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Best Gutter Guards Based on Consumer Reports 2023

ByTyler DeBroux

Best gutter guards consumer reports.

Those who live in more severe regions or have trees that hang low over their homes should definitely invest in gutter guards. It can be hard to figure out which of the many brands and styles will look best in your home.

This article ranks the best gutter guards based on a number of factors, such as their ability to withstand rain, compatibility with common gutter sizes, color palettes, length of warranty, and rating from the Better Business Bureau.

The Top Leaf Filters and Gutter Guards to Buy

1. Gutter Helmet

BBB rating: A+

Size compatibility: Use with any rain gutter system

Warranty: Triple lifetime

Why did we choose Gutter Helmet?

Gutter Helmet ranks first on our list of the best gutter guards due to its high weather resistance, 100% gutter compatibility, and best-in-class warranty. The anti-corrosive surface of Gutter Helmet protects against salt water and acid rain and can withstand up to 22 inches of rain per hour, ensuring that your gutters remain clear regardless of your surroundings.

The triple-lifetime warranty on the product ensures that your gutters are covered for as long as you live in your home and for the next owners as well. Because it is installed over your existing gutters, Gutter Helmet is suitable for any size home and any style of gutter. Installation is also simple and quick.

Pros

  • The best-in-class, triple-lifetime warranty protects your home long after you’re gone.
  • Your roof warranty will not be void.
  • One-day professional installation

Cons

  • With only nine color possibilities, coordinating your roof may be more difficult.

2. Leaf Guard

BBB rating: A+
Size compatibility: One-size design
Warranty: Lifetime finish (transferable)

Why did we choose Leaf Guard?

Leaf Guard’s method is different from those of its competitors because it replaces the whole gutter with a single piece. Leaf Guard is designed to “get it and forget it,” protecting your house from water damage caused by gutters clogged with leaves, insects, and pollen.

With Leaf Guard’s transferable lifetime warranty and on-site, perfect-fit installation, you can avoid rotting fascias, foundation damage, and flooded basements. You also won’t have to clean your gutters as often.

Pros

  • Lifetime guarantee transferable and restricted lifetime paint warranty
  • Simple one-day installation tailored to your home’s exact specs
  • Rainfall rates of up to 32 inches per hour

Cons

  • One-size-fits-all design offers less variety in the aesthetic of your home.

3. All American Gutter Protection

BBB rating: A+
Size compatibility: Fits all rain gutters
Warranty: Lifetime performance guarantee

Why did we choose All American Gutter Protection?

All-American Gutter Protection may be a good option if you’re seeking well-reviewed, top-rated all-American Gutter Protection. The micro-mesh gutter guards from All American Gutter Guard are designed to fit any existing rain gutter and should keep your gutters clear of blockages and leaves for the life of your home.

The gutter guards from AAGP have become an industry standard for a reason. They come in thirty different colors and have an easy-to-use online estimate calculator.

Pros

  • A lifetime performance guarantee and a limited lifetime paint warranty are included.
  • Over 50 years of designing and manufacturing gutter guards
  • 30 distinct colors are available to fit any gutter or roof style.

Cons

  • Only 13 states have it.
  • There is no information about rain resistance.

4. Gutterglove

BBB rating: A+
Size compatibility: Will fit on any rain gutter
Warranty: 40-year limited parts (transferrable)

Why did we choose Gutterglove?

The micro-mesh design of Gutterglove’s gutter guards is simple, but they are cheap and easy to install. Gutterglove claims the product can handle up to 150 inches of rain per hour—a figure that will almost certainly never be tested in the field because the world record for rainfall in one hour was set in 1947 at twelve inches.

This company sells durable stainless steel and aluminum items that can be professionally installed or put together by the customer.

Gutterglove is made to fit any size of rain gutter, and it has thousands of happy customers and a professional support team in the U.S. who are ready to help with any problem.

You can find Gutterglove’s DIY supplies at stores like Home Depot, Lowe’s, and Amazon, so you can start your DIY gutter guarding project whenever you’re ready.

Pros

  • Gutter guards are available in DIY and professional installation options.
  • Lowes, Home Depot, and Amazon are among the retailers that carry it.
  • Capable of handling 150 inches of rain per hour

Cons

  • There are only a few colors available.
  • There is only a 40-year limited parts warranty.

5. Gutter Guards America

BBB rating: A
Size compatibility: Will fit on all rain gutters
Warranty: Lifetime (transferable)

Why did we choose Gutter Guards America?

Gutter Guards America could be a good choice if you want a simple, inexpensive gutter guard from a company with a good reputation. Its micro-mesh gutter guard is made to fit any gutter and work well even when the weather is bad.

Before installing their top-rated micro-mesh system, Gutter Guards America will clean and seal your existing gutters and downspouts or install new gutters if needed.

