Best Overall
- Professional installation
- Number one gutter guard company
- Quick installation
Best Design
- It has a lifetime transferable warranty
- Can be used with metal roofs
- Micro-mesh material for superior filtration
Best Customer Service
- Has impressive BBB ratings
- Strengthens the gutters on the home
How to choose the best gutter guards in Berkeley
The benefits of gutter guards
When you install gutter guards on your Berkeley home, you add to its value and secure many short- and long-term benefits. The clearest benefit is that adding gutter guards to your home reduces the need to clean your gutters. While there is nothing that can eliminate the need for gutter cleaning, adding guards greatly reduces the amount of time you (or your local gutter service technicians) will have to spend on a ladder.
Other benefits of gutter guards include keeping pests away — including bees and birds that may nest in your gutters, as well as roaches and other insects that are attracted to gutter debris — and reducing the chance of water damage to your home and property. Unblocked, smooth-flowing gutters are also at less of a risk of rusting or corroding prematurely, which will save you money on repair and replacement.
Different types of gutter guards
In general, gutter guards can be split into six types, and organized based on how easy they are to DIY. Brush and foam guards are the easiest to install on your own, while mesh and screen guards are in the middle and should be installed professionally. Surface tension and micro-mesh guards require professional installation.
- Brush Guards: These types of guards are precisely what they sound like — large brush bristles that sit in your gutters to let water through while catching debris. They must be removed completely in order to be cleaned.
- Foam Guards: These guards are lightweight and easy to install, but are unable to be cleaned — instead, they will need to be replaced. The foam traps debris and keeps it out of the flow of water.
- Screen Guards: These types of guards have large holes, which allow water through while keeping debris out. These types of guards will need to be fully removed yearly for cleaning.
- Mesh Guards: This type of gutter guard has small holes to permit water through while stopping debris, in the same manner as screen guards. Mesh guards are durable and allow for debris to slide off rather than sit on top of the gutters, which means that they very rarely need to be removed for cleaning.
- Micro-Mesh Guards: These gutter guards have even smaller holes than mesh guards, and allow even less debris through. These types of guards are very effective.
- Surface Tension Guards: These guards — also called reverse curve guards — need the expertise of a local gutter services professional, who will have to lift the roof tiles on your house to install them. They often come with a warranty. These types of guards are visible from the ground, and they permit water to flow into your gutters while debris slides off.
There are pros and cons for every type of gutter guard, and the variety you choose to go with for your Berkeley home will be a product of several factors. It is a smart idea to contact a local Berkeley gutter guard installation company to ask about different guard types and choose which is best for your house.
How expensive are gutter guards?
Gutter guard cost
The total cost of gutter installation in Berkeley will depend on some of the unique features of your property, such as the size of your home and how easy it is to access your gutters. The cost will also be influenced by the type of gutter guard you select, as the price per linear foot will vary based on the material. Finally, the cost will change based on whether you are installing the guards on your own, hiring a local contractor from Berkeley, or going with one of the full-service gutter guard installers who operates in California. The more you spend on gutter services, the more guidance you're likely to get on various steps of the process, including selecting a guard material and measuring your gutter system.
To most accurately estimate how much it will cost to add gutter guards to your home, reach out to at least one of the gutter guard service professionals from the above list and ask about getting a free inspection and estimate. You can also see our table below to determine specific price ranges for the various styles of gutter guard materials. Be mindful of the fact that these estimates are not a guarantee of prices in Berkeley, and they do not take into account the cost of labor.
Cost by material
| Gutter guard material | Cost per foot of material | Cost for typical home | Total cost including labor |
| Brush | $4.52 - $12.34 | $1130-$3085 | $2,642 - $4,597 |
| Foam | $1.92 - $3.52 | $480-$880 | $1,992 - $2,392 |
| Screen | $0.38 - $1.38 | $95-$345 | $1,607 - $1,857 |
| Mesh | $0.82 - $2.7 | $205 - $687 | $1,717 - $2,199 |
| Micro-mesh | $1.69 - $2.32 | $244 - $580 | $1,756 - $2,092 |
| Surface tension | $1.08 - $1.55 | $270 - $387 | $1,782 - $1,899 |
Should you install your Berkeley gutter guards alone or hire a company?
There may be certain home projects that you are comfortable handling on your own, but it is always a smart idea to have professional guidance when installing gutter guards on your Berkeley home. A reputable Berkeley gutter services company can help ensure that all measuring work is totally accurate and that you purchase exactly the right amount of materials. They are your local experts in installing gutter guards and can complete the job safely and efficiently, and will save you time and stress. They will recommend which type of guard you should choose based on the specific details of your property. For a handful of gutter guard styles, such as mesh, screen, micro-mesh, and surface tension, professional installation is highly recommended or required.
If you are searching for a company that can offer you a free inspection and estimate as well as a full installation, one of your best bets is going to be LeafFilter. The company's patented three-piece 275-micro micromesh screen system comes with a lifetime transferable warranty.
