2023 Best Gutter Guard System For Your Home

Typical Price Range To Install Gutter Guards Average: $970 - $2,745
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Gutter guards allow you to protect your home by ensuring blockages don’t prevent proper drainage. They also stop the build-up of materials that make perfect breeding grounds for pests.

Before installing gutter guards, you need to know which ones will do the job best for your home and region.

How Much Do Gutter Guards Cost?

Prices for Gutter Guards will range from $1.5 – $4 per linear for a DIY option, to in some cases outrageous $12 – $75 per ln. ft. when installed by a contractor!

Before you overpay for something you don’t need – read this guide! Below you will find cost estimates for gutter guards material and installation prices.

Typical Price Range To Install Gutter Guards Average: $970 - $2,745
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Cost of Gutter Guard Materials

Brand Material Cost Per Foot Cost Per 200-Foot For Materials
LeafGuard $45.50 to $76.00 $9,100 to $15,200 🙁
LeafFilter $13.50 to $37.00 $2,700 to $7,400
Gutterglove $0.85 to $3.50 $170 to $700
FlexxPoint $1.60 to $1.80 $320 to $360
Raptor $2.30 to $2.50 $460 to $500
A-M Gutter Guard $1.20 to $1.40 $240 to $280

Cost of Gutter Guard Installation

Brand Installation Cost Per Foot Cost Per 200-Foot Installation
LeafGuard $99 $99
LeafFilter $1.80 to $3.80 $360 to $760
Gutterglove $1.90 to $3.80 $380 to $760
FlexxPoint $1.00 to $2.00 $200 to $400
Raptor $3.50 to $7.50 $700 to $1,500
A-M Gutter Guard $3.00 to $7.00 $600 to $1,400

You can use our Gutter Installation Cost Calculator to estimate the cost of installing gutters on your home.

What Are The Best Gutter Guards?

Each gutter guard offers unique protection, its own pricing, and varying installation costs. Here, we examine some of the leading brands to help you make the right choice for your home.

Brand No. “1” – LeafGuard

LeafGuard is a seamless all-in-one Gutter + Leaf Cap systems, which is patented in the US (and perhaps other parts of the world), and thus, does not have an actual competing product which is all one piece.

LeafGuard operates a dealer network across the US, as well as a massive marketing and sales team.

While LeafGuard offers a $99 installation, which is essential “free”, you pay for the product (materials) and that is where they make the real money. And when we say real money, we mean it!

A typical LeafGuard install costs more than a typical new roof! The sales rep will usually sticker-shock the homeowner with as much as $100 / linear foot, and then to some pencil magic, voodoo dance, and will give you best deal of the day at around $45-$60 / ln.ft., which is still quite outrageous.

References:
1 – Crazy LeafGuard quote
2 – New gutters – got a crazy quote for LeafGuard

Just so you understand the real cost of materials:

Typical cost of 5″ deep seamless aluminum K-gutter (the most common residential gutters type) was about $1.80 – $2.25 per ln. ft. delivered to the job site (actually field-fabricated & roller out of a truck, on site).

Now with the crazy 2022 inflation, run-up in aluminum and energy costs, Ukraine war, etc, cost of aluminum gutters has gone up to about $2.75 – $3.00 per ln. ft. Still nowhere near $50+ that LeafGuard is charging.

Our estimate is that LeafGuard real cost of materials is somewhere between $2-4. Keep in mind, it is a patented product, and they use their own proprietary roll forming machines to make it.

But we haven’t talked about leaf caps. A typical gutter supplier, will also carry a custom made aluminum gutter caps, with drain holes, which is arguably the best design (in our experience installing and owning them).

These aluminum gutter guards will cost about $8-$12 per foot, and total cost to install another $8 – $10 / ln .ft.

So for about $22 – $25 you will get a really great system, which includes new gutters, downspouts and guards. So why pay $50-$70 / foot???

Typical Price Range To Install Gutter Guards Average: $970 - $2,745
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But wait – it gets even better. What I always suggest to my customers when installing gutters – get a PVC 4′ long Amerimax Solid Gutter Cover, which are solid on the top, and have small concealed drain holes, and in my almost 20 years experience installing them – leafs don’t get in!

These sell for $4 – $6 per 4′ section at Home Depot, Lowe’s, and other home improvement. stores. They are very easy to install – either yourself or by your gutter installer. It will probably cost you extra $3-4 per foot to install, but you will have a complete new gutters with guards from less than $18/ft!

Brand No. 2 – LeafFilter

One of the most complete gutter guard systems available, LeafFilter uses surgical-grade stainless steel to offer tough protection against debris. This material easily handles impacts with rocks and twigs.

Plus, it has in-built rustproofing to ensure rain can’t cause issues over time.

Did you know? In addition to resisting rust, stainless steel also resists corrosion. That means it’s an excellent material for gutter guards installed in areas prone to acid rain or exposure to other corrosive substances.

These guards are customizable to the size of your gutter, meaning you don’t have to change your guttering to have them installed.

They also come with structural hangers and a solid uPVC frame, both of which offer support to the main stainless steel guard. The frame also functions as a platform for a micro-mesh guard that prevents smaller debris from entering your gutters.

