Signs You May Need Gutter Guards
Although gutter guards aren't always needed, indicators of congested gutters are typically clear. Signs of chronic gutter problems include:
- 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 from the gutters
- Frequent clogs that lead to overflow and water spilling over gutters
- Visibly saggy, damaged, or misaligned gutters that no longer correctly direct rainwater
How To Choose a Gutter Guard Installer
Assess Their Experience
When picking an installation company, look for one with years of experience and knowledge about various brands and guard types. An experienced company will understand how to measure and fit gutter guards for your specific needs. Check a company's years of experience and request referrals from local customers.
Verify Proper Licensing and Insurance
Check that the companies you're considering have valid licenses, bonding, general liability insurance, and workers compensation coverage. This shields you in case of any incidents 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 Gutter Helmet and LeafFilter. 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 top performance, guards should be sized and trimmed on-site to fit your gutters. Choose a company that takes specific measurements and does custom cutting for 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 rust, leaks, clogs, and other issues. When selecting a company, look into the warranty details for both materials and workmanship guarantees. Warranties offer the best protection for your gutter investment.
Check Reviews and Referrals
It's a good idea to look at online reviews on Google Reviews, the Better Business Bureau (BBB), Yelp, and other review sites to learn about customer experiences. Ask neighbors to recommend quality local gutter guard companies. When researching providers, we'd recommend opting for companies with consistent positive feedback instead of just one or two reviews.
Types of Gutter Guards
There are six primary gutter guard types. These include the following:
- Brush guards are exactly what they sound like: large brush bristles that sit in your gutters and catch debris while letting water through. Brush guards cost around $4.04 per linear foot.
- 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 pay $2.46 per linear foot for foam guards.
- Screen guards have large holes that let water flow through while stopping debris. On average, you can expect to pay $4.33 per linear foot for screen guards.
- Mesh guards have smaller holes than screen guards and similarly catch debris while allowing water to filter through. They are durable and help debris slide off rather than sit on your gutters. On average, you can expect to spend $4.09 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. They are extremely effective. Micro-mesh guards cost roughly $5.17 per linear foot.
- Surface tension guards, also called reverse curve guards, use surface tension to allow water to flow into your gutters while debris slides off. Normally, they will be visible from the ground. Surface tension guards cost around $3.19 per linear foot.
