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Many homeowners have asked us what gutter guards to choose for their house.
Well, a standard answer would be “it depends”. It depends on what trees and leaves you typically have around your property; it depends on if the gutter guards are installed together with the gutter; it depends on your budget; it also depends on if you are looking for an easy-to-install option or a long-lasting option.
Let us take a look at which is the best choice for you depending on different circumstances.
1. If you are looking for a durable and relatively cheap option, and you only deal with big leaves, then aluminum mesh gutter guards would be the ideal choice for you.
Aluminum mesh gutter guards have been around for a long time. It is easy to install, mostly no screws are required. It is durable and it keeps away the leaves. If in the long run you are looking to change the gutter guards, it is also easy to uninstall.
It also has drawbacks. Because of the fixed style, it may not work well with narrow gutters. If you have trees that produce fine needles like pines, this option might not be ideal as well. The mesh holes are too big to stop needles and debris.
Here is an aluminum mesh gutter guards that may work well for your house. The image links to the product page where you can read more about the instructions.
2. We recommend micro-mesh gutter guard if you have pines in your backyard and look for gutter guards with better quality than normal metal mesh.
The micro-mesh gutter guard works well to stop leaves and pine needles. It also stops small debris.
There are micro-mesh gutter guards that are easy to install – you will only need to slide the end under the roof shingles. But this type of gutter guards does not stay stable for long especially under extreme weather conditions. We would recommend you to choose the ones that can be screwed onto the fascia. It will last longer and perform better.
If you want to order online, we recommend Raptor Gutter Guard, not only because of their quality, but also their good customer service and 25-year product warranty. The image is linked to the product page on Amazon.
3. If you are looking for the easiest-to-install products and do not mind changing them once in a while, then you may want to take a look at foam gutter guards.
Foam gutter guards are the easiest DIY products for gutters! It is affordable and the product installation is pretty straightforward. However, it may require changes every one or two years because it has the tendency to accumulate debris and change forms after a while.
For the available options of foam gutter guards, we recommend GutterStuff 5-Inch K Style Foam Gutter Filter Insert on Amazon.
4. If you are looking for a premium option and something that works for a long time, then we recommend LeafGuard®.
LeafGuard® is a one-piece design that does not need any form of screens or foam protector as we mentioned above. The one-piece gutter and hood design allow waters to flow and help avoid debris and leaves.
LeafGuard® is a registered trademark which belongs to Englert LeafGuard®
It also elevates the perceived value of your property.
Image from LeafGuard® website: https://www.leafguard.com/
The downside for this option is that the installation is much more complicated and one may need help from professionals. As a roofing service provider in Vaughan, we are experienced roofers and know inside out about how to install the LeafGuard® system.
5. Some final tips:
- Please do keep away from plastic gutters. They do a good job keeping leaves out, but they also tend to keep the water out of the gutter.
- Work with products that come with a warranty.
- Mind the safety while climbing high. A great quality ladder will be a good starting point.
Installing gutter guards can be a lot of work. If you would like to have someone to do all the work for you, just give us a call. As we install gutters and gutter guards in bulk, hiring us might even cost fewer than you do all the stuff yourself.
Simply fill in the form on the right sidebar (write “gutter guards” in “Message”), and we will contact you shortly to give you a free quote.