While some swear by using gutter guards to save money, others aren’t as convinced. Gutter guards have been a topic of home-improvement debate for some time, with people saying that they are or aren’t worth the money.

If you are finding yourself torn down the middle on your decision to or not to get gutter guards, let’s take a look at what they can do for your house and their pros and cons.

What Are Gutter Guards?

Gutters are in charge of removing the water and debris from your roof so they don’t sit and weigh down on the roof’s structure. However, as many know, they need to be regularly cleaned as they can become overfilled with debris and be unable to do their job.

To attempt to solve the problem of gutters needing to be cleaned, gutter guards were created to catch and remove the debris falling to the gutters from the room. They were made to prolong the time between each gutter cleaning, though some don’t think they do much.

How Much do Gutter Guards Cost?

First, there are several different kinds of gutter guards, each with its price points.

Gutter screens, which are wired mesh that is placed on top of the gutter, costs about $4.25 per foot. Gutter helmets are solid pieces of metal that clip onto your gutter to have gutter protection against leaves. They cost about $5.50 per foot.

However, more options can cost less than $4.25 per foot. Some options out there, such as some micro steel mesh guards will cost under $3.

When considering the price, you must understand that the larger the roof you have, the more expensive getting guards will be. Most roofs are more than just a few feet long, so even though $3 might not seem like a lot, that price will add up quickly.

Unless you are planning on DIY-ing this project, there is also the gutter installation cost that comes with the gutter guards. The average cost for hiring someone to install your gutter guards is around $1305, which can be a lot of money to take care of their roof. In total, you are likely to be spending well over $2500, depending on how large your roof is.

Do You End Up Saving Money with Gutter Guards?

The main selling point for gutter guards is that if you have them, you won’t have to spend as much on regular gutter cleanings.

If you don’t have gutter guards, you should be getting your gutters cleaned twice a year. The average cost for this cleaning is between $170 and $425, though people typically only spend around $250. That is about $500 a year on getting your gutters cleaned without gutter guards.

Even with gutter guards, you still need to get your gutters cleaned. Many places will still recommend getting your gutters cleaned once or twice a year even if you have gutter guards. Learning this becomes a major turn-off for many people.

With gutter guards, you may spend less on each cleaning because there will be less to be cleaned. However, it will take a long time for the money you saved to be more than the money you spent having gutter guards installed.

Some report that having gutter guards has made it easier to clean their gutters themselves. With mesh gutter guards, you can take a long brush and sweep the debris from your gutters.

The Pros of Having a Gutter Guard

Gutter guards do have some pros, otherwise, why would they be sold at all? Even if this list of pros doesn’t make gutter guards worth it to you, it is important to note what they can do for homeowners.

Gutter Guards Make It Easier to Clean

As we have previously touched on, gutter guards make cleaning the gutters easier between professional gutter cleanings. With the right tool, you can prolong the time in between professional cleanings by sweeping the leaves and other debris away from the top of the guard. This can save you a bit of money by not needing professional cleanings as often.

They Protect Your Roof

Gutter guards do a good job of protecting your roof from the weight of debris and water. With bare gutters, water can get into the area between the gutter and the roof, which over time can damage the roof.

Gutter guards also provide leaf filter gutter protection by preventing leaves from sitting in the gutter which stops it from being able to do its job. With this protection, you are saved money from possible big expenses from damage being caused to your roof by debris.

The Cons of Gutter Guards

While gutter guards are designed to help, many people don’t like them because of all the cons that they have.

Very Expensive with Little Reward

Many people find that the large initial cost of gutter guards isn’t worth it. They aren’t saving all the money that the guards had promised that they would. This leaves many people feeling like they’ve wasted their money.

They Won’t Stop Moss or Algae from Growing

When people are having problems with their gutters, they might think that it is a buildup of leaves and dirt. Those things can easily be swiped away using a gutter guard, however, if the problem is that moss or algae are growing in the gutters, those can’t be solved by gutter guards and require professional cleanings.

Many Aren’t Made for the Winter

Finally, many guards aren’t made to withstand winter. Ice and water weight will pile up and put a lot of strain, possibly causing them to break under the pressure. Then, you have to spend more money replacing or repairing them.

Gutter Guards May Not be Worth It

If you want a tool that will help you save some money in between gutter cleanings, then gutter guards can be worth it to you. However, just know that these guards come with a lot of costs that have turned many people away from them.