Gutter guards are an essential investment to protect your home against harsh weather and water-related damages. Without a solid gutter protection system, your open gutters can collect leaves, twigs, dirt, and other debris, which can:
- Create leaks around windows and doors
- Cause wood rotting around your roof, eaves, soffit, and fascia
- Attract pests, insects, critters, and mold
- Damage your flowerbeds and shrubbery
- Seep into the ground around your foundation, which will eventually cause cracks and basement flooding
Choosing the Best Gutter Guard
With so many different gutter guard options on the market, it can be overwhelming to shop for gutters. A good practice when shopping for gutters is to not be too distracted by low-cost options. It’s important to remember that the goal of a gutter protection system is to work efficiently and effectively every time. This ensures that you don’t have to worry about clogged gutters. Gutter guards are not created equally, and although the promises and guarantees of never clogging are far and wide, many products do not deliver on that promise.
Another helpful tip is to seek out unbiased reviews from people who have had the product. One way you can do this is to read reviews online and on Good Housekeeping – the industry’s gold standard and original source for trusted, unbiased product reviews. Good Housekeeping rigorously tests products against its claim to provide a backing that customers can trust.
Gutter Guard Filters
A gutter filter insert fits into an existing open gutter and comes in different styles. Most are made from a variety of plastic foam materials or rounded bristles.
If you have a standard open-style gutter, gutter filters can be a low-cost gutter protection solution. The downside is that they come in short 3-to-6-foot sections and require frequent trips up and down ladders to install each gutter filter section.
Installation requires a caulk gun and a pair of shears to cut the material to fit between gutter hangers. This creates gaps where debris can collect. Additionally, gutter filters don’t eliminate gutter cleaning. The filters can become clogged with debris and have to either be replaced or cleaned. If not, they will cause water damage to your home.
Pros:
- Low-cost solution for standard open-style gutters
- Compatible with existing gutters — no replacement needed
- Widely available
Cons:
- Come in short sections (3–6 ft.), making installation time-consuming
- Require a caulk gun and shears, creating gaps where debris collects
- Still require regular cleaning or replacement when clogged
- Can lead to water damage if neglected
Mesh Screen Gutter Guards
Gutter screens and mesh toppers are becoming a popular choice lately because they are inexpensive and readily available at local hardware stores. They are tedious to install, marginally effective, but don’t last very long, and won’t keep you off ladders.
Although somewhat effective against leaves, they do little to keep out pine needles and small debris. Many mesh gutter screens are not very durable and can blow away or separate from the gutters during high winds.
Pros:
- Inexpensive and easy to find at local hardware stores
- Offer some protection against larger leaves and debris
Cons:
- Ineffective against pine needles and small debris
- Not very durable — can blow off in high winds
- Tedious to install
- Short lifespan means frequent replacement costs
Gutter Guard Covers
Gutter covers, hoods, and helmets are secondary gutter parts that are installed above existing or new open-style gutters. These gutter guards channel water into the gutter through louvered slots or perforated openings designed to mount onto existing gutters.
Although these gutter guards may appear easy to install, the majority of these gutter guards are not seamless and are not customized to your home. The product typically comes in 3 ft. or 6 ft. lengths, which are then installed by siding the product under the first or second course of shingles, or they are glued and nailed to the roof which can void roof warranties. Since these gutter guards are not seamless or custom to your home, they can commonly sag and leak at jointed areas – compromising their effectiveness, and leading to costly water damage.
Pros:
- Can be added over existing gutters
- Available in various styles (louvered, perforated)
Cons:
- Not seamless or custom-fit, leading to sagging and leaking at joints
- Installation can void your roof warranty
- Come in short lengths requiring multiple pieces and seams
- Potential for costly water damage over time
GutterShutter®
GutterShutter® is a one-piece seamless gutter system that is custom fit to the exact specification of your home. GutterShutter® is designed to never clog – or they come out and clean them for FREE. The system is built stronger and more durable than any other gutter guard system available. The gutters do not have gaps for water to through and not nailed, screwed, or glued to your roof – protecting your roof warranty.
The GutterShutter® gutter guard system protects due to liquid adhesion. It is a simple and powerful principle: water adheres to a surface and is pulled downward by the force of gravity. That “pull” corrals the water gently into the seamless gutter system, rather than allowing it to escape over the edge. GutterShutter® is formed seamlessly from a single piece of aluminum – 20% thicker than the industry standard. The other amazing thing about the system is that it can handle 32 inches of rain per hour (over three times the record rainfall ever recorded by the US Weather Bureau!).
Pros:
- One-piece seamless system, custom-fit to your home
- Never-clog guarantee — free cleaning if it does
- 20% thicker aluminum than industry standard
- Can handle over 32 inches of rain per hour
- Does not attach to or damage your roof, preserving your warranty
Cons:
- Higher upfront investment than DIY alternatives
- Requires professional installation
That’s NOT GutterShutter®
When shopping for gutter guards, be on the lookout for common tactics used by other companies…
Leaf guards are a generic name in the marketplace for gutter covers, guards, helmets, and screens.
GutterShutter® is a registered trademark of a brand of gutters that is the original and only patented seamless gutter guard system guaranteed to never clog.
Often, companies that sell added-on leaf protection products try to cash in on the GutterShutter® brand name by referring to their products as “leaf guards” or “gutter leaf guards.” However, even though these competitors call themselves “leaf guards,” they are not the official GutterShutter® brand gutters and are not designed to deliver the promise only a GutterShutter® brand gutter guard system can. A common way to distinguish an authentic GutterShutter® gutter is to look at the endcap – if it’s an authentic GutterShutter® gutter system it will say “Englert GutterShutter.”
Contact a Larson & Keeney gutter expert today for help deciding on the best gutter guard system for your home.
