Signs You May Need Gutter Guards
Gutter guards aren’t always necessary, but the signs of blocked and overflowing gutters are clear. Here are some signals of chronic gutter issues:
- Soggy ground or visible erosion patterns around your house's foundation
- Visibly saggy, damaged, or misaligned gutters that no longer direct rainwater correctly
- Leaky seams or joints where water leaks from the gutters
- Mold growth, peeling exterior paint, or interior water stains on walls near gutters.
- Frequent clogs that cause overflow and water to spill over gutters
How To Choose a Gutter Guard Installer
Assess Their Experience
Providers with extensive gutter guard installation experience that have worked with many different styles and models will know how to take accurate measurements and fit guards to your home’s unique dimensions. Reach out to these companies to find out about their experience and ask for local references.
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 happen. Ask for current licensing and insurance papers from potential providers.
Choose Reputable Brands
Seek out companies that offer leading reputable gutter guard brands such as LeafFilter and Gutter Helmet. Be wary of companies that only carry generic no-name or their own off-brand guards, as these likely do not have the same rigorous testing as reputable national brands.
Seek Custom Fit Services
For top performance, guards should be measured and cut on your property to fit your gutters. Select a company that takes specific measurements and does custom cutting for guards for your home rather than using generic guards. Accurately fitted guards won't have any gaps where debris can get trapped.
Examine Warranties
Top gutter guard installers typically have 20-year or lifetime warranties against clogs, rust, leaks, and other defects. Before picking a provider, carefully read through the warranty terms for both workmanship and materials guarantees. Warranties are the best way to safeguard your investment into your gutters.
Check Reviews and Referrals
Take some time to look at online reviews on Google Reviews, Yelp, the Better Business Bureau (BBB), and other review sites to read customer feedback. Ask neighbors which companies they recommend for quality local gutter guard installation. When researching, look for providers with a history of steady positive reviews rather than just a single recommendation.
Types of Gutter Guards
The six primary types of gutter guards are as follows:
- Brush guards are made of large brush bristles that partially obstruct your gutters, stopping debris and allowing water to pass through. Brush guards cost around $4.04 per linear foot.
- Foam guards consist of pieces of foam that are placed in your gutters to catch debris. They're light and easy to install. Foam guards cost roughly $2.46 per linear foot.
- Screen guards have large holes that let water flow through while blocking debris. Screen guards cost roughly $4.19 per linear foot.
- Mesh guards have smaller holes than screen guards and similarly block debris while allowing water to filter through. They are durable and let debris slide off rather than sit on top of your gutters. On average, you can expect to pay $3.98 per linear foot for mesh guards.
- Micro-mesh guards have even smaller holes than mesh guards and allow even less debris through than mesh. These guards are extremely effective. Micro-mesh guards cost around $5.07 per linear foot.
- Surface tension guards, also called reverse curve guards, use surface tension to allow water to flow into gutters while debris slides off. Normally, they are visible from the ground. Surface tension guards cost around $3.09 per linear foot.
