Signs You May Need Gutter Guards
While gutter guards aren't always necessary, indicators of blocked gutters are typically clear. Signs of ongoing gutter problems include:
- Soggy ground or visible erosion around your house's foundation
- Frequent clogs that lead to overflow and water spilling over 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.
- Leaky seams or joints where water leaks out of gutters
How To Choose a Gutter Guard Installer
Assess Their Experience
When picking an installation company, look for one with considerable experience and knowledge about various brands and guard types. A company with experience will understand how to take measurements and install gutter guards for your specific needs. Ask about a company's years of experience and request referrals from local customers.
Verify Proper Licensing and Insurance
Check that the providers you're considering have valid licensing, bonding, workers compensation coverage, and general liability insurance. This protects you in case of any injury or accident that could arise. Ask potential providers for current licensing and insurance papers.
Choose Reputable Brands
Look for reputable gutter guard brands such as Gutter Helmet and LeafFilter when selecting an installer. Avoid generic no-name or off-brand guards, which likely have not gone through rigorous quality control testing.
Seek Custom Fit Services
For top performance, guards should be sized and trimmed on-site to fit your gutters. Select a company that custom sizes and cuts guards for your home rather than using generic guards. Correctly fitted guards won't have any gaps where debris can get trapped.
Examine Warranties
Top gutter guard installers often offer 20-year or lifetime warranties for clogs, leaks, rust, and other issues. When choosing a company, carefully examine the warranty details for both workmanship and materials guarantees. Warranties provide the most effective protection for your gutter investment.
Check Reviews and Referrals
Be sure to check online reviews on sites such as Google Reviews, the Better Business Bureau (BBB), or Yelp to learn more about customer experiences. You can also ask your neighbors who they would recommend for quality gutter guard businesses in your area. When researching potential providers, we recommend selecting companies with consistently good reviews rather than just one or two reviews.
Types of Gutter Guards
The six primary gutter guard types are as follows:
- Foam guards are light and easy to install. Debris collects on the foam instead of in your gutter. On average, you can expect to spend $2.47 per linear foot for foam guards.
- Brush guards are precisely what they sound like: large brush bristles that sit in your gutters to let water through while blocking debris. Brush guards cost roughly $4.05 per linear foot.
- Screen guards have large holes that let water through while keeping out debris. Screen guards cost roughly $4.53 per linear foot.
- Mesh guards stop debris but let water through. Mesh guards have even smaller holes than screen guards. They're durable and encourage debris to slide off rather than sitting on top of the gutters. Mesh guards cost roughly $4.24 per linear foot.
- Micro-mesh guards have even smaller holes than mesh guards and let even less debris into your gutters than mesh. These types of guards are very effective. Micro-mesh guards cost roughly $5.31 per linear foot.
- Surface tension guards, sometimes called reverse curve guards, use surface tension to let debris slide off while water flows through into the gutter. They are normally visible from the ground. On average, you can expect to pay $3.33 per linear foot for surface tension guards.
