Signs You May Need Gutter Guards
Gutter guards aren't always necessary, but evidence of clogged gutters is clear. Signals of ongoing gutter troubles are:
- Frequent clogs that cause overflow and water to spill over gutters
- Soggy ground or visible erosion around your house's foundation
- Mold growth, interior wall stains, or peeling exterior paint on walls near gutters.
- Leaky seams or joints where water leaks out of gutters
- Visibly saggy, damaged, or misaligned gutters that no longer correctly direct rainwater
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 install guards to your home’s unique dimensions. Get in touch with these providers to find out about their experience and ask for local references.
Verify Proper Licensing and Insurance
When getting in touch with potential installation companies, always make sure that they are properly licensed, bonded, and insured with both general liability and workers compensation policies. This protects you if any injuries or accidents occur. Request current licensing and insurance papers from potential providers.
Choose Reputable Brands
Seek out companies that offer tenured and trusted gutter guard brands such as Gutter Helmet and LeafFilter. Be wary of companies only offering generic no-name or their own off-brand guards, as these likely lack the rigorous testing of larger brands.
Seek Custom Fit Services
Your guards should be measured and trimmed on-site to match your gutters. Select a company that specifically measures and trims guards for your home rather than using universal guards. Guards fitted for your home leave no gaps for debris accumulation.
Examine Warranties
Top gutter guard companies often offer 20-year or lifetime warranties for rust, leaks, clogs, and other issues. When choosing a company, look into the warranty details for both workmanship and materials guarantees. Warranties give you the most effective protection for your gutter investment.
Check Reviews and Referrals
Take some time to research online reviews on the Better Business Bureau (BBB), Yelp, Google Reviews, and other review sites to read about customer experiences. Ask neighbors to recommend quality local gutter guard companies. When researching providers, it's best to select companies with consistent positive feedback instead of just one or two reviews.
Types of Gutter Guards
The six primary gutter guard types include the following:
- Foam guards are lightweight and easy to install. This type of guard catches debris on the foam and keeps it out of your gutter. Foam guards cost around $2.46 per linear foot.
- Brush guards are made of large brush bristles that sit inside your gutters, catching debris and allowing water to pass through. Brush guards cost around $4.04 per linear foot.
- Screen guards have large holes that let water through while blocking debris. Screen guards cost around $4.28 per linear foot.
- Mesh guards have smaller holes than screen guards and similarly catch debris while allowing water to filter through. Mesh guards are durable and allow debris to slide off rather than sit on your gutters. On average, you can expect to spend $4.05 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 extremely effective. On average, you can expect to pay $5.13 per linear foot for micro-mesh guards.
- Surface tension guards, sometimes called reverse curve guards, use surface tension to allow debris to slide off while water flows through into the gutter. They can typically be seen from the ground. On average, you can expect to pay $3.15 per linear foot for surface tension guards.
