Signs gutter guards are worth considering
Guards earn their cost when cleaning is frequent or risky. You're a good candidate if:
- Your gutters fill up more than twice a year, or refill within weeks of a cleaning.
- Downspouts clog repeatedly with seeds, needles or small leaves.
- You have second-story gutters that you can't reach safely.
- You find saplings growing in the gutter every summer.
- Birds or squirrels nest in the gutters or downspout openings.
- You have had overflow damage (stained siding, a wet basement corner) traced to a clog.
If your lot has few trees and a yearly cleaning keeps things clear, guards are probably not worth the money. We'll say so.
Types of gutter guards and how they perform
There are 4 broad designs. They aren't equal.
Screens
Perforated aluminum or expanded metal panels that sit on top of the gutter. They stop full-size leaves well and cost the least. Small debris like maple seeds and pine needles gets through or sticks in the holes.
Micro-mesh
A fine stainless steel mesh over an aluminum frame. It blocks nearly everything, including shingle grit, and is the most dependable all-around choice. It costs more, and pollen and fine debris can film over the mesh, so it needs an occasional brushing.
Reverse-curve (surface tension) covers
A solid hood that water follows around a curved nose into a slot while leaves fall past. They handle large leaves well. In very heavy rain water can shoot past the slot, and the solid top can hold ice in winter.
Foam and brush inserts
Pieces that sit inside the gutter. They're sold as a quick fix, but they trap seeds and silt inside the gutter where it's hardest to clean out, and they break down in a few seasons. We don't install them.
What gutter guard installation involves
- Inspection. We look at the trees overhead, the roof pitch, the roofing material, and the condition and size of the gutters.
- Cleaning and correction. Gutters are fully cleaned, downspouts flushed, and any loose hangers, bad slope or leaking seams are fixed first. If the gutters aren't worth covering, we talk about new seamless gutters with guards installed at the same time.
- Fitting. Guard panels are cut to length, fitted around corners and at roof valleys, and fastened to the front lip of the gutter and either the back edge or under the shingle edge, depending on the product.
- Valley and end detailing. Valleys send a concentrated stream that can overshoot a guard, so diverters are added there. Ends are closed off so birds and squirrels can't get in.
- Water test. We run water on the roof above the guard to confirm it enters the gutter.
How Pontiac's mix of roof styles changes which guard works
Pontiac's housing spans 2 very different roof shapes, and a guard that works on one can fail on the other.
The city's 1920s and 1930s homes, such as the Tudor Revival and Colonial Revival houses in Seminole Hills and the gambrel-roofed houses General Motors built in the Modern Housing district, have steep roof planes. Water comes off a steep roof fast. On those homes it can skip right over a reverse-curve cover or a flat screen in a downpour, so we lean toward micro-mesh set at a matching angle and often recommend a 6-inch gutter to give the water a wider target.
The ranches and bungalows built from the 1940s through the 1960s, which make up roughly a third of the city's housing, have low-slope roofs. Water is slow, so overshoot isn't the issue. Debris is.
Leaves don't slide off a low-pitched guard on their own, and they pile up at the roof edge. On those homes a guard still helps, but it needs a quick brush-off from time to time, and we set it with as much tilt as the gutter allows.
What affects the cost of gutter guards
Guard pricing is mostly material type multiplied by footage. The factors:
- Guard type. Micro-mesh costs more than basic screen.
- Linear feet and gutter size (5-inch or 6-inch).
- Corners and valleys, which need hand fitting and diverters.
- Height and roof pitch.
- Prep work. Cleaning is always needed first. Rehanging, re-pitching or sealing adds to the job if the gutters need it.
- Roof edge condition. Missing drip edge or brittle shingles limit which guards can be used.
Be careful with any guard sold as never needing maintenance again. Nothing on a roof edge under trees is maintenance-free, and that promise is usually attached to a very high price.
When a guard problem needs fast attention
Guards rarely create emergencies, but call promptly if:
- A guard has come loose in wind and is hanging or blowing around near a walkway
- Water is sheeting over the guards in rain and running down the wall or into the basement, which means they're matted over or the gutter beneath is blocked
- Heavy ice has built up on a covered gutter and the gutter is pulling away from the house
The last 2 can damage the fascia quickly. Our emergency gutter repair service covers them at any hour.
Living with gutter guards: what to watch
Look up at the guards a couple of times a year. If you see a mat of leaves or seeds lying on top, it needs brushing off. Watch a heavy rain once to confirm water is going into the gutter.
In winter, expect some snow to sit on the guards and some icicles at the edge. That's normal. A thick ridge of ice on the roof above the gutter is an ice dam and points to attic heat loss, which is a separate issue.
Guards are one option among several. Our main page on gutter installation and repair in Pontiac, MI covers the rest of what we do.
Gutter guard questions homeowners ask
Do gutter guards really work?
Good ones, matched to the debris, work well at keeping gutters flowing. They cut cleaning down a lot.
You'll still need some. Fine debris still builds up on top of the guard and occasionally inside, so plan on having them checked and brushed off every 1 to 2 years.
Which type of gutter guard is best for pine needles?
Micro-mesh. Pine needles and maple seeds pass through or lodge in standard screens with larger openings. A fine stainless mesh over a rigid frame keeps them out, though needles will lie on top and need to be brushed off now and then.
Will gutter guards cause ice dams?
Ice dams come from heat escaping through the roof and melting snow, which refreezes at the cold eave. That happens with or without guards.
Guards can hold a layer of ice on top in winter, and you may see more icicles at the gutter edge. The cure for ice dams is attic insulation and ventilation.
Can gutter guards be installed on my existing gutters?
Yes, if the gutters are straight, firmly attached, correctly pitched and not leaking. We clean and check them first. Putting guards over gutters that sag or leak just hides the problem and makes it harder to fix later.
Do gutter guards affect my roof?
They shouldn't. We use guards that fasten to the gutter itself or slide under the first course of shingles without nails through the roof. If your shingles are old and brittle, we choose a guard that doesn't need to lift them.
How long do gutter guards last?
Aluminum and stainless guards commonly last as long as the gutters. Plastic screens become brittle in sun and cold and foam inserts break down and hold debris, which is why we don't recommend them for Michigan homes.