In fact, while gutter guards do come with an up-front cost and require effort to install, there are many benefits that tend to make the initial investment well worth the cost. Many gutter guards are compatible with both types, but some will not work with half-round gutters, and others are designed specifically to fit k-style gutters. Most experts agree that gutter guards using fine-mesh screens are the most effective gutter guards available. In fact, the underside of the curve tends to become dirty over time. This style is conceptually similar to using a mesh screen, but the holes are much larger in these guards. The Reverse Curve Gutter Guards are the oldest technology dating back to the early 1900’s. Even animals—like cats, raccoons, or opossums—crawling across the top of the gutters on the guards can knock them loose or cause them to crack or warp. The material you use to block the gutter is a highly porous foam that comes in 4 foot-long strips. Cons. Made from lightweight aluminum, the rust-proof FlexxPoint gutter guard is available in black, white, brown, and matte. The warranty also guarantees that the gutters will never clog again. Amerimax Home Products 636025 Lock-In Gutter Guard, Black (Pack of 25) Pack of 2 4.5 out of 5 stars 689. Homeowners who want to save money and want a gutter cover—rather than an insertable foam or brush guard—can look to plastic screens as a solution. When twigs, leaves, pine needles, and the like build up in gutters and dry up, they create a perfect kindling that can easily ignite if embers from a nearby fire, or even a barbeque, land in the pile. Very hot weather can cause the plastic to warp, which can even create gaps between the individual pieces used to cover the gutter system. Valor produces several variations of high quality mesh-screen gutter guards. Often, these gutter guards are intended for installation by professionals; however, they can also be installed by the homeowner in many cases. Many find them to be unattractive and difficult to maintain. No More Thinking about Gutters; You are always worried if your gutters are clogged with debris before the rains come. Many homeowners wonder, “Do I need gutter guards?”, and the short answer is “No.” However, choosing not to install gutter guards on a home can create more work and wasted energy for homeowners in the long run. With gutter covers, you reduce your worries about your gutters and increase the time you have to enjoy your home and garden. Install Guide. There will be homes, roofs, or situations even the best gutter guards … Gutter Helmet®, the country’s number one gutter protection system, employs this to full effect, earning great results. Why Use Surface Tension in Gutter Guards October 20, 2017. FIND A … Glenda Taylor, it’s vital to keep your home’s stormwater drainage system free of clogs, Raptor Stainless Steel Micro-Mesh 5” Gutter Cover, Amerimax Home Products Lock-In Gutter Guard, 20 Photos That Show Why Chicago Loves the Two-Flat, The Best Gutter Cleaners for Removing Debris, 5 Types of Rain Gutters to Consider for Your Home, The Lazy Homeowner's Best Weapon in the Fall, Roofing Roundup: 7 of Today's Most Popular Choices. • Plastic screen guards can become brittle over time and break. However, debris, uneven water flow, and nesting critters can prevent rain gutters from working properly. This should depend on the geographic location of the home, the local climate, the surrounding foliage, how windy the area is, how much rainfall per year and per storm, and the preferred frequency of maintenance. For an average house, with 200 feet of gutters, the total cost to purchase gutter guards can be between $100 for low-cost options and $2,000 for high-end guards. Cons: Surface tension gutter guards are the most expensive on the list and have to be installed by contractors (for the DIY gang). Gutter guards prevent this damage by covering the gutter openings, often with a mesh screen or uniquely shaped cover that allows water to pass through while blocking leaves, debris, and wildlife from entering. Many different brands have incorporated design changes to improve the performance and durability. Leaves and debris slide right off the edge and fall to the ground below. This type of gutter guard is made from metal or plastic. With so many gutter protection systems on the market, how do you narrow down what’s best for your rain gutters? Fire Protection – Perhaps surprisingly, gutter guards can actually help homeowners protect their homes from fire risk—particularly in areas with large amounts of dry brush and wind. Reverse curve gutter guards are also sometimes referred to as surface tension gutter guards. Because of this, RHINO guards must be professionally installed. The company has resolved all issues raised by customers with the BBB, so customers can feel confident that the company will provide a good product, great customer service, and hold up their end of the warranty. Ice and Freeze Prevention – As debris collects in uncovered gutters, it creates dams, blocking water from flowing and creating puddles within the gutters. Here are the biggest considerations to take into account when choosing new gutter guards for a home. Brush-style gutter guards