Signs You May Need Gutter Guards
Gutter guards aren't required for all homes, but evidence of clogged gutters is clear. Signals of ongoing gutter troubles are:
- Frequent clogs that lead to overflow and water spilling over gutters
- Leaky joints or seams where water leaks out of gutters
- Soggy ground or visible erosion patterns around your home's foundation
- Mold growth, peeling exterior paint, or interior water stains on walls near gutters.
- Visibly saggy, damaged, or misaligned gutters that no longer direct rainwater correctly
How To Choose a Gutter Guard Installer
Assess Their Experience
Providers with years of gutter guard installation experience that have handled a wide variety of styles and models will know how to measure accurately and fit guards to your home’s unique dimensions. Contact these companies to find out about their experience and ask for local references.
Verify Proper Licensing and Insurance
When contacting potential installation providers, always make sure 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 installers that offer tenured 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 gone through rigorous quality testing.
Seek Custom Fit Services
For superior performance, gutter guards need to be sized and cut on-site to match your unique gutter setup. Select a company that uniquely sizes and cuts guards specifically for your home, rather than using generic guards. Accurately fitted guards will leave no gaps for debris to get stuck.
Examine Warranties
Top gutter guard companies normally have 20-year or lifetime warranties against leaks, rust, clogs, and other issues. Before picking a company, carefully read through the warranty terms for both workmanship and materials guarantees. Warranties are the best way to safeguard your gutter investment.
Check Reviews and Referrals
Take some time to look at online reviews on sites such as the Better Business Bureau (BBB), Yelp, or Google Reviews to learn about customer experiences. You can also ask neighbors for recommendations on quality local gutter guard companies. When researching providers, you should opt for companies with a history of good reviews instead of just one or two reviews.
Types of Gutter Guards
The six most common gutter guard types are as follows:
- Brush guards are made of large brush bristles that are installed in your gutters, stopping debris while allowing water to pass through. On average, you can expect to spend $4.04 per linear foot for brush guards.
- Foam guards are large pieces of foam that are placed in your gutters to stop debris. They're light and easy to install. On average, you can expect to spend $2.45 per linear foot for foam guards.
- Screen guards have large holes that allow water through while blocking debris. Screen guards cost roughly $4.16 per linear foot.
- Mesh guards have smaller holes than screen guards and similarly block debris while letting water filter through. Mesh guards are durable and encourage debris to slide off rather than sit on your gutters. On average, you can expect to spend $3.96 per linear foot for mesh guards.
- Micro-mesh guards have even smaller holes than mesh guards, allowing even less debris through than mesh. These types of guards are very effective. On average, you can expect to spend $5.05 per linear foot for micro-mesh guards.
- Surface tension guards, also called reverse curve guards, use surface tension to encourage water to flow into gutters while debris slides off. Typically, they will be visible from the ground. On average, you can expect to spend $3.07 per linear foot for surface tension guards.