However, the guards require professional installation, which can drive their price up significantly.

Furthermore, some customers take issue with the LeafFilter sales team, with a common complaint being that they offer a high price to begin with and then apply pressure by lowering the price until a customer accepts.

You can expect to pay between $13.50 and $37 per foot of LeafFilter, with installation costing between $1.80 and $3.80 per foot.

Assuming your home has 200 feet of guttering, this creates material costs of between $2,700 and $7,400, with installation adding another $360 to $760 onto the cost.

This high price point makes LeafFilter one of the more expensive gutter guards. However, the product offers superb performance and comes with a transferable lifetime warranty.

Brand No. 3 – Gutterglove

Made using rust-resistant 316 stainless steel, Gutterglove uses a fine mesh to ensure debris can’t get through to your gutters.

This mesh is so small that it’s even capable of preventing pine needles from getting through. These guards also come with anodized aluminum framing, which offers sturdy protection while also guarding against rust and corrosion.

Gutterglove is an adjustable product, meaning it fits non-standard gutter sizes ranging from two to seven inches. It’s rated to handle a maximum of 150 inches of rainfall per hour.

Gutterglove also uses the manufacturer’s proprietary V-Bend technology, which allows for small debris to get blown off the guard instead of collecting on top of it.

The manufacturers offer a Pro service, which involves having one of the company’s certified professionals to complete the installation for you.

However, they also offer DIY kits for those who want to do it themselves. Unfortunately, Gutterglove seems to be less effective in regions that experience cold or icy conditions.

The anodized aluminum frame gets extremely cold, allowing for the formation of icicles and ice dams that affect drainage.

Gutterglove costs between $0.85 and $3.50 per foot for materials, with installation adding $1.90 to $3.80 per foot.

If you have 200 feet of guttering, this works out to between $170 and $700 for the materials, plus $380 to $760 for professional installation. Gutterglove comes with a 40-year limited warranty as standard, though this reduces to 10 years for those in coastal areas.

Brand No. 4 – FlexxPoint 30-Year Gutter Guards

These reinforced gutter guards are ideal for providing extra protection against sagging and collapsing gutters.

Made using aluminum, these guards are made in the screen style and can easily handle the weight of heavy snowfalls or large amounts of leaves. Raised ridges provide additional reinforcement.

Perhaps the biggest positive for FlexxPoint’s gutter guards is that you can’t see them from the ground. They offer a discrete installation, allowing them to mesh into your home’s aesthetic without standing out.

The guards also stand out because they require screws in both the front and back of your gutters for installation, which means they provide stronger support than many other gutter guards.

Downsides include the fact that the material cannot be ordered based on specific footage. Instead, it comes in packs starting from 22 feet and going up to 204 feet. Each pack contains a collection of 4-foot gutter guards.

As such, you may find that you have to order more than you need to complete your installation. Thankfully, the material is fairly easy to cut down to size. The guards also have a habit of collecting larger debris, making regular manual removal a likelihood.

You can buy a 22-foot pack of FlexxPoint’s residential gutter guards for between $36 and $40, creating a per foot price of between $1.60 and $1.80.

Their drop-in style makes installation fairly straightforward, with costs coming in at between $1 and $2 per foot. Expect to pay between $320 and $360 for materials and $200 to $400 for installation if you have 200 feet of guttering.

Did you know? The average residential property in the United States has between 125 and 250 feet of guttering installed.

Brand No. 5 – Raptor Micro-Mesh Gutter Guard

Made using stainless steel, this gutter guard stands out because it features a tight mesh that allows nothing but water through. That means that not even seeds or pine needles can get into your gutters when you have this guard installed.

It fits gutters ranging in size between five and seven inches, with the stainless steel used for the guards also ensuring that they don’t rust up under heavy rainfall.

Raptor is confident enough to offer a 25-year limited warranty, meaning you can trust these guards to offer solid protection for a long time.

However, such tight mesh can come at a cost. Some customers report that the mesh doesn’t allow all of the water through during heavy rainfalls.

As such, water may flow out of the gutters when it should be getting drained away. Furthermore, the material is only available in 48-foot packs, meaning you may end up having to order more than you need.

Costing between $110 and $120 per 48-foot pack, these gutter guards have a per foot cost of between $2.30 and $2.50.

They come with detailed instructions and all of the hardware needed for the installation, meaning you can do it yourself at no cost.

If you choose to go down the professional route, expect to pay about $3.50 to $7.50 per foot installed. This works out to a total of $700 to $1,400 for installation if you have 200 feet of guttering. Material costs come to between $460 and $500 in this situation.

Brand No. 6 – A-M Gutter Guard

Made using tough and flexible aluminum, these gutter guards have 380 holes per foot in their mesh, which means they’re capable of handling heavy downpours without overflowing.

They’re also discrete, as they fit directly inside your gutters so they’re invisible when looking up at them. These guards also have strong reinforcement ridges, which run along their entire length.

