The gutter guard from HomeCraft Gutter Protection aims to help you avoid gutter cleaning for life. It utilizes a patented, raised-screen design called Diamond Raised Technology that performs better than the hooded or reverse curve products that are often used in the gutters industry today.

HomeCraft’s gutter guard also uses a combination of marine-grade stainless steel and finely woven micro-mesh to keep debris out of your gutters while also channeling water inside the gutters and allowing wind to get underneath the debris. This creates a cycle in which HomeCraft’s gutter guards continuously clean themselves.

Key Features

• 304 marine-grade stainless steel
• Attaches to the front lip of the gutter
• Works with metal roofs
• Lifetime warranty
• Estimates are good for one year

What Customers Are Saying

HomeCraft features fairly high customer review scores across popular sites like Yelp, TrustPilot, and the BBB. It averages at 3 or higher. The company also features an accreditation from the BBB with a B rating.*

Customers praise HomeCraft for its family-owned and operated business with friendly and knowledgeable sales staff. They also applaud the company for its transferable warranty and well-executed installation process. Some reviews mention difficulty with scheduling and confusion over pricing involving a deposit, but clear communication should resolve this issue.

Most Customizable: All American Gutter Protection Micro-Mesh Gutter Guard

All American Gutter Protection installs micro-mesh gutter guards to residential gutters. These guards are custom-made to fit your gutters, with the company even offering over 30 color options to match the color of your gutters. All American also provides a gutter installation service if your current ones aren’t in good condition.

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Key Features

• Stainless steel guard material
• Aluminum frame material
• Customizable sizes
• Over 30 color options
• Rustproof
• Lifetime warranty

What Customers Are Saying

All American Gutter Protection has an average rating of 3.6 stars of 5 stars on Yelp, Trustpilot, and other consumer review websites. The company is also BBB-accredited with an A+ rating.

Customers were pleased with how professional this company’s employees were. They said that the salespeople thoroughly explained the product, installation, and warranty and that the technicians installed the guards in a timely manner. There were a handful of people who experienced leaks or other issues after installation, though some customers noted that the company was willing to remedy them if contacted.

Best Screen: A-M Gutter Guard Aluminum Gutter Guard

This guard from A-M Gutter Guard has a screen that lays across the top of your gutters to prevent debris from reaching the bottom and to allow water to flow through its small holes. The screen also comes with a lifetime warranty, where A-M Gutter Guard will replace the product if it stops working at any time.

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Key Features

• Aluminum material
• Five inches wide
• Available in 23-, 50-, 100-, or 200-foot lengths
• Rustproof
• Lifetime warranty

What Customers Are Saying

Close to 1,500 customers have reviewed this product on Amazon, giving it an average rating of 4.7 out of 5 stars. Eighty percent of customers gave the product 5 stars, and 15% gave it 4 stars, for a total of 95% of customers giving it an above-average rating.

Several customers living in wooded areas said that this guard kept leaves, twigs, and branches out of their gutters. However, some customers said that the guard required more maintenance than they expected. For example, the gutter guard formed a valley that collected debris and caused pine needles to get stuck in the holes, forcing customers to clean out their gutters multiple times per year.

Best Micro-Mesh: Raptor Gutter Guard Stainless Steel Micro-Mesh Gutter Cover

• $115

Prices taken at time of publishing.

This micro-mesh gutter guard is meant to keep out everything except water. Because of how small the holes in this mesh are, not even seeds or pine needles can reach the bottom of your gutters. The fine mesh on this gutter guard is also made of stainless steel and is resistant to both rust and corrosion.

• $115 at Amazon

Key Features

• Stainless steel material
• Five, six, or seven inches wide
• 48 feet long
• Rustproof
• 25-year warranty

What Customers Are Saying

Over 2,500 Amazon customers have reviewed this product and given it an average of 4.6 stars. A total of 92% of customers gave this micro-mesh guard 4 or 5 stars.

Satisfied customers said that these gutter guards were easy to install because of their included instructions, drill bit head, and surplus of screws. The main complaint from customers was that the holes in the mesh were so small that they wouldn’t allow all of the water to pass through during a downpour, causing water to flow over the gutters instead.