Despite the fact that the gutter guard is only available in one color, Gutter Guards America offers a money-back guarantee and a lifetime transferable warranty.

Gutter Guards America Pros

  • A 100% money-back guarantee and 0% financing options are available.
  • The warranty is transferable for life.

Gutter Guards America Cons

  • There is only one color available.
  • BBB rating lower than competition

What Factors Should You Consider When Choosing the Best Gutter Guards

Material

Depending on what your gutter guard is made of, you may need to fix it, maintain it, or replace it in a few years or even sooner. Higher-quality materials will help your gutter guards last longer, which means you’ll have fewer gutter problems in the future.

Size

Measuring your roof and knowing exactly how much material you require helps ensure that you get the correct size gutter guards.

Visibility

Do you worry if your gutter guards can be seen from the ground, or do you want your roof to appear as streamlined as possible? Answering this question should provide you with more “insight” into whether a gutter guard is right for you and which type to acquire.

Gutter Guards: How Much Do They Cost?

Gutter guards are popular installation add-ons that come in a variety of styles. The least expensive gutter guard is made of PVC, and the most expensive is made of surface tension. Gutter guards, despite their initial cost, can help homeowners save money and time in the long term.

  • PVC coverings typically cost $0.60 to $1.50 per linear foot.
  • Mesh screens range in price from $0.80 to $1.25 per linear foot.
  • Foam inserts typically cost $2.50 to $3.50 per linear foot.
  • Surface tension helmets typically cost $3.50 to $6.50 per linear foot.

Gutter guard installation costs vary depending on whether you do it yourself or hire a professional.

Gutter Guard Types

Gutter guards can be put into four categories and styles based on how easy they are to install, how much they cost, and what they are made of. The top five firms we discussed above all provide one of two types: mesh screens or surface tension helmets, but there are also PVC coverings and foam inserts for homeowners who want to install their own gutter guards.

Covers made of PVC

PVC covers are an extremely cost-effective option to keep your gutters from clogging. These guards are simple to install because they simply clip into practically all types of gutters. However, with lower prices comes lower quality—PVC gutter covers can not survive long, especially in harsher locations where branches or hail can easily cause damage.

Inserts made of foam

Foam inserts are another easy and cheap way for do-it-yourselfers to keep debris out of their gutters. The foam is easy to install; homeowners just cut the foam to the desired size and place the pieces into the gutter. The foam inserts are easy to replace in parts, making regular cleaning and maintenance simple, but these materials are not meant to survive and will dissolve after a few years.

Mesh Screen

Mesh screens are the most frequent and cost-effective professional gutter guards. These micro-meshes made of steel or aluminum will filter out leaves, twigs, and bigger debris. The screens are durable and long-lasting, and anyone can put them up, not just professionals.

Depending on the company, mesh screens come in different colors to match the color of your roof or gutters.

Helmets for Surface Tension

Our top-ranked gutter guard company is Gutter Helmet. They make a surface tension helmet that hangs over the gutters and keeps debris out while still letting water flow into the gutters. Because of their low maintenance and very long-lasting durability, these helmets are the gold standard for gutter guards.

Surface tension helmets are more expensive than other gutter guards, and they should only be put up by a professional. However, the fact that they can last for decades more than makes up for the higher cost.

How to Choose the Best Gutter Guard for You

To select the ideal gutter guard style for your home, examine the following four factors:

DIY vs. Professional

If you’re a seasoned do-it-yourselfer willing to spend a weekend ten feet up on a ladder, you might be interested in installing your own gutter guards. Because they are quick and easy to fit to your existing gutters, foam inserts or PVC covers are the best choices for DIY installs.

If DIY isn’t your thing or you’d rather not spend the day high on a ladder, professionally fitted gutter guards can be a better fit. When you hire a pro, you’ll definitely want mesh screens or surface tension helmets. The cost of installing other, less expensive products is probably not worth it.

Different Types of Debris

The type of debris that gets stuck in your gutters is another thing to think about when choosing the right gutter guard for your home. For example, PVC covers work well when they only have to deal with leaves and pine needles, but they are easily broken by bigger branches.

Although foam inserts will stop bigger bits of material, they can still become clogged by tiny debris, such as pine needles. Surface tension helmets and micromeshes cost more than other designs, but they block and filter almost all particles well.

Climate

The climate that you live in, including the type of debris that can clog your gutters, can influence which type of gutter guard is best. Both micro-mesh screens and PVC coverings are designed to withstand multiple feet of rain per hour, but they can be destroyed by heavy ice and snow. If you reside in a blizzard-prone area, surface tension helmets may be your best bet because snow and ice will slide right over them.

