Before choosing a provider, closely inspect its warranty terms for materials and workmanship guarantees. Warranties are the best way to protect your investment into your gutters.
Check Reviews and Referrals
Take some time to research online reviews on sites like Yelp, the Better Business Bureau (BBB), or Google Reviews to see what customers say about their experience. You can also ask your neighbors who they would recommend for quality gutter guard businesses in your area. When researching potential providers, you should choose companies with consistently good reviews rather than just one or two reviews.
Types of Gutter Guards
There are six primary types of gutter guards. These include the following:
- Brush guards are just what they sound like: large brush bristles that sit in your gutters to let water through while catching debris. On average, you can expect to spend $4.03 per linear foot for brush guards.
- Foam guards are light and easy to install. With this type of guard, debris lands on the foam instead of in your gutter. On average, you can expect to pay $2.45 per linear foot for foam guards.
- Screen guards have large holes that allow water through while stopping debris. Screen guards cost roughly $4.10 per linear foot.
- Mesh guards have smaller holes than screen guards and similarly catch debris while allowing water to flow through. Mesh gutter guards are durable and encourage debris to slide off rather than sit on top of your gutters. On average, you can expect to spend $3.91 per linear foot for mesh guards.
- Micro-mesh guards have even smaller holes than mesh guards and let even less debris into your gutters than mesh. These types of guards are very effective. Micro-mesh guards cost roughly $5.00 per linear foot.
- Surface tension guards, sometimes called reverse curve guards, use surface tension to encourage debris to slide off while water flows through into the gutter. They can usually be seen from the ground. Surface tension guards cost around $3.03 per linear foot.
