Your gutter guardians work 24/7 so you don’t have to
Gutter guards don't increase your home's resale value much, with an average return on investment between 0% and 10% on installation costs.
Expect to pay $1,515 on average for gutter guard installation, with costs ranging from $600 to $2,400 depending on your home's size.
Your gutter guards dramatically reduce annual cleaning needs, protecting your roof and gutters from debris damage while saving you time on maintenance.
Hiring a local gutter guards and covers professional ensures proper installation without voiding your roof warranty and provides reliable help with material selection.
Gutters are an integral part of your home, channeling powerful amounts of water away from your roof and, ideally, your foundation. Gutter guards—perforated metal strips laid over the gutter—can block all but the smallest debris and allow the gutters to work as intended. Many homeowners love the convenience gutter guards offer as they no longer need to clean gutters two, three, or more times per year.
However, with an average installation cost of $1,515 and an average return on investment (ROI) of 0% to 10%, gutter guard installation isn’t all sunshine and roses. You won’t recoup most of the investment, but gutter guards prevent costly damage to the roof or gutters.
All gutter guards work by filtering or shielding debris from entering your gutters and causing a blockage. How each one works depends on the type of gutter guard you choose, where you place it, and the size of the guard installed.
The average home uses around 150 to 250 linear feet of gutters, so you’d need the same length of gutter guards installed. The values below show a wide range as the type of gutter guard you use has a significant impact on cost per linear foot. Also, remember shorter lengths will cost more per linear foot, so there is an economy of scale for larger projects.
| Linear Feet | Average Cost |
|---|---|
| 40 | $400–$800 |
| 75 | $600–$900 |
| 100 | $650–$1,200 |
| 130 | $900–$1,400 |
| 150 | $1,000–$1,700 |
| 180 | $1,200–$2,000 |
| 200 | $1,350–$2,150 |
| 250 | $1,600–$2,800 |
| 300 | $2,000–$3,400 |
There are five types of gutter guards that you can choose for gutters. Here’s a look at each type to help you decide on the best gutter guards for your home.
Screen guards come in plastic or metal grids. You install the screens by carefully pushing them under the roof shingles to hold them in place. Keep in mind that this option can void roof warranties if improperly installed, and high wind can pull them out of place. Most screen guards last between five to 10 years, with plastic screen guards falling toward the lower end and metal screen guards coming in as the longest-lasting option.
Micro-mesh guards can also slide into shingles, but they come in other options that make them sturdier than screen guards. These guards can get clogged more easily and tend to be one of the more expensive options. However, most micro-mesh gutter guards have a lifespan of 20 years or longer. For the longest lifespan, go for a metal micro-mesh gutter guard system.
Ideal for yards with many leafy trees, reverse-curve guards slide under or hook atop the shingles, cover your entire gutter, and have a curve that allows for leaves to slide off. Reverse-curve gutter guards can last between 10 and 25 years on average. How long a reverse-curve gutter guard lasts depends on how well it’s installed. This type of gutter guard can be more difficult to install correctly, and an improperly installed gutter guard can quickly shorten its lifespan.
Brush guards are large metal brushes with thermoplastic bristles. Their shape prevents leaves from clogging your drains while allowing water to slip past. Brush guards are easy to install and flexible; you just place them into your gutters. In terms of longevity, brush gutter guards fall a little short compared to metal gutter guards, at around a five- to 10-year range.
A foam guard is a gutter guard that comes in the shape of a triangle. The corner and edge of one side lie against the bottom of your gutter, while the flat upper part goes across the top, preventing debris from entering. Climates with lots of rainfall may not be suitable for foam guards, as they can’t handle intense rain without overflowing or deteriorating. Foam guards have several pros and cons. The main downside is that they last only one to two years on average, depending on the foam quality.
DIYing gutter guards will save you money during installation, but not much once you consider the cost of buying tools if you don’t already own them. In addition to the gutter guard materials, these include a ladder and safety gear, like glasses and gloves.
While you can install gutter guards yourself, the installation process has significant safety hazards. It’s a time-consuming project that can quickly become a major pain if you’re not used to working at heights and on ladders. Not to mention, improperly installing gutter guards can void your roof’s warranty or lead to costly roof repairs.
If you don’t have experience installing gutter guards or working with rooftops and ladders (or even if you do), it’s a good idea to contact a gutter guard installer near you to safely do the job and provide the proper warranties.
Gutter guards are not like a kitchen remodel—homeowners shouldn’t have investment considerations in the front of their minds when considering gutter guards. The reason is that you won’t be likely to recoup more than 10% of the cost of the project, and you won’t see a dollar value increase in your home’s value.
The real value of gutter guards is protecting your gutters but more importantly, your roof. Installed gutter guards have “soft value” when buyers are looking, especially if your area sees high levels of rain and debris.
Gutter guards cost anywhere between $1 and $10 per linear foot, not including installation, which costs an extra $9 per linear foot on average. Gutter guard installation costs $1,515 on average, but prices can fall anywhere between $600 and $2,400. Cost factors that can affect the total cost of your project include:
Materials used
Gutter length
Type of gutter guard
Local labor costs
We would say “yes” but with the caveat that not every home needs gutter guards, and not every gutter guard on the market is worth it. Your budget, climate, installation method, willingness to maintain and clean the gutter guards, the number of trees, and the type of gutter guard can all contribute to whether or not gutter guards are worth it.
It’s important to understand your home’s needs and the amount of maintenance that goes into keeping your gutter system smooth-flowing, and how preventative you want to be with things like ice damming when making a decision. If you’re unsure if gutter guards are worth it, a local gutter company will look at your home on a case-by-case basis and recommend the best gutter guard for your budget, lifestyle, landscape, and climate.
Home is the most important place on earth, which is why Angi has helped more than 150 million homeowners transform their houses into homes they adore. To help homeowners maximize the value of their investments, we gather ROI data from reputable sources, including industry reports, real estate studies, and interviews with market experts. We calculate the average resale value for projects by multiplying the ROI against the project’s average cost according to our cost data, which is sourced from thousands of real Angi customers.
Want to help us improve our data? Send us a recent project quote or home appraisal value to [email protected]. Quotes and personal information will not be shared publicly.
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Are gutter guards worth it? The average gutter guard installation cost is $650 to $2,000 but varies depending on types, materials, home height, and other factors.
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