Gutter guards can help increase the longevity of your roof while ensuring no debris, leaves, or pests clog up the gutters. Knowing how to find the best gutter guard for your home is key to the best gutter protection.
If you hate cleaning out your gutters, you’re not alone. All that grime and mess is unpleasant to deal with (not to mention tedious and dangerous). While debris can build up fast, causing gutters to clog and prevent good drainage, gutter guards are the best way to make your life easier and increase the longevity of your roof. Keep reading to learn more about the best gutter guards.
- 5 Main Gutter Guard Types
- What Are The Best Gutter Guards? 3 Key Characteristics
- 3 Best Gutter Guards
- Tips For Choosing The Best Gutter Protection For Your Home
- Who Should Install Our Best Rated Gutter Guards?
Asher’s Gutter Helmet will help protect your Wisconsin home’s gutters for years.
5 Main Gutter Guard Types
Depending on your home’s needs, there are multiple options to choose from for the best gutter protectors. Different types of gutter guards are made with various materials and for distinct purposes, meaning that looking into the best gutter protection for your needs can help you make the right decision.
The five main gutter guard types include:
Panel Cover Gutter Guard
One of the best types of gutter guards is the panel cover gutter guard. It acts as a reliable barrier, keeping debris and pests out of gutters. It also does not require a lot of maintenance or cleaning since no debris can get caught.
Panel cover gutter guards are lightweight yet durable. Other facts to note about these guards include:
- Ones like the Gutter Helmet have a textured surface, increasing rain-handling performance
- Doesn’t require climbing a ladder to clean
- Easy to install by professionals with new or old gutters
- They are a great long term solution
- Panel cover gutter guards like the Gutter helmet are compatible with heated gutter systems like the Helmet Heat to prevent ice dams in the winter
Brush Gutter Guards
This type of gutter protection has bristles that are either made from stainless steel or UV-protected plastic. The brush gutter guard fits inside gutters and captures debris while still allowing adequate water flow.
Brush gutter guards are among the best gutter guards for heavy rain. Some other important facts to note about these guards include:
- They are used in houses that have downpipes to prevent ascending rats
- A bristle gutter guard is suited to homes with roof valleys and junctions
- Comes in standard lengths that can be cut into specific sizes
- Can be bent to any angle desired, which is convenient
- Easy to install and simple to take out for occasional maintenance
- They are great for new homeowners and DIYers on a budget
Foam Gutter Guards
Foam gutter guards are made from UV-protected filter foam inserts that slide into the gutter and rest in its curve. As one of the main types of rain gutter guards, water can easily penetrate the foam cells while debris is blown away by the wind. Some of its features include:
- Easy installation by new homeowners
- Fits in snugly with no messy screws or glues
- Ideally suited to homes with round gutters
- Highly affordable for those on a budget
- Long-lasting and durable, which makes it cost-effective
- Can be cut to fit any custom size
- Very low overall maintenance
Gutter Screens
Some covers for gutters include gutter screens. These are made from metal or plastic and are either bent to fit inside the top of the gutter or designed to clip onto standard gutters. Gutter screens aren’t for every home, however, which is why it’s important to keep the following in mind:
- Gutter guard mesh screens are some of the best leaf protection for gutters, but not for seeds or pine needles
- These screens require occasional cleaning, which may prove difficult with some of the installation types
- The plastic versions can become brittle over time and need replacing
- One style, known as reverse curve gutter guards, protrudes in a curve over the gutter
- This makes them vulnerable to damage from the elements
Micro Mesh Gutter Guards
Micro mesh gutter guards are similar to gutter screens. However, they are usually manufactured from either steel or aluminum, with barely any models sporting plastic frames. The aluminum frames last longer than the plastic ones, which often warp or get damaged over time. Also, micro-mesh guards are among the best gutter guards for pine needles.
These types of leaf guards have the following features:
- A very fine grid size will keep out most small debris and offer great gutter protection
- Considered one of the best types of gutter guards
- They usually come with a warranty
- They are typically professionally installed
- Gutter guard prices may cost more than DIY options
- Size variations protect from every type of clogging
Asher is here to help ensure your Wisconsin home gutters stay unclogged and protected from the elements.
What Are The Best Gutter Guards? 3 Key Characteristics
Finding the best type of gutter guard for your needs can be difficult, which is why we’re here to help. There are multiple aspects to consider, such as price, visibility, installation, and more. However, some of the most important characteristics to look into when finding the best rated gutter guard for your home include:
- Durability And Material Quality
- Effectiveness In Debris Prevention
- Ease Of Installation And Maintenance
Durability and Material Quality
The durability and quality of the materials used in your gutter guards can affect their longevity and performance. For example, stainless steel and copper options are more long-lasting and protective than other materials, such as plastic or foam.
Effectiveness In Debris Prevention
Another important aspect to consider when looking into the best gutter guards for snow and ice, among other debris, include how well it actually prevents these issues. Mesh gutter guards are a great way for your gutters to stay safe from many elements, while foam gutter guards literally won’t even allow debris into them.
Ease of Installation and Maintenance
Lastly, ensuring that your guards are both easy to install and maintain is another factor to consider when finding the best gutter guards for your needs. Most gutter guards should be professionally installed to ensure the best results, but some options – such as foam or brush guards – can technically be done on your own.
