Gutter Guard Installation Costs in 2023
Want gutter guards but worried about how much they will cost? In our detailed guide, you can find out how much installation costs.
Cleaning out the gutters is a necessary but annoying part of being a homeowner. Even though it’s important to keep your gutters clean and working well, it takes a lot of time climbing up and down a ladder.
Gutters need to be cleaned less often when gutter guards keep debris from getting into the gutter system. The Guides Home Team looked into the best gutter guards on the market and ranked them based on their features, warranties, and prices. This guide also tells you what affects the price of installing gutter guards so you can make an informed choice.
How much does it cost to put up a gutter guard?
Gutter guards are priced by how much of them you need. The average home has 200 linear feet of gutters, so the average cost to install gutter guards is between $800 and $2,000. Professional installation of high-end gutter guards made of good materials, like micro-mesh and reverse-curve gutter guards, costs between $2,000 and $5,000. Gutter guards made of PVC or plastic that you put up yourself cost $100 to $300.
Cost Factors for Installing a Gutter Guard
How much it will cost to install a guard at your home depends on a number of factors. We’ve listed the most important things to think about below.
Climate: The type of gutter guard you need depends on the weather and climate in your area. For example, if your home gets a lot of snow and ice, a plastic mesh guard might not work very well. Steel, which costs more, is a better choice for a metal guard.
Condition of existing gutters: Most companies that install gutter guards will look at your current gutter system to see if it needs to be replaced or fixed. If you need new gutters, your costs will go up.
Before you buy gutter guards, you or a professional company should measure the size of your gutters. Most gutters are 5 inches wide, but some houses have gutters that are 4 or 6 inches wide. If your gutters are bigger, you may have to pay more for labor.
Type of roof: Putting gutter guards on a roof that is steeper, longer, or harder to get to may cost more because more labor and materials will need to be used.
Types of gutter guards: Guards made of plastic or foam cost the least, while guards made of steel or aluminum cost more because they are stronger and better quality.
Different kinds of gutter guards
Different types of debris work better with different gutter guards, so choose a guard based on the types of debris your home gets.
Ice dams, which are ridges of ice that form at the edge of your roof, can also damage gutter guards. When ice dams form, melting snow can’t run off your roof. This can cause icicles and water damage. If you live in a snowy or icy area, you should get a gutter guard with a heating element.
Brush
You can easily put up brush gutter guards on your own. Large bristles on these guards catch debris, but they leave enough space for water to get through. Brush gutter guards work best for big things like pine cones and leaves. Smaller debris like pine needles can get stuck in bristles and clog.
Foam
Foam gutter guards are a piece of foam that fits into your gutters and is easy to put in place. The foam keeps the water moving while keeping debris out. Foam guards can still get clogged up with leaves, and seedlings can grow roots and grow inside. These guards work best for people who don’t have a lot of trees around their house.
Micro-mesh
Gutter guards made of micromesh work very well. They have a small screen made of finely woven mesh that keeps out even small things like shingle grit, pine needles, and pollen.
Many companies that sell micromesh gutter guards say you’ll never have to clean your gutters again, which is a bit of a lie. These gutter guards still need to be cleaned, but a lot less often than before. If you don’t have gutter guards, you should clean your gutters about twice a year. If you have gutter guards, you only need to clean them once every year or two.
Reverse-Curve
Reverse-curve gutter guards, which are also known as surface tension gutter guards, are one of the best choices. Different brands of guards have different looks, but they all use surface tension to move debris to the ground. During heavy rain, some debris may get stuck, but you should be able to brush it off or wait until it dries and falls.
Most of the time, installing a reverse-curve gutter guard means replacing your entire gutter system and moving roof shingles. Be aware that the installation might not work with the warranty on your roof.