How do you choose the best gutter guard system for your home?  Thousands of consumers scour the Internet in search of "the best gutter guard system" each month.  If you find yourself doing the same thing this article may help you choose a gutter guard system for your home that can save you hundreds of dollars.

Gutter guards come in a variety of styles, sizes and materials that are designed to be more durable than those old plastic mesh screens found in popular hardware stores. The old style aluminum and plastic mesh screens that come in rolls used to be the most popular gutter guard system found on homes but were quickly removed after a short time. The problem with these light-weight mesh or screen like gutter guards is they can't hold up to the weight of snow and ice. Many home owners found that these mesh gutter guards were overwhelmed by snow and ice and were forced down to the bottom of the gutters. Once these mesh screens collapsed they would then obstruct small debris that would normally be flushed from the gutters when it rained. Another popular idea that doesn’t work involves the cone-shaped wire mesh plugs that are inserted into down spout outlets to stop debris from clogging downspouts. These down spout mesh guards are extremely effective for blocking anything from entering the downspouts, even water after a small handful of leaves wrap around them!

Our extensive testing of different gutter guard systems over the last 16 years has shown that brands using water adhesion tend to give the best protection when comparing gutter guard systems. We have also taken polls of different gutter guard systems and their prices in the Maryland area, and found pricing ranging from $6 a linear foot to as much as $19 a linear foot! This gutter guard pricing comparison can be found on our web site at http://www.marylandguttercleaning.com Most of the gutter guards on this chart use water adhesion to draw in the rainfall while deflecting leaves and other debris. Many of these gutter guards are also made of aluminum which can create problems in itself. One problem is that paint doesn't last forever. After being subjected to the sun’s damaging UV rays and weathering, the paint starts to oxidize and wear off the surface leaving a blotchy and worn appearance. Another concern is hail, sticks and other natural occurrences that can dent the material and possibly damage its water adhesion ability (which allows the water to pour over next to your home’s foundation - causing basement flooding). What's even more alarming is that the high end gutter guards are all made of aluminum and they may be subject to these problems more than their lower priced PVC and Vinyl composition competitors!