Signs You May Need Gutter Guards
While gutter guards aren't always required, the symptoms of clogged gutters are typically clear. Signs of ongoing gutter problems include:
- Soggy ground or visible erosion patterns around your house's foundation
- Mold growth, peeling exterior paint, or interior water stains on walls near gutters.
- Visibly saggy, damaged, or misaligned gutters that no longer direct rainwater correctly
- Leaky seams or joints where water leaks out of gutters
- Frequent clogs that lead to overflow and water spilling over gutters
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 numerous brands and guard types. An experienced company will understand how to take measurements and fit gutter guards for your specific needs. Ask about a provider's years of experience and request referrals from local customers.
Verify Proper Licensing and Insurance
Verify that the providers you're considering have valid licensing, bonds, general liability insurance, and workers compensation coverage. 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 well-known 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 the best performance, guards should be custom fitted on-site to fit your gutters. Select a company that specifically measures and trims guards for your home rather than using universal guards. Accurately fitted guards won't have any gaps where debris can get trapped.
Examine Warranties
Top gutter guard installers usually provide 20-year or lifetime warranties against clogs, rust, leaks, and other defects. Before choosing a provider, read over its warranty terms for workmanship and materials guarantees. Warranties are the best way to protect your gutter investment.
Check Reviews and Referrals
Take some time to look at online reviews on sites such as the Better Business Bureau (BBB), Google Reviews, or Yelp to read about customer experiences. You can also ask neighbors to suggest quality local gutter guard companies. When researching providers, it's best to choose companies with consistently positive or good feedback instead of just one or two reviews.
Types of Gutter Guards
The six typical types of gutter guards are as follows:
- Brush guards are made of large brush bristles that partially obstruct your gutters, allowing water to pass through while blocking debris. On average, you can expect to pay $4.01 per linear foot for brush guards.
- Foam guards consist of pieces of foam that rest in your gutters to stop debris. They're light and easy to install. On average, you can expect to pay $2.44 per linear foot for foam guards.
- Screen guards have large holes that allow water to pass through while stopping debris. Screen guards cost around $3.61 per linear foot.
- Mesh guards stop debris but allow water to flow through. Mesh guards have even smaller holes than screen guards. They're durable and encourage debris to slide off as opposed to sitting on top of the gutters. Mesh guards cost roughly $3.53 per linear foot.
- Micro-mesh guards have even smaller holes than mesh guards, letting even less debris through than mesh. These guards are extremely effective. Micro-mesh guards cost roughly $4.65 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 usually be seen from the ground. Surface tension guards cost around $2.69 per linear foot.
