Signs You May Need Gutter Guards
While gutter guards aren't always necessary, the symptoms of blocked gutters are usually clear. Signs of ongoing gutter issues include:
- Soggy ground or visible erosion patterns around your home's foundation
- Mold growth, peeling exterior paint, or interior water stains on walls near gutters.
- Leaky seams or joints where water leaks from the gutters
- Visibly saggy, damaged, or misaligned gutters that no longer direct rainwater correctly
- Frequent clogs that lead to overflow and water spilling over gutters
How To Choose a Gutter Guard Installer
Assess Their Experience
Companies with extensive gutter guard installation experience that have handled various styles and models will know how to measure accurately and install 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 contacting potential installation providers, always confirm that they are properly licensed, bonded, and insured with both workers compensation and general liability coverage. This protects you if any accidents or injuries occur. Ask for current licensing and insurance papers from potential providers.
Choose Reputable Brands
Seek out companies that offer tenured and trusted gutter guard brands such as LeafFilter and Gutter Helmet. Be wary of companies only offering generic no-name or their own off-brand guards, as these likely lack the rigorous testing of larger brands.
Seek Custom Fit Services
Your guards should be custom fitted on location to match your gutters. Choose a company that custom measures and trims guards for your home rather than using one-size-fits-all guards. Guards fitted for your home leave no gaps for debris accumulation.
Examine Warranties
Leading gutter guard companies often offer 20-year or lifetime warranties against leaks, clogs, rust, and other issues. When picking a company, carefully examine the warranty details for both materials and workmanship guarantees. Warranties provide the most effective protection for your gutter investment.
Check Reviews and Referrals
Take some time to look at online reviews on the Better Business Bureau (BBB), Yelp, Google Reviews, and other review sites to find customer feedback. Ask neighbors which companies they recommend for quality local gutter guard installation. When researching, look for providers with plenty of satisfied customers rather than just a single recommendation.
Types of Gutter Guards
There are six typical types of gutter guards. These include the following:
- Brush guards are precisely what they sound like: large brush bristles that sit in your gutters and let water through while blocking debris. Brush guards cost roughly $4.02 per linear foot.
- Foam guards are lightweight 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 spend $2.45 per linear foot for foam guards.
- Screen guards have large holes that let water through while keeping out debris. On average, you can expect to pay $3.89 per linear foot for screen guards.
- Mesh guards have smaller holes than screen guards and similarly block debris while letting water filter through. Mesh guards are durable and help debris slide off rather than sit on your gutters. On average, you can expect to pay $3.74 per linear foot for mesh guards.
- Micro-mesh guards are generally the most effective. They have smaller holes than regular mesh guards and let even less debris through. Micro-mesh guards cost around $4.85 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. On average, you can expect to pay $2.88 per linear foot for surface tension guards.