do not actually cover the gutters, so while they do prevent leaves and other debris from building up and impeding the flow of water, they tend to catch the debris in their bristles, so they may need to be cleaned more often than other types of guards. Since surface tension gutter guards take the water away, this will prevent gutter clogging. Still, with so many options available on the market, plenty of companies make reasonably priced guards that are also extremely effective. Similarly, insects and animals cannot enter the gutter either when they are covered by these screens. Snap-on guards are usually very easy to install and can usually be attached by the homeowner without professional installation. Each design also includes the choice of frame options, allowing under-shingle (flat wing) or fascia mount (bent wing) installations. $13.99 #18. Valor’s pricing varies greatly depending on the design choice and the options chosen by the homeowner. Surface-tension gutter guards are more visible than other styles, and water can shoot over them in heavy downpours. These gutter guards must be installed by a professional, usually a representative or affiliate of the company who makes them. While rain tends to wash dirt and grime from the top surface, the underside doesn’t get the same amount of rain water hitting it, and dirty water and small particles can start to build up and even block water from flowing in smoothly. It is one of the highest quality gutter guards on the market and the company has a strong reputation with its customers. If convenience is a priority and you're less worried about weather damage, go with a snap-on option. Advantage Gutter Guard® employs Surface Tension to handle even the heaviest downpours in Kansas City. The chemical properties of copper prevent mold and mildew from forming on the gutters and gutter guards. The company is quite popular and they have distributors and installers all over the U.S. Valor makes several different mesh-screen gutter guards with slightly varied designs and features. Virtually any homeowner with a ladder can install brush gutter guards themselves, so professional installation is rarely required unless the gutters are difficult to reach. The TruGuard System’s nose-forward design provides maximum surface tension. If do-it-yourself installation is important, buyers will have a more limited selection to choose from. These guards are made from a solid piece of metal that covers the entire gutter. Each type has benefits, and each type is prone to failure in different ways. Sometimes, gutter guard prices can vary significantly between retailers. They can also be cut at an angle to fit corner sections. For a typical home with 200 feet of gutters, the average cost to have gutter guards professionally installed is approximately $1,000. Advantage Gutter Guard® employs Surface Tension to handle even the heaviest downpours in Kansas City. The earliest gutter guard technology to emerge was solid-top gutter guards. You agree that BobVila.com may process your data in the manner described by our Privacy Policy. The cohesion between water molecules forces water to follow the nose or shape of the gutter protection. On the downside, in heavy rain or moist climates, these foam blocks can get saturated with water and can begin to create mold, rot, or mildew. Plastic-screen gutter guards are the most affordable option available of any gutter guard. Almost every company that makes gutter guards makes them in multiple sizes to fit the common gutter sizes. Here are the various ways gutter guards may attach to the gutter system and the implications. In areas with significant foliage, wind, and rain, leaves might begin to pile up over the top of the gutter guard, blocking water from entering the gutters and requiring them to be cleaned even more frequently. Water flows around the curve through surface tension and gets drained away, whereas most debris will glide right over the edge. LeafFilter has been accredited with the Better Business Bureau since 2005 and earns an A+ rating from them. The stainless steel, rust-proof Raptor fits standard five-inch gutters and comes in easy-to-handle four-foot strips. Metal screen guards are also among the most affordable options. These guards are made with a curved sheet of metal or plastic material that are installed onto your existing gutters. Brandon Medina The Reverse Curve Gutter Guards are the oldest technology dating back to the early 1900’s. Nose-Forward Gutter Protection . Surface tension gutter guards are designed to be installed underneath the first or second row of roof shingles, which is problematic for a couple of reasons. The screen blocks leaves, sticks, twigs, animals, and most debris from entering the gutter system, and water is able to easily pass through the screen. Full surface tension covers and gutter helmets cost between $3.30 and $6.00 per foot. Under-shingle gutter guards are designed to slide under a layer of the roof’s shingles and either snap or screw onto the outside edge of the gutter. Cleaning your home’s gutters is a messy chore, but it’s vital to keep your home’s stormwater drainage system free of clogs. If a gutter guard isn’t designed to fit the size