Signs You May Need Gutter Guards
Gutter guards aren’t always necessary, but the signs of blocked and overflowing gutters are clear. Signals of chronic gutter issues include:
- Soggy ground or visible erosion patterns around your foundation
- Frequent clogs that cause overflow and water to spill over gutters
- Leaky joints or seams where water leaks from the gutters
- Visibly saggy, damaged, or misaligned gutters that no longer direct rainwater correctly
- 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 take accurate measurements and fit guards to your home’s unique dimensions. Get in touch with these providers to learn about their experience and ask for local references.
Verify Proper Licensing and Insurance
When getting in touch with potential installation providers, always verify that they are licensed, bonded, and insured with both general liability and workers compensation protection. This protects you if any injuries or accidents occur. Request current licensing and insurance papers from potential providers.
Choose Reputable Brands
Look for well-known gutter guard brands such as LeafFilter and Gutter Helmet when selecting an installer. Avoid generic no-name or off-brand guards, which likely do not undergo the same level of rigorous testing.
Seek Custom Fit Services
For optimal performance, guards should be sized and trimmed on-site to fit your gutters. Select a company that takes specific measurements and does custom cutting for guards for your home rather than using universal guards. Correctly fitted guards minimize gaps where debris can get trapped.
Examine Warranties
Top gutter guard companies often offer 20-year or lifetime warranties covering clogs, rust, leaks, and other defects. Before selecting a provider, look into its warranty terms on materials and workmanship guarantees. Warranties are the best way to protect your investment into your gutters.
Check Reviews and Referrals
It's a good idea to research online reviews on Google Reviews, the Better Business Bureau (BBB), Yelp, and other review sites to see customer feedback. Ask neighbors to suggest companies that provide quality local gutter guard installation. When researching, look for providers with plenty of satisfied customers rather than only one or two sporadic reviews.
Types of Gutter Guards
The six primary gutter guard types are as follows:
- 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 spend $2.45 per linear foot for foam guards.
- Brush guards are made of large brush bristles that sit inside your gutters, catching debris and allowing water to pass through. Brush guards cost roughly $4.03 per linear foot.
- Screen guards have large holes that allow water to pass through while stopping debris. Screen guards cost roughly $3.92 per linear foot.
- Mesh guards stop debris but let water through. Mesh guards have even smaller holes than screen guards. They're durable and allow debris to slide off as opposed to sitting on top of your gutters. On average, you can expect to spend $3.77 per linear foot for mesh guards.
- Micro-mesh guards are normally the most effective. They have smaller holes than standard mesh guards and allow even less debris through. Micro-mesh guards cost around $4.88 per linear foot.
- Surface tension guards, also called reverse curve guards, use surface tension to encourage water to flow into your gutters while debris slides off. Typically, they are visible from the ground. On average, you can expect to pay $2.90 per linear foot for surface tension guards.