For long-term usability, finding the best material and buying the type of guard for your climate and weather is important as well.
Asher Lasting Exteriors will help you determine the best type of guard for your home.
3 Best Gutter Guards
With so many gutter guard options to choose from, how do you know which one is the best for your needs? Some of the most popular options we are here to help compare and contrast include:
Gutter Helmet
Our Gutter Helmet system is one of – if not the best – gutter protection options. It provides excellent coverage and has a ribbed service that quickly diverts rainwater away from your home. It also has a patented, nose-forward design that comes with a lifetime warranty and heavy-duty mounting.
At Asher Lasting Exteriors, gutters are our specialty. Learn more about our patented technology to hear why it’s the number one gutter guard system on the market.
Some pros and cons to consider include:
Pros:
- Strong, durable, and high quality
- Low maintenance
- Keeps out large and small debris
- Suits all roof types
- Can handle twice the heaviest rainfall ever recorded
- Guaranteed for you to never clean your gutters again
Cons:
- Needs to be professionally installed
- May cost more than lower-quality gutter guards
Source: LeafGuard
LeafGuard
While LeafGuard isn’t as effective or durable as Gutter Helmet technology, it still has many benefits. These aluminum gutters boast a material that is 20% thicker than the industry standard, meaning it’ll be around for years to come.
Other factors to consider include:
Pros:
- Suit all roof types
- LeafGuard eliminates all debris
- Can manage up to 32 inches of rain per hour
Cons:
- Often costs more due to custom fittings
- Lightweight brackets may not last long
- Requires entire removal of current gutter
Source: LeafFilter
LeafFilter
Lastly, LeafFilter guards are patented micro mesh systems that are made from surgical-grade stainless steel. This makes them corrosion resistant, ensuring that your system will be here to protect your home for many years. This system helps ensure durability and easily prevents clogging as well.
Other factors to look into for LeafFilter include:
Pros:
- Easy to install and less visible
- Comes with lifetime warranty
- No debris will pass through
Cons:
- Only available from one company
- Maintenance is often required
- Must be professionally installed
Needing to update your Wisconsin home gutters? Asher’s seamless gutters ensure your home will be safe during any season, from rain to snow
Tips For Choosing The Best Gutter Protection For Your Home
When you’re looking for the best gutter protection for your home, it can be difficult to know where to start and what characteristics to keep in mind for your home’s needs. Also, how do you know when it’s time to get an entirely new system or simply upgrade your current gutters?
Some tips on how to choose the best gutter protection for your home include to:
- Understand Your Gutter’s Compatibility With The Gutter Guard
- Assess Your Home’s Surroundings And Weather Conditions
- Check For Ease Of Access And Cleaning
Understand Your Gutter’s Compatibility With The Gutter Guard
Not all gutter guards are compatible with every type of gutter system. Before investing in any new gutter system, ensure that you research the fit and material of the gutters you want. This way, you can avoid lengthy or costly fixes down the road.
Our team at Asher Lasting Exteriors can help you determine what system is best for your needs, along with whether it will be compatible with your gutters and Wisconsin home.
Assess Your Home’s Surroundings And Weather Conditions
Additionally, make sure you take into account the local weather conditions and existing landscape. For example, Wisconsin – and the Midwest in general – experience all four seasons, have adequate rainfall, and undergo drastic amounts of rain, snow, and ice. This can greatly affect the kind of gutter your home needs, so assessing your home’s surroundings and weather is one of the first things you should do before investing in a new gutter system.
Check For Ease Of Access And Cleaning
Lastly, your gutter guards should be easy to both access and clean. This way, you can ensure your home stays protected and dry for years to come. If you can only clean the gutters with the help of a professional company, maybe it’s best to look into other options.
Some gutter guards that are easy to access and clean include micro mesh guards and brush guards. On the other hand, foam gutters are among the most difficult to clean and maintain for long-lasting function.
Gutter guards like the Gutter Helmet, a panel-type gutter guard, don’t require cleaning since they block debris from entering the gutter in the first place. The main part that needs to be cleaned is the helmet’s nose, which can be cleaned from the ground without a ladder.
Learn more about how the Gutter Helmet works and why it’s one of the best options for your gutters.
Who Should Install Our Best Rated Gutter Guards?
While some gutter guard options allow homeowners to install the system themselves, it’s important that most gutter guards be installed with the help of a professional team. This not only ensures that the system will keep your home protected for years to come, but it also cuts down on the potential for issues down the line, such as breaks, cracks, or issues due to home installation.
Our team at Asher Lasting Exteriors provides a transferable lifetime warranty for our Gutter Helmet technology to ensure that you are 100% covered for any issues that may arise.
Upgrade Your Gutter Guards With Asher Lasting Exteriors
There are clearly many benefits of a quality house gutter guard. Not only does it prevent damage caused by rainwater and other debris, but it also saves you time and money. Thankfully, with Asher Lasting Exteriors, you can maintain the value and aesthetic of your home and avoid the hassle of constant gutter maintenance.
If you live in Western Wisconsin and are in the market for new gutter guards, Asher Exteriors has everything you need. We install the best types of gutter guards and gutter systems in the industry, so no matter which solution you choose, you can relax knowing you chose a quality product. Learn more about our gutter solutions, and schedule a free consultation today.
