Do you know what’s great? Spending your weekend on a ladder, in the sun, scooping gunk out of your gutters. Am I right? Nope. No one likes that. To avoid this, many homeowners invest in leaf covers/gutter guards. But are gutter guards worth the cost?
It depends on your house. But usually, yes.
Gutter guards act as a cover over your gutters that block debris from entering your gutter system. At the same time, they still allow the gutters to catch and drain water from the roof.
We don’t want to sugar-coat it for you. Most gutter companies will tell you that guards will solve ALL your problems. We’ll be the first to admit that they don’t. In spite of this, we believe the benefits far outweigh the costs.
But it’s also true that not everyone needs gutter guards.
You might not need gutter guards if…
- Your property doesn’t have any trees.
- You LIKE cleaning your gutters.
- Your gutters get little debris, and it washes out your downspouts without clogging them.
- You’re about to do major exterior renovations (best to wait so no one damages your brand new gutter guards).
If any of these things apply to you, you may easily do without gutter guards. There is no sense in investing in something your property doesn’t need.
Of course, there are also many scenarios where gutter guards would be a huge benefit.
You might need gutter guards if…
- Your property has a lot of trees.
- Your property is shaded and prone to mold or moss.
- You don’t have time to clean your gutters or hire someone.
- Despite consistent cleanings, your gutters quickly clog and overflow.
- Sediment or plant life builds up in your gutters.
- You’ve tried DIY gutter guards and they break or don’t work.
- You have a multi-story property with hard-to-reach gutters.
- You have critters (squirrels, birds, etc.) that like to hang out or build nests in your gutters.
While necessary for most homes, gutters are very easy to ignore. However, they’ll eventually create problems/damage at your property if not maintained. We know life is busy, and we know North Carolina is full of trees. That being said, gutter guards are a great option for North Carolina homeowners.
How much do gutter guards cost?
The cost of gutter guards depends on the size of your home and the type of guards you purchase. Gutter guards and covers cost between $5.00 and $10.00 per linear foot installed professionally. A typical homeowner should expect to pay between $1,500 to $2,000 for a professional gutter guard installation. However, it can be cheaper if you have a small property or only want gutter guards on part of your home. We’ve seen gutter guard projects cost as little as $500 or as much as $2000 depending on the property size and type of guards.
Depending on the size of your home, some of you may be thinking “great, that’s not bad at all.” While others of you might be thinking, “That’s crazy. Are gutter guards worth the cost?” Let’s briefly go over the pros and cons.
Downsides of gutter guards
For full transparency, there are a couple of drawbacks to gutter guards that we want to cover.
For one, they are not maintenance-free. Homeowners will still need to clean their gutter guards periodically. This involves using a leaf blower to blow off any debris built up on top of the gutters. Of course, there are some cheaper gutter guards that require more extensive cleaning like these. Nonetheless, a quick gutter blow-off is much easier and quicker than manually scooping out debris from your gutters. Furthermore, sometimes the wind takes care of this for you and drives the debris off your gutters.
Secondly, not all gutter guards are equal. There are various types of gutter guards, all with different levels of performance. If you go cheap, they’ll likely not last long or have performance issues. Learn about the different types of gutter guards here.
Lastly, there is that upfront cost. While in most instances, it pays for itself by saving you time and gutter cleaning fees, it is an upfront expense you have to account for.
So, what’s the good news? Why do we think gutter guards are worth the cost?
Benefits of gutter guards
Gutter guards…
- Remove the necessity for professional cleaning.
- Significantly minimize maintenance.
- Act as protection against critters.
- Prevent gutter overflow.
- Protects against sediment buildup/plant growth in gutters.
- Prevent mold.
- Filter water going through your gutters (in case you do rainwater collection).
- Will keep underground drains from clogging.
Want to learn more about gutter guards or interested in a quote? You can reach out to us online here for a FREE estimate!