Signs You May Need Gutter Guards
Gutter guards aren’t always necessary, but indicators of overflowing and clogged gutters are clear. Signals of chronic gutter issues include:
- Mold growth, peeling exterior paint, or interior water stains on walls near gutters.
- Soggy ground or visible erosion patterns around your house's foundation
- Visibly saggy, damaged, or misaligned gutters that no longer correctly direct rainwater
- Frequent clogs that lead to overflow and water spilling over gutters
- Leaky joints or seams where water leaks out of gutters
How To Choose a Gutter Guard Installer
Assess Their Experience
Companies with years of gutter guard installation experience that have worked with many different styles and models will know how to measure accurately and install guards to your home’s unique dimensions. Get in touch with these companies to get details regarding their experience and ask for local references.
Verify Proper Licensing and Insurance
Verify that the companies you're considering have valid licensing, bonds, workers compensation coverage, and general liability insurance. This protects you in case of injuries or accidents that could arise. Ask potential providers for current licensing and insurance papers.
Choose Reputable Brands
Look for installers that provide tenured trusted gutter guard brands such as LeafFilter and Gutter Helmet. Steer clear of companies that only install generic no-name guards or their own off-brand products. These lesser-known products may lack rigorous testing.
Seek Custom Fit Services
For optimal performance, gutter guards need to be measured and trimmed on-site to match your specific gutter setup. Choose a company that custom measures and trims guards specifically for your home, rather than using universal guards. Accurately fitted guards will leave no gaps for debris to get stuck.
Examine Warranties
High-quality gutter guard companies normally offer 20-year or lifetime warranties against leaks, clogs, rust, and other problems. Before choosing a company, carefully review the warranty terms for workmanship and materials guarantees. Warranties are an excellent means of protecting your gutter investment.
Check Reviews and Referrals
You should check online reviews on sites such as the Better Business Bureau (BBB), Yelp, or Google Reviews to read about customer experiences. You can also ask neighbors to suggest quality local gutter guard companies. When researching providers, we'd recommend going for companies with consistently positive or good feedback instead of just one or two reviews.
Types of Gutter Guards
There are six typical gutter guard types. These include the following:
- Brush guards are exactly what they sound like: large brush bristles that sit in your gutters to catch debris while letting water through. Brush guards cost roughly $4.05 per linear foot.
- 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 through while keeping out debris. On average, you can expect to pay $4.39 per linear foot for screen guards.
- Mesh guards have smaller holes than screen guards and similarly catch debris while allowing water to flow through. Mesh gutter guards are durable and help debris slide off rather than sit on your gutters. On average, you can expect to pay $4.13 per linear foot for mesh guards.
- Micro-mesh guards have even smaller holes than mesh guards and let even less debris through than mesh. They are extremely effective. Micro-mesh guards cost around $5.21 per linear foot.
- Surface tension guards, also called reverse curve guards, use surface tension to let water flow into your gutter system while debris slides off. Normally, they are visible from the ground. Surface tension guards cost roughly $3.23 per linear foot.
