Are gutter guards worth the money?

Gutter guards are usually worth it when two things are true: trees drop leaves, needles or seeds on your roof, and cleaning the gutters is expensive, frequent or risky for you. They are worth much less on an open lot, and nothing on gutters that are undersized, sagging or leaking. Even the good ones reduce cleaning rather than end it.

What gutter guards actually do

Gutters should be cleaned at least once a year, and more often with trees close to the house.^[1] Guards change how often, not whether: "Installing gutter guards can help reduce the frequency of gutter cleaning needed."^[1]

The reason it matters is the volume of water involved. Just a few inches of rain on a roof can produce several thousand gallons of runoff,^[2] and if it is not carried away, that water can saturate the soil around the house and wick through the foundation, leading to mold, rot and indoor air quality problems.^[2] A clogged gutter spills that water at the foundation.

Clogs cause smaller problems too. Fairfax County's health department says mosquitoes live in standing water for at least a week before they start flying,^[4] and roof gutters are on its list of places that hold standing water.^[4] Leaf guards over gutters also prevent the build-up of leaves and plant debris that can encourage animals to nest.^[3]

When they pay off

Wooded lots. If oaks, maples or pines hang over the roof and you clear the gutters several times a year, a guard saves the most cleanings.

Tall or awkward houses. Two-storey eaves, steep lots and gutters over decks or shrubs make every cleaning a long-ladder job. The top two rungs of a straight or extension ladder are not for standing on,^[11] so on a tall house a cleaning is either a real fall risk or a paid visit. Fewer visits is where the saving is.

Wildfire-prone ground. Where wildfire is a risk, leaf guard screening keeps leaves and pine needles from collecting in gutters, where they can dry out and become fuel for wind-borne embers or flames from a wildfire.^[3]

Cold weather. In cold climates, keep gutters clean as winter approaches or fit screen leaf guards so the gutters drain and do not fill with water that freezes.^[3]

When they do not

Open lots. If a yearly cleaning takes care of it, guards rarely earn back their cost.

Gutters that overflow when clean. A spillover of runoff from clean gutters during normal storms is a sign of an undersized system.^[1] That calls for larger gutters or more downspouts, not guards. See why gutters overflow.

Gutters in poor shape. Gutterglove's instructions have repairs to the gutters and downspouts completed first,^[5] and a guard on a sagging or leaking run just hides the problem.

Heavy sap, moss or fine seed. Fine mesh can film over, and the owner is left to clear it. Gutterglove's warranty states: "It is the owner(s) responsibility to unclog the mesh in the event it gets clogged."^[5] The same warranty lists, among the conditions that void it, tree sapping on mesh, mildew and moss accumulation, and maintenance procedures not followed properly.^[5]

Ice. Gutterglove warns that icicles and ice dams can form with any gutter guard in freezing weather.^[5] A guard is not an ice solution. If you add heating elements, Gutterglove's instructions say to use a licensed electrical contractor in good standing to install them.^[5]

Types and trade-offs

Guards sold for homeowners include snap-in plastic screens, perforated and expanded metal sheets, and stainless micro-mesh on an aluminum frame, and they differ most in what they are made of and how they are held on. Amerimax's snap-in guards are rigid PVC that clips to the gutter's front lip and slides under the roof shingle,^[7] and the company says its snap-in design will not collapse under debris.^[7] Its metal Lock-In guard is galvanized steel, also slid under the shingles.^[6] Amerimax names two problems with curved, hinged covers: debris collecting behind curved, hinged guards and a hinge that flips up and lets the gutter clog.^[6]

Whatever the type, ask how it is fastened. A guard that must slide under the shingles means lifting roofing, and one that screws to the gutter and fascia does not.

How to buy them well

Get the numbers on paper before deciding. Count how many cleanings you pay for or do each year, and what they cost. Then get quotes for guards on the same footage. Divide the guard price by the cleanings it saves and you have your answer for your house.

When you hire, check the licence and the paperwork. Under Va. Code § 54.1-1100, a Class C contractor's licence covers construction, removal, repair or improvement jobs with a single contract over $1,000 and under $30,000,^[8] so ask for the licence number on any contract over $1,000. The Board for Contractors warns: "A license number in an advertisement or on a business card does not necessarily mean the contractor's license is valid,"^[9] and advises that you get at least three written bids, check references, and insist on a detailed written contract.^[9]

Read the warranty closely. Gutterglove's 25-year product warranty, for example, says it covers parts only and not the labour to reinstall.^[5] Other makers set their own terms, so read the one for the product you are quoted. Ask the installer what their own labour warranty covers and for how long.

If the sale was solicited at your home, Virginia's Home Solicitation Sales Act says you may cancel in writing until midnight of the third business day after you sign.^[10] See what gutter guards cost in Virginia for what each quote should list.

Stop and call a pro if

• Your gutters are above the first storey, or you are not comfortable on a ladder at all.
• The gutters sag, leak at the seams or overflow when clean, which is a repair before it is a guard job.
• The guard you are considering has to be slid under shingles that are sealed or brittle.
• You want heating elements for ice, which call for a licensed electrical contractor in good standing.^[5]

If you would rather keep cleaning, compare whether it is worth paying for gutter cleaning. To do it yourself, read how to install gutter guards. For more, see the exterior answers or exterior businesses around Blacksburg. When you are ready, describe the gutter guard job once and licensed local businesses quote it.