Cost

When it comes to gutter guards, price is certainly an important consideration. The cost of various styles might vary substantially. The cheapest are PVC covers and mesh screens, which cost between $0.60 and $0.80 per linear foot. However, mesh screens are harder to install and may cost more to do so.

Foam inserts are slightly more expensive, starting at $2.50 per linear foot, but may be required in an area with bigger waste types. The most expensive to put in are surface tension helmets, which start at $3.50 per linear foot. Gutter helmets, on the other hand, are built to last considerably longer than any other sort.

Gutter Guards: Why Do You Need Them?

While the initial costs of adding gutter guards may appear to be exorbitant, the long-term benefits to homeowners make this a no-brainer. Gutter guards pay for themselves quickly in terms of time spent on maintenance, protection of the home, and the need to clean the gutters more often.

Gutter Cleaning Will Be Easier

The main reason people put up gutter guards is to cut down on how often they have to clean and maintain their gutters. Cleaning may be reduced from three to four times a year to once a year, or even once every other year, with gutter guards installed.

Safeguard against water damage, mold and mildew, and fire.

Gutter guards not only save you money and time on gutter cleaning, but they also protect your property from water damage, mold, mildew, and even fire. Water can run into your roof or pool at the base of your property due to clogged gutters, both of which can cause leakage. Water damage to your roof or elsewhere in your home will allow mold and mildew to grow, which can be hazardous to your health.

Mold and mildew can also grow in clogged gutters.

Lastly, if your gutter fills up with dry leaves, twigs, and other things that can catch fire, it could be dangerous if there is a wildfire. Gutter guards keep these organic, flammable materials from building up in your gutters, which protects your home from fire.

Assist with Pest Control

Gutter guards are also a great way to keep animals and insects from gathering in your gutters and doing damage to your house. Unprotected gutters can be home to rodents, birds, and even snakes, and waterlogged gutters can be a breeding ground for mosquitoes and other insects.

Cleaning a pest-infested gutter can sometimes be an unpleasant task. While discovering a snake while 10 feet or more up on a ladder may be an uncommon and exciting way to receive an adrenaline rush, it’s definitely not something most of us want to do by accident.

Gutter Guard Review Methodology

The team at GuttersCare.com looked at third-party data on a dozen well-known companies to determine the best gutter guard company. Each product’s star rating was based on a number of factors, such as:

Compatibility with sizes (20%)
(20%) BBB grade rating (F-A+)
(15%) rain resistance rating
Number of available colors (15%)
(15%) warranty
BBB certification (15%)
Are your gutters damaged and need to be replaced?

Stop worrying about clogs, leaks, and gutter damage by using the GuttersCare.com Price Guide to locate the best gutters at the lowest cost!

Questions and Answers (FAQs)

Do gutter guards actually work?

Even though gutter guards aren’t a miracle or a foolproof way to keep leaves and other debris from clogging your gutters, experts agree that they cut down on how often you have to clean your gutters.

Do gutter guards protect against heavy rain?

Most gutter guards are built to withstand severe weather conditions. Our top five-ranked firms all claim that their products can withstand 22 inches (or greater) of rain per hour. Because the record for rainfall in a single hour is 12 inches, recorded in 1947 in Missouri, this is more than enough to deal with even the most severe rainstorms. As the strength of storms rises due to climate change, this may be tried shortly.

Do gutter guards cause issues?

While gutter guards keep your gutters clear and prevent water damage, they can also cause a few issues. Gutter guards keep debris from clogging your gutters; however, debris may collect on the edges of your roof on top of the guards instead. This may also exacerbate ice and snow accumulation on your roof. Gutter guards that are properly maintained, especially those that are cleaned and inspected before the winter season, are still a better investment than having unprotected gutters.

Do gutter guards contribute to ice dams?

Ice dams are not caused by gutter guards. Most ice dams happen when leaves, mud, and other debris get stuck in gutters that haven’t been cleaned out, causing water to pool and then freeze. This is why your gutters and gutter guards need to be taken care of often if you want them to work well.

How can you clean gutters without having to remove gutter guards?

Gutter guards should not be worn while cleaning your gutters, according to experts. If you absolutely must remove them, avoid using any high-pressure water equipment and instead concentrate on using your hands and a low-pressure water hose.

Which gutter guard is the best?

Gutter Helmet is at the top of our list of the best gutter guards because it can handle rain well, fits all gutter types, and has the best warranty in its class.

More articles about rain gutters and gutter guards

Hello, I'm Tyler DeBroux. I'm a full-time real estate investor, blogger, and property manager. Rain gutters are an essential part of any home or building and that is why I've set up this site; to document everything I learn about gutters, maintaining gutters, repairing gutters, installing gutters, and home gutter accessories. Feel free to contact me using the contact page and form here on this site.

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