Cleaning your home’s gutters is a messy chore, but it’s vital to keep your home’s stormwater drainage system free of clogs. Formed from decomposing leaves, twigs, and other debris, clogs can force water to flow over the side of the gutter, damaging foundation plantings and compromising the foundation itself. Fortunately, you don’t need to teeter on a ladder twice a year to keep your gutters clear. Installing gutter guards prevents debris from ever entering your gutters, all but eliminating the risk of clogs.

Types of Gutter Guards

The three main types of gutter guards available are screen, mesh, and reverse curve (also called “surface tension”)—and each has its own set of advantages. Most gutter guards come in three-foot to eight-foot lengths, with widths designed to cover gutters ranging from four inches to six inches wide.

1. Screen gutter guards

These gutter guards feature a wire or plastic grid that installs by lifting the bottom row of roof shingles and then sliding the edge of the screen beneath so the weight of the shingles holds it in place. These are easiest type of gutter guards to install—oftentimes no tools are needed.

Benefits:

• Screen gutter guards are an inexpensive option, starting under $1 per linear foot.
• The screen grid keeps leaves from entering the gutter trough.

Considerations:

• Because they’re not screwed down, screen gutter guards may be dislodged by high winds or knocked out from under the shingles by falling branches.
• Plastic screen guards can become brittle over time and break.

2. Mesh gutter guards

Mesh gutter guards are similar to screen guards, allowing water to run through small holes while blocking twigs and debris. The guards are available in either plastic or metal mesh, and they install in three main ways—by slipping the edge under the first row of shingles, snapping the guard directly onto the top of the gutter, or attaching a flange to the fascia.

Benefits:

• Easy to install.
• Blocks even small bits of debris, such as blowing sand, while allowing rain to flow through.
• Available in a variety of options, from inexpensive plastic frames and lightweight screen-type material to solid metal frames and mesh made from stainless steel.

Considerations:

• Flimsy varieties of fine mesh gutter guards can be torn and damaged by ice buildup and falling branches.
• May need occasional cleaning, which could involve spraying with a hose, and (optionally) scrubbing with a brush if tiny fallen seeds lodge in the fine mesh holes.

3. Reverse curve gutter guards

Reverse curve gutter guards re made from lightweight metal or molded plastic, and water does not flow through them but rather over the top and around a downward curve before dropping into the gutter beneath. Leaves and debris slide right off the edge and fall to the ground below. In order to work properly, the guard strips should be installed at the same angle as the slope of the roof.

Benefits:

• Works well for keeping leaves and debris out of the gutter, even in heavily treed yards.
• Some brands are available in a handful of colors, including white, almond, and gray.

Considerations:

• Less DIY-friendly than other types, reverse curve gutter guards require being able to attach the backside of the guard at the correct angle to the roof’s fascia (the vertical strip just above the top of the gutter). If the angle isn’t correct, water can run over the edge, rather than following the reverse curve into the gutter. This involves some advanced carpentry skills, and sometimes the gutter itself will have to be lowered.
• Because reverse gutter guards install above the existing guttering, they may be visible from the ground.

Measuring for Gutter Guards

To get the right size guard, measure the width of the top of the gutter from the outside edge to outside edge. Gutters come in three standard widths: four-inch, five-inch, and six-inch, with five-inch being most common.