and style of the gutter, it won’t work, and the person installing them shouldn’t try to create a custom solution to make them fit. Gutter guards come in a variety of styles and may be composed of several different materials. You might also run into the issue of availability with surface tension gutter guards, as most are only sold through authorized gutter contractors and not through retail stores. Reverse curve or surface tension gutter guards are designed to move rainwater down. RHINO offers a 20-year warranty which is transferable if the home is ever sold. $13.99 #18. RHINO has a great reputation with their customers, earning an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau, which it has been accredited with since 2011. After a homeowner chooses a gutter guard, it can pay off to search the online stores of Home Depot, Lowe’s, Menard’s, Costco, and Amazon to see who has the best price. Solid surface gutter guards work similarly to one another by using surface adhesion/tension as the basic principle of physics. This type of gutter guard is very popular, and highly effective. The type or style of gutter guard refers to its construction. Install Video. All complaints filed with the BBB have been addressed by LeafFilter, so customers can rest assured that the company will provide necessary support and follow through if the warranty kicks in. Patented & Perfected. Some gutter guards are designed to be placed inside of the gutter, instead of covering the top. When steel is a key structural component of the gutter guard and is securely attached to the gutters, it can actually strengthen the entire gutter guard system and prevent the gutters themselves from warping or sagging when they are full of snow or ice. Decreased Maintenance – Since gutter guards prevent debris from entering the gutter system, they decrease the amount of time and frequency that homeowners need to clean them. Aluminum is often used as the mesh or the structural component in mesh screens. LeafFilter offers a lifetime warranty, which is the best in the industry. Mesh gutter guards are similar to screen guards, allowing water to run through small holes while blocking twigs and debris. Over time, the buildup of mold can wear away the gutters’ surface, change the color of the gutters, and make them appear permanently dirty. Less expensive versions, which are made of plastic and that you can install yourself, can cost as little as 50 cents a foot. It is one of the best options for gutter guards in most areas because of its combination of durability and cost. Gutter Guard [6 Pack] Leaf Filter Gutter Strainer & Downspout Guard - Better Than Roof Gutter Screen - Mesh Leaf Guards with Up to 4in Diameter - Gutter Drain Cover & Gutter Down Spout Rain Protector 4.5 out of 5 stars 104. Now you’ve got landscaping damage occurring or water getting down near your foundation. Interested homeowners must consult with a company representative to purchase and won’t be able to find these guards on the shelves of hardware stores or through online retailers. These guards are extremely easy to install, and usually won’t require professional installation. Even a novice DIYer will find it simple to install the Amerimax Home Products’ Lock-In Gutter Guard. However, that is not the case—while gutter guards do greatly reduce the frequency of necessary cleaning, they do not eliminate it altogether. Once the curve is coated, you can’t rely on surface tension to pull water around the curve. By applying the principle of surface tension, these features help ensure that rainwater sticks to the gutter guard’s surface as it flows downward. The holes may be punched through a sheet of material, but sometimes a wide wire mesh with large holes is used. Here is the truth about clog-free gutters and what gutter guard options you have. The surface is usually textured or ribbed to increase the surface tension, making sure the water flowing from the roof sticks to the surface and flows into the gutters, rather than flowing off the edge onto the ground below. Gutter guards typically cost as little as $0.50 per foot and up to $10 per foot depending on the type and material used. They have over 400 active installers and have been installed on over 150,000 homes. Many of the highest-quality gutter guards are only available for purchase directly from the manufacturer or through contractors who already work with them and are licensed to install their guards. Valor is a clear leader in gutter guards and makes some of the highest quality guards of any company. 3. Owners can expect their RHINO guards to last north of 20 years. • May need occasional cleaning, which could involve spraying with a hose, and (optionally) scrubbing with a brush if tiny fallen seeds lodge in the fine mesh holes. However, some companies produce 4, 7, and 8 inch gutters, while others create custom gutters that can be any size. For the handy homeowner, installation is usually not very complex and can possibly be done in an afternoon. Besides the surface tension guards and other screens that could require installation beneath a home’s shingles, the attachment method shouldn’t be the primary concern. 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