Gutter guard myths: what guards really do, and when they are worth it

Guards cut cleaning, they do not end it

No. A good gutter guard keeps leaves, twigs, seeds and most grit out of the gutter, which means far fewer clogs and far fewer cleanings, but it does not mean the gutters never need attention again. Debris can collect on top of the guard, fine material can still work its way in, and the downspouts and outlets still deserve an occasional check. Our guards page puts it realistically: with guards installed, a yearly service may be enough instead of the two to four cleanings a year that unprotected gutters need.

At The Brothers that just do Gutters we install guards on a lot of houses, and we also talk people out of them when the house does not need them. Most disappointment with guards comes from a handful of myths. Here they are, one at a time, along with what is actually true.

Myth: every gutter guard works about the same

Guards range from plastic screens you drop into the gutter to rigid frames with fine metal mesh fastened to the gutter itself, and they behave very differently. Coarse screens stop leaves but let seeds, catkins and shingle grit through, and lightweight vinyl guards are, as our BroGuard page puts it, flimsy by comparison. Fine-mesh guards stop much smaller material.

Our guards page describes the main types. Lock-in guards are usually powder-coated steel that holds up against rust. Micro-mesh guards are made of stainless steel or perforated aluminum and filter small particles such as pine needles and roof granules. Mesh panels slip into brackets and are attached with screws. Some models have to be trimmed for a proper fit, which is one reason fit and installation matter as much as the product.

• Drop-in plastic screens: inexpensive, but lightweight and easy to dislodge
• Coarse metal or vinyl screens: stop leaves, let smaller debris through
• Lock-in steel guards: sturdy, rust-resistant finish
• Micro-mesh in stainless steel or perforated aluminum: stops seeds, needles and grit
• Mesh panels in brackets: secure when screwed down and properly fitted

Myth: once guards go on, you never look at the gutters again

Guards change maintenance from scooping out a packed gutter to a light check. Leaves and catkins can pile up on top of a guard, especially on a low-pitch roof or under a tree that drops heavily for weeks. Most of that dries and blows off, but a wet mat can sit there long enough to send water sheeting over the edge in the next storm.

Fine material is the other reason. Even micro-mesh lets a small amount of very fine silt through over time, and the downspouts, elbows and joints still collect whatever gets in. That is why we pair guards with a yearly check for most homeowners. If you would rather handle that yourself, my guide to cleaning your own gutters safely explains what is reasonable and where to draw the line.

Myth: guards will stop my gutters from overflowing

Guards help a gutter keep the capacity it has by keeping debris out. They do not add capacity. If a gutter overflows in a heavy rain because it is too small for the roof above it, or because the run is too long for one downspout, a guard will not change that. The same is true of a gutter that has lost its slope and holds standing water.

This is the most common mistake we are called to undo: an expensive guard installed on an undersized or badly pitched gutter. Fix the size and slope first, then add the guard. If you are not sure whether your gutters are big enough, read how to tell which gutter size your roof needs before you spend money on guards.

Myth: if you buy guards, every side of the house needs them

Guards earn their cost where trees load the gutters. A side of the house under a mature live oak or pecan may fill in a single season. A side that faces open lawn or the street, with nothing overhead, may collect little more than roof grit. Putting guards on that side adds cost without much benefit.

When our Solutionists recommend guards, they look at where the trees are and how the debris falls, and they often suggest guards only on the runs that need them. That keeps the cost down and still removes most of the cleaning. A company that quotes guards on every foot of gutter by default is not thinking about your house.

Myth: you need new gutters before you can add guards

Not always. Our BroGuard guard snaps onto an existing system and is custom fit to it, so sound gutters can be protected without replacing them. That is the right move when the gutters are firmly attached, correctly pitched, large enough for the roof, and hung on solid fascia.

Before we guard an existing system, we check it the way we would check any gutter: are the hangers tight, does each run fall toward its downspout, are the seams dry, is the fascia firm, and is the gutter big enough for the roof plane above it. If the answer to all of that is yes, a cleaning and a few small adjustments are usually all that is needed before the guards go on.

Where it goes wrong is putting a long-life guard on a system that is near the end of its own life. If the gutters are sagging, leaking at seams or pulling away from soft wood, the guard will come off again when the gutters are replaced. In that case it makes more sense to replace the gutters and add guards at the same time. My guide to what new seamless gutters cost explains how guards fit into an installation quote.

Myth: guards only matter in the fall

People picture gutter trouble as a November problem, a gutter full of brown leaves. Around Dallas the load comes all year. Live oaks drop leaves and catkins in spring, right as the heavy storms arrive. Pecans and elms shed in their own seasons, every windstorm brings down twigs and seed pods, and shingle granules wash off the roof with every rain. In some seasons we have seen brand-new gutters clog within a day.

That is why the timing of an open-gutter cleaning is so tricky. Clean in early spring and the catkins refill the gutter before the worst storms; clean after them and you may already have had an overflow. A guard takes the timing out of it. The gutter stays clear through the spring storms and the fall leaf drop alike, and the yearly check can happen whenever it suits you.

What good guards do that people overlook

The obvious benefit is fewer clogs. The less obvious ones are worth knowing. A fine mesh catches the small things that coarse screens let through, such as seeds and the asphalt granules that wash off shingles with every rain. Those are exactly what turn into sludge at the bottom of an open gutter.

Guards also keep animals out. Our guards page notes that they prevent birds and rodents from nesting in the gutter and potentially working their way into the house. And because a protected gutter stays clear, water keeps moving to the downspouts instead of sitting in the trough and spilling against the fascia. A gutter that is not carrying a load of wet debris also puts less strain on its hangers and the fascia behind them.

• Far fewer clogs and cleanings
• Seeds, catkins and shingle granules kept out with a fine mesh
• Less standing water in the trough
• No nesting birds or rodents in the gutter
• Colors that can match the gutter, so the guard is barely visible

When guards are worth the money, and when they are not

Guards make the most sense on houses under trees, on two-story or steep roofs where cleaning means a tall ladder, and for homeowners who simply do not want to think about gutters before every storm. They make less sense on a house with no trees nearby, on gutters that need replacing anyway, or where the real problem is size or slope.

There is also a middle path. Some homeowners skip guards and put their gutters on a maintenance schedule instead, with cleanings timed before the heavy rains and after the leaf drop. Others combine the two: guards on the tree side, and one scheduled check a year. I describe what that yearly routine looks like, including after hail, in keeping gutters working through the seasons.

• Worth it: heavy tree cover, tall or steep roofs, no appetite for ladders
• Worth it on part of the house: trees over one or two sides only
• Not yet: gutters that are undersized, sagging or due for replacement
• Probably not: open lots with nothing overhead

How BroGuard is built, and what to ask about any warranty

Our BroGuard guard uses a heavy-gauge aluminum frame with an interchangeable stainless steel micro-mesh insert. The mesh is mechanically secured, not glued, and the frame mounts with brackets fitted to your gutters. It is built to protect for 20 or more years and carries a limited lifetime warranty. Whatever guard you consider, from us or anyone else, ask for the warranty terms in writing: what is covered, for how long, and what you need to do to keep the coverage.

If you would like to know whether guards make sense on your house, or on which sides, a Solutionist will look at the trees, the roofline and the gutters themselves and give you a straight answer, usually within a few days of your call. We fit guards across Dallas and the surrounding cities, on new gutters and on sound existing ones.

Questions people ask me