Signs You May Need Gutter Guards
While gutter guards aren't always needed, indicators of clogged gutters are clear. Issues stemming from persistent gutter problems include:
- Soggy ground or visible erosion patterns around your house's foundation
- Frequent clogs that lead to overflow and water spilling over gutters
- Leaky seams or joints where water leaks from the gutters
- Visibly saggy, damaged, or misaligned gutters that no longer direct rainwater correctly
- Mold growth, peeling exterior paint, or interior water stains on walls near gutters.
How To Choose a Gutter Guard Installer
Assess Their Experience
Providers with years of gutter guard installation experience that have worked with various styles and models will know how to measure accurately and install guards to your home’s unique dimensions. Get in touch with these companies to find out about their experience and ask for local references.
Verify Proper Licensing and Insurance
When speaking with potential installation providers, always make sure that they are licensed, bonded, and insured with both general liability and workers compensation coverage. This protects you if any injuries or accidents occur. Ask for current licensing and insurance papers from potential providers.
Choose Reputable Brands
Look for installers that offer leading trusted gutter guard brands such as Gutter Helmet and LeafFilter. Steer clear of companies that only offer their own off-brand products or generic no-name guards. These lesser-known products may not have the same level of rigorous testing as major brands.
Seek Custom Fit Services
For top performance, guards should be custom fitted on-site to fit your gutters. Choose a company that specifically measures and trims guards for your home rather than using one-size-fits-all guards. Accurately fitted guards minimize gaps where debris can get trapped.
Examine Warranties
Top gutter guard companies usually offer 20-year or lifetime warranties protecting against rust, leaks, clogs, and other issues. Before picking a provider, thoroughly review the warranty terms for both workmanship and materials guarantees. Warranties are the most effective way to safeguard your gutter investment.
Check Reviews and Referrals
Be sure to check online reviews on sites like the Better Business Bureau (BBB), Yelp, or Google Reviews to learn more about customer experiences. You can also ask neighbors to suggest 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 most common types of gutter guards. These include the following:
- Foam guards consist of pieces of foam that are placed in your gutters to block debris. They're light and easy to install. On average, you can expect to pay $2.48 per linear foot for foam guards.
- Brush guards are made of large brush bristles that sit inside your gutters, allowing water to pass through while stopping debris. Brush guards cost around $4.07 per linear foot.
- Screen guards have large holes that let water through while keeping debris out. On average, you can expect to spend $4.76 per linear foot for screen guards.
- Mesh guards have smaller holes than screen guards and similarly stop debris while allowing water to flow through. These guards are durable and help debris slide off rather than sit on top of your gutters. On average, you can expect to pay $4.43 per linear foot for mesh guards.
- Micro-mesh guards have even smaller holes than mesh guards and allow even less debris through than mesh. They are extremely effective. On average, you can expect to spend $5.48 per linear foot for micro-mesh guards.
- Surface tension guards, also called reverse curve guards, use surface tension to allow water to flow into your gutter system while debris slides off. Normally, they are visible from the ground. Surface tension guards cost roughly $3.49 per linear foot.