Best Foam: GutterStuff 5-Inch K Style Foam Gutter Filter Insert

• $64

Prices taken at time of publishing.

This gutter guard comes as a foam wedge—the longest side goes into the gutter, and the shortest side lays across the top of the gutter, leaving a triangle of open space at the bottom of the gutter where the water can flow through. The foam guard also comes in three widths and four lengths to perfectly fit the size of your gutters.

• $64 at Amazon

Key Features

• Foam material
• Four, five, or six inches wide
• Available in 32-, 96-, 144-, or 192-foot lengths
• Five-year warranty

What Customers Are Saying

This product has around 500 customer reviews on Amazon, with an average rating of 4.5 stars. Eighty-nine percent of customers gave it a 4- or 5-star review.

Most customers purchased these gutter guards because of how easy they were to install. It took only a few minutes for customers to climb a ladder and push the foam into their gutters. However, several customers complained about the foam, saying it either became soaked with water or filled with smaller pieces of debris.

Best Mesh: Amerimax Home Products 636025 Lock-In Gutter Guard

• $100

Prices taken at time of publishing.

This gutter guard is similar to the micro-mesh one from Raptor except its holes are much bigger, minimizing water overflow to allow water to easily enter the gutter. This guard comes in three-foot long sections, but you can order a one-, two-, three-, four-, or 25-pack to have enough guards to fill all of the gutters around your home.

• $100 at Amazon

Key Features

• Steel material
• Four, five, or six inches wide
• Three feet long
• Available in one-, two-, three-, four-, or 25-packs
• Rustproof
• 10-year warranty

What Customers Are Saying

This mesh gutter guard from Amerimax Home Products has an average rating of 4.5 stars from over 900 Amazon customers. Ninety-two percent of those customers gave it a 4- or 5-star review.

While these mesh guards aren’t the easiest to install, customers said that they were easier than other types that require fasteners and tools. Despite the simple installation, some customers said that water rushed right over the guard instead of going through it because of how slick the paint coating is on the steel.

Best Brush: GutterBrush Simple Gutter Guard

• $170
• $174
• 3% off

Prices taken at time of publishing.

This gutter guard has plastic bristles wrapped in steel wire and slides directly into your gutter, blocking large debris from getting in while allowing water to seep through. Installation for this guard is quick and simple—it comes in three-feet sections like the Amerimax mesh guard and easily slides into the gutter.

• $170 at Amazon

Key Features

• Polypropylene bristle material
• Five inches wide
• Available in six-, 15-, 30-, 60-, or 120-foot lengths

What Customers Are Saying

About 550 customers reviewed this guard on Amazon. While this product has a high score of 4.4 stars, only 85% of customers gave it 4 or 5 stars, which is lower than the other Amazon products in this review.

Customers were realistic about how well these guards would work, understanding that they could only keep out large pieces of debris. Because of this, customers had to rinse smaller debris from the guards every so often. One common complaint among customers was that the guard didn’t work well in yards with a lot of trees and would become clogged easily with leaves and twigs.

Types of Gutter Guards

From easy-to-install brush guards to professionally installed micro-mesh guards, here are some common types of gutter guards and their advantages and disadvantages.

Screen

Screen gutter guards are installed by lifting the bottom row of roof shingles and sliding the edge of the screen underneath it. They have large holes that keep out leaves and other large debris. They’re affordable and easy to install on your own, but they can blow off in windy conditions and become brittle over time.

Mesh

Similar to screen guards, mesh guards are typically made of metal or plastic and have small holes that allow water to run through them while blocking out debris. They’re installed by slipping under the bottom row of your roof shingles, by snapping directly onto the top of the gutter, or by attaching a fastener to the fascia, a board that’s mounted near the roofline.

These are slightly more expensive and difficult to install than screen guards, but their holes are usually smaller, preventing more debris from clogging your gutters. However, some mesh guard varieties are flimsy and can be easily torn or damaged by extreme weather conditions.