Consumers seem to be impressed by them too, with the guards ranked as American’s best in the 2019 Kzumer Consumer Report. The manufacturer reports a 93% customer satisfaction rate to go along with this.

Though the manufacturer recommends these guards for the DIY enthusiast, they come with a glaring issue. The materials don’t include the screws needed to secure them to your gutters.

If you’re doing the job yourself, you’ll need to source 0.5-inch screws from another company. They’re also prone to clogging with heavy debris. These minor niggles aside, A-M Gutter Guard offers high durability and excellent rain handling.

A 50-foot batch of A-M Gutter Guard will set you back between $60 and $70, creating a per foot cost of $1.20 to $1.40. This low cost makes them some of the most affordable gutter guards on the market.

Expect to pay between $3.00 and $7.00 per foot for installation. This creates 200-foot totals of $240 to $280 for materials, along with $600 to $1400 for installation.

Are Gutter Guards Worth It?

Gutter guards are worth the money if you have issues with debris falling into your gutters. For example, homes surrounded by large trees experience a lot of gutter clogging due to leaf build-up.

They also reduce maintenance costs, with even the less effective gutter guards requiring you to do very little clean-up work when compared to unprotected gutters.

If your gutter guard has a tight mesh, it can also prevent pests from using your gutters to breed.
Did you know? Termites, mosquitoes, bees, wasps, and hornets can all breed in clogged gutters. Open gutters also provide access points for rodents and may attract birdlife.

However, do not assume that having gutter guards means you don’t have to do any maintenance. Even the best systems can get overrun with larger debris, meaning you’ll occasionally have to clear them.

Furthermore, some gutter guards overflow under heavy rainfall, with others being prone to the formation of ice dams and icicles.

Typical Price Range To Install Gutter Guards Average: $970 - $2,745
See costs in your area

Do Gutter Guards Work In Heavy Rain?

Generally speaking, good gutter guards should work under heavy rainfall. The mesh that many of them use allows water to seep through, meaning it gets drained away as it’s supposed to be.

However, some gutter guards aren’t as effective under heavy rain as others. Those with especially tight meshes may end up overflowing because rain can’t flow through them at the same rate that it’s falling.

Most manufacturers tell you how many inches of rainfall their gutter guards can handle per hour. Note that these are optimal figures that may not always apply if there is ice in your gutters or if the guard has accumulated uncleared debris.

Did you know? The states with the heaviest rainfall are Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, Florida, and Alabama. Each experiences more than 53 inches of annual rainfall.

What Are The Types Of Gutter Guards?

There are several types of gutter guards that you can choose from.

Mesh is the most common. Gutter guards that use a fine mesh can generally prevent both small and large debris from entering your gutters. They’re also designed to allow water to flow through, though they may be vulnerable to particularly heavy downpours.

Screen gutter guards work in much the same way, only they’re generally made using wire or plastic rather than metal. However, these screens tend to have larger holes than metal mesh, which allows seeds and pine needles to get through.

Metal gutter guards rely on their surface tension to keep water flowing into the gutters. They also offer complete coverage, meaning nothing can get through them.

Unfortunately, they require your roof to have a certain pitch otherwise they can easily overflow under heavy rainfall.

Finally, there are also brush gutter guards, which fit directly into your gutters. As the name implies, these gutter guards are brushes designed to catch large debris to ensure it doesn’t clog your gutters.

They’re fairly effective if you’re looking for an inexpensive solution. But they require regular cleaning and do little to stop smaller debris.

Do You Need To Replace Your Gutters When Getting A Gutter Guard Installed?

As long as your gutters are in good repair, you likely won’t need to replace them when installing gutter guards.

Most manufacturers offer guards of varying sizes, with some even providing adjustable guards that you can customize to your gutters.

If your gutters have started to deteriorate due to age or constant blockage, a replacement system may help you get more of the benefit out of your gutter guards.

Which Gutter Guards Will Work Best For You?

Several factors determine which gutter guards will work best for you.

If your budget is an issue, a DIY installation of A-M Gutter Guards allows you to get protection without spending a huge amount of money. The same goes for FlexxPoint’s gutter guards, which are a touch more expensive but also come with the screws needed for installation.

Raptor’s gutter guards land at the midpoint when it comes to cost. However, they feature an extremely tight mesh that prevents anything but water from entering your gutters.

Sadly, they’re prone to overflowing, meaning they may not be the best choice if you live in an area that experiences heavy rainfall.

Both Gutterglove and LeafFilter offer more heavy-duty solutions with Gutterglove coming in at the least expensive of the pair.

LeafFilter balances this by offering the strongest gutter guards on the market.

When making your choice, think about your budget, the types of debris your gutters tend to collect, and how much rainfall your area experiences.

Each factor can influence which of the gutter guards we’ve highlighted is the best fit for your home.

Typical Price Range To Install Gutter Guards Average: $970 - $2,745
See costs in your area

Author: Leo B
For over 20 years Leo has run a successful roofing business in New England, specializing in metal roofing, as well as cool flat roofing technologies. Having replaced and installed hundreds of roofs in New England, Leo has first hand experience with pretty much every residential roofing material and roofing manufacturer available in the US.
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