Signs You May Need Gutter Guards
Gutter guards aren't always necessary, but evidence of obstructed gutters is clear. Indicators of chronic gutter troubles are:
- Soggy ground or visible erosion patterns around your home's foundation
- Frequent clogs that lead to overflow and water spilling over gutters
- Visibly damaged, sagging, or misaligned gutters that no longer correctly direct rainwater
- Leaky seams or joints where water leaks from the gutters
- Mold growth, interior wall stains, or peeling exterior paint on walls near 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 speaking with potential installation companies, always make sure that they are licensed, bonded, and insured with both general liability and workers compensation protection. This protects you if any accidents or injuries occur. Ask for current licensing and insurance papers from potential providers.
Choose Reputable Brands
Look for leading gutter guard brands such as LeafFilter and Gutter Helmet when selecting an installer. Avoid off-brand or generic no-name guards, which likely have not gone through rigorous quality control testing.
Seek Custom Fit Services
Guards should be custom fitted on location to match your gutters. Pick a company that specifically measures and trims guards for your house rather than using universal guards. Guards fitted for your home leave no gaps for debris accumulation.
Examine Warranties
High-quality gutter guard companies normally offer 20-year or lifetime warranties covering leaks, rust, clogs, and other problems. Before selecting a company, carefully read through the warranty terms for materials and workmanship guarantees. Warranties are the most effective means of protecting your gutter investment.
Check Reviews and Referrals
It's a good idea to look at online reviews on sites like the Better Business Bureau (BBB), Yelp, or Google Reviews to learn more about customer experiences. You can also ask 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
The six primary gutter guard types include the following:
- Brush guards are made of large brush bristles that partially obstruct your gutters, blocking debris and allowing water to pass through. On average, you can expect to pay $4.06 per linear foot for brush guards.
- Foam guards consist of pieces of foam that rest in your gutters to block debris. They're lightweight and easy to install. Foam guards cost around $2.47 per linear foot.
- Screen guards have large holes that let water through while blocking debris. Screen guards cost around $4.57 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 rather than sitting on top of the gutters. On average, you can expect to pay $4.27 per linear foot for mesh guards.
- Micro-mesh guards are generally the most effective. They have smaller holes than standard mesh guards, which allows even less debris through. Micro-mesh guards cost roughly $5.34 per linear foot.
- Surface tension guards, sometimes called reverse curve guards, use surface tension to let debris slide off while water flows into the gutter. They can typically be seen from the ground. Surface tension guards cost around $3.35 per linear foot.
