Signs You May Need Gutter Guards
While gutter guards aren't always necessary, the signs of clogged gutters are clear. Issues stemming from persistent gutter problems include:
- Leaky joints or seams where water leaks from the gutters
- Mold growth, interior wall stains, or peeling exterior paint on walls near gutters.
- Frequent clogs that lead to overflow and water spilling over gutters
- Soggy ground or visible erosion patterns around your foundation
- 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 worked with a wide variety of styles and models will know how to measure accurately and fit guards to your home’s unique dimensions. Reach out to these companies to get details regarding their experience and ask for local references.
Verify Proper Licensing and Insurance
Make sure that any companies you're considering are properly certified, bonded, and insured, with both workers compensation and general liability coverage. This shields you from liability for potential injuries and accidents. Ask potential providers for current licensing and insurance papers.
Choose Reputable Brands
Look for leading gutter guard brands such as Gutter Helmet and LeafFilter 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
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 one-size-fits-all guards. Correctly fitted guards minimize gaps where debris can get trapped.
Examine Warranties
Leading gutter guard companies normally offer 20-year or lifetime warranties that protect against leaks, rust, clogs, and other issues. Before choosing a company, carefully review the warranty terms for materials and workmanship guarantees. Warranties are an excellent means of protecting your gutter investment.
Check Reviews and Referrals
Be sure to check online reviews on sites such as Google Reviews, Yelp, or the Better Business Bureau (BBB) to see what customers say about their experience. You can also ask your neighbors who they would recommend for quality gutter guard businesses near you. When researching potential providers, you should choose companies with positive reviews consistently over time rather than just one or two reviews.
Types of Gutter Guards
There are six typical gutter guard types. These include the following:
- Brush guards are precisely what they sound like: large brush bristles that sit in your gutters and catch debris while letting water through. On average, you can expect to spend $4.04 per linear foot for brush guards.
- Foam guards are light and easy to install. With this type of guard, debris lands on the foam instead of in your gutter. Foam guards cost roughly $2.46 per linear foot.
- Screen guards have large holes that let water through while stopping debris. Screen guards cost around $4.31 per linear foot.
- Mesh guards have smaller holes than screen guards and similarly catch debris while letting water filter through. These guards are durable and encourage debris to slide off rather than sit on your gutters. On average, you can expect to spend $4.07 per linear foot for mesh guards.
- Micro-mesh guards are normally the most effective. Micro-mesh guards have smaller holes than standard mesh guards, which lets even less debris through. Micro-mesh guards cost around $5.15 per linear foot.
- Surface tension guards, also called reverse curve guards, use surface tension to let water flow into your gutters while debris slides off. Normally, they can be seen from the ground. Surface tension guards cost around $3.17 per linear foot.
