Signs You May Need Gutter Guards
While gutter guards aren't always necessary, the symptoms of blocked gutters are usually clear. Signs of ongoing gutter issues include:
- Soggy ground or visible erosion patterns around your foundation
- Leaky joints or seams where water leaks out of gutters
- Visibly saggy, damaged, or misaligned gutters that no longer correctly direct rainwater
- Mold growth, interior wall stains, or peeling exterior paint on walls near gutters.
- Frequent clogs that cause overflow and water to spill over gutters
How To Choose a Gutter Guard Installer
Assess Their Experience
When choosing an installation company, look for one with considerable experience and knowledge about various brands and guard types. An experienced company will understand how to take measurements and install gutter guards for your specific needs. Check a company's years of experience and request referrals from local customers.
Verify Proper Licensing and Insurance
When contacting potential installation providers, always make sure that they are properly licensed, bonded, and insured with both general liability and workers compensation policies. This protects you if any accidents or injuries occur. Request current licensing and insurance papers from potential providers.
Choose Reputable Brands
Look for installers that offer leading 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 not have gone through rigorous quality testing.
Seek Custom Fit Services
For ideal performance, gutter guards need to be measured and trimmed on-site to match your specific gutter setup. Pick a company that uniquely sizes and cuts guards specifically for your home, rather than using universal guards. Properly fitted guards will leave no gaps for debris to get stuck.
Examine Warranties
Leading gutter guard installers often offer 20-year or lifetime warranties against leaks, clogs, rust, and other issues. When choosing a company, read through the warranty details for both materials and workmanship guarantees. Warranties provide the best protection for your gutter investment.
Check Reviews and Referrals
It's a good idea to look at online reviews on sites such as the Better Business Bureau (BBB), Yelp, or Google Reviews to see what customers say about their experience. You can also ask your neighbors to suggest quality gutter guard businesses near you. When researching potential providers, we recommend selecting companies with a history of consistent positive feedback rather than just one or two reviews.
Types of Gutter Guards
There are six most common types of gutter guards. These include the following:
- Brush guards are made of large brush bristles that are installed in your gutters, catching debris while allowing water to pass through. On average, you can expect to pay $4.02 per linear foot for brush guards.
- Foam guards consist of pieces of foam that are placed in your gutters to catch debris. They're lightweight and easy to install. Foam guards cost roughly $2.44 per linear foot.
- Screen guards have large holes that let water through while blocking debris. On average, you can expect to pay $3.87 per linear foot for screen guards.
- Mesh guards stop debris but allow water to flow through. Mesh guards have even smaller holes than screen guards. They're durable and allow debris to slide off rather than sitting on top of your gutters. On average, you can expect to pay $3.73 per linear foot for mesh guards.
- Micro-mesh guards have even smaller holes than mesh guards and allow even less debris into your gutters than mesh. These guards are very effective. Micro-mesh guards cost roughly $4.84 per linear foot.
- Surface tension guards, sometimes called reverse curve guards, use surface tension to allow debris to slide off while water flows into the gutter. They are often visible from the ground. Surface tension guards cost roughly $2.87 per linear foot.