Micro-mesh

These are similar to mesh guards, having holes in them to keep out debris and to allow water to flow through. However, the holes on micro-mesh guards are much smaller, allowing them to keep out more debris. They usually require professional installation and cost more than DIY solutions, but they require little maintenance.

Reverse curve/Surface tension

This type of gutter guard is made from metal or plastic. Unlike other gutter guards that allow water to flow through the gutter, this gutter guard forces water to flow over the gutter and around a downward curve before dropping into the gutter beneath. Leaves and debris slide off of these guards and onto the ground below.

Reverse curve guards are more difficult to install on your own because they have to be positioned at the same angle as your roof—if you have a steep roof, this could get a little tricky. They’re also expensive and are visible from the ground. However, they come in a variety of colors and keep out most debris, even in the toughest of weather conditions.

Brush

Brush gutter guards resemble large pipe cleaners that fit into your gutter. When these guards are in place, large debris collects on top, and water trickles down and out through the gutter spout. While this type of guard is easy to install, smaller debris, such as pine needles, can easily get stuck in the bristles, forcing you to completely remove the guard to shake those pieces out.

Foam

Foam guards are another inexpensive and easy-to-install option. They require sticking a wedge of foam into the gutter to keep out large debris. However, debris can easily build up on top of the guards instead of inside of the gutters, and they have to be completely removed to be cleaned.

Buying Guide

Now that you know about the different types of gutter guards, consider the following factors before making a final purchasing decision.

Warranty

This refers to both your roof warranty and your gutter guard warranty. Your roof comes with a warranty that can last anywhere from 20 to 50 years. However, you could potentially void your warranty if you purchase a gutter guard that requires you to lift up the bottom row of your roof shingles.

DIY gutter guards, such as foam and brush guards, don’t typically come with a warranty because they’re designed to be a temporary solution. Professionally installed guards, such as micro-mesh ones, usually come with a warranty that lasts for multiple years.

Installation

Installation should be one of the driving factors behind choosing what type of gutter guard you want for your home. Decide if you want a temporary guard that you can install yourself within minutes or if you want a permanent solution that requires help from a professional.

Size

Common gutter widths are five, six, and seven inches. Five- and six-inch gutters are the most common sizes, with seven-inch gutters only being used in locations that receive a lot of rain. Before buying a gutter guard, measure your gutters and make sure that the guard you buy will properly fit.

Appearance

If your home’s curb appeal is important to you, choose a gutter guard that can’t be seen from down below or that comes in a wide range of colors so that you can match it to the aesthetic of your home’s exterior.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are gutter guards worth the money?

Over time, your gutters will naturally experience clogs from pine needles, tree branches, leaves, and other debris. If you don’t regularly clean your gutters, you could experience the following problems:

• Roof leaks when the water doesn’t drain properly
• An insect infestation in the moist debris found in your gutters
• Foundation damage from water collection

While gutter guards still require occasional maintenance, they don’t have to be cleaned as much as unprotected gutters, which makes them a good solution for someone who doesn’t want to climb a ladder to clean out their gutters a few times every year.

What are gutter guards made of?

The three most common types of materials used for gutter guards are aluminum, metal or nylon mesh, and plastic. Aluminum and mesh last longer than plastic, but aluminum is lightweight and prone to movement in the wind, and mesh requires more maintenance. Plastic is usually more affordable than the other two materials, but it’s not as durable.

What are some common complaints made by gutter guard users?

Some of the most common complaints include:

• The gutters still require maintenance and upkeep.
• Icicles and ice dams form over the gutters in the winter, making the guards unusable.
• Gutter guards don’t prevent bees and pests from building nests in the gutters.

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We recommend products in each review using an intensive research process, spending hours combing through the best available models on Amazon. For a product to make our list of top picks, it must hold a solid sales record on Amazon, have consistently positive customer reviews, and offer unique features, among other factors. After narrowing down our list of recommendations, we conduct additional research and sometimes in-person testing to ensure that the products meet our standards. Once we conclude the research phase, we craft a well-rounded, user-friendly article that includes our recommended products and additional information to help homeowners like you make the right purchase.

cited source: https://www.thisoldhouse.com/gutters/21522772/best-gutter-guards