| http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; | | | | The least expensive material available at is a Diamond |
| charset=utf-8"> | | | | PVC Snap-In Cover. It comes in three-foot sections |
| There are many different kinds of gutter protection | | | | and costs $0.58 per foot. If the average house |
| systems available today. The different basic types of | | | | requires 120 feet of rain gutter, the material |
| systems include gutter guards, gutter covers, gutter | | | | threshold price for the least expensive type of |
| screens, or gutter filters. All of them are intended to | | | | gutter cover job is around $70, not including any |
| let the water drain into the rain gutter while keeping | | | | additional clips or hangers, if required. The next step |
| possible debris (leaves, tree flowers, seeds, seed | | | | up, cost-wise, in the cover group is more than twice |
| pods, twigs, etc.) out of the gutter. | | | | as much, at $1.77 per foot in 4-foot sections. The |
| Without any protection system, debris will collect in | | | | base material cost for the average house has now |
| the gutter, partially or completely blocking the | | | | jumped to around $215. The most expensive basic |
| planned flow down the downspout. If the rain gutter | | | | material in this group is for a cover made of powder |
| becomes full of water, it will then flow over the | | | | coated steel at $3.75 per foot. This style of cover, in |
| edge, falling to the ground or running down the fascia | | | | copper, goes for $7 per foot. |
| board or the wall of the house. Various kinds of | | | | As a group, aluminum or steel gutter screens are the |
| damage can result. To avoid these problems the | | | | least expensive. Typically, they come in precut |
| homeowner needs to regularly clean all debris out of | | | | sections three or four feet long. They are available to |
| the rain gutters, or install some kind of gutter | | | | fit either K-style or half-round gutters. Installation |
| protection system. | | | | consists of laying the screen into the gutter or |
| Different strategies are used in different system | | | | clipping the screen onto the gutter. Retail prices for |
| designs. Some use some type of coarse screen or | | | | the material run from $0.82 per foot to $1.36. Some |
| plate with small holes or slots. The water goes | | | | kinds of screens are also available in copper. The cost |
| through the holes, the debris doesn’t. Often | | | | for copper is considerably more, up to $5.04 per foot. |
| the debris remains on the surface, dries out later, and | | | | If the average house requires 120 feet of rain gutter, |
| is blown off by the wind. Essentially, this is also the | | | | the base material threshold price for the least |
| principle of the new filter device, which uses open cell | | | | expensive type of gutter screen is around $100 to |
| foam instead of a screen. Other systems will create | | | | $165. Of course, this does not include installation. |
| a flow pattern where the water goes one direction | | | | The group of hybrid gutter guards includes different |
| and the debris another. | | | | styles and designs ranging from $0.89 per foot to |
| If the particular device is completely successful, only | | | | $4.30 per foot. Materials include aluminum, copper, or |
| water will enter the gutter and there will be no debris | | | | polypropylene. |
| to accumulate there. As a result, the homeowner | | | | A gutter filter system is the most expensive of the |
| should never have to clean out the rain gutters again. | | | | non-copper systems. It consists of a specially shaped |
| If the system is less successful, there may be some | | | | block of polyether-polyurethane foam as the filter |
| debris that accumulates. Most of these systems | | | | material. This block completely fills the K-style or |
| greatly reduce the requirements for periodic | | | | half-round gutter, providing a flat surface top. The |
| maintenance, but do not entirely eliminate it. | | | | foam blocks come in four foot lengths and are very |
| The different names are not definitive. Covers and | | | | simple to install. The price for this system runs $5.30 |
| guards both may have holes in them, or not. It | | | | to $7.70 per foot depending on the type and size of |
| seems more a matter of choice by the manufacturer | | | | your gutters. This puts the base material cost at |
| as to what someone thought sounded best. | | | | $640 to $925 for our average size home. |
| So, if you decide to install such a system, how much | | | | We have a total range of material cost (not including |
| will it cost? Here is a little information to get you | | | | installation) for 120 feet of a gutter protection |
| started in the right direction. The two most common | | | | product that ranges from $70 to $925. However, |
| gutter types are K-style or half-round gutters. | | | | most of the products cost between $1 and $2 per |
| Different types of covers, screens, et cetera have | | | | foot, so the material cost for an average house |
| different features. They may be made from | | | | requiring 120 feet would be $120 to $240 plus |
| aluminum, steel, copper, polypropylene, a special | | | | installation. You get rid of some repetitive home |
| polypropylene foam, or PVC. Go to for descriptions | | | | maintenance work and guard your house against |
| of many different types and styles. | | | | various kinds of serious damage. |