When it's clearly worth it
Mature trees within reach of the roof — oak, maple, sweetgum, pine. That's most of Kirkwood, Webster Groves, University City, Wildwood and Town and Country.
Two or more stories, where cleaning means a tall ladder or hiring it out every time.
Anyone who shouldn't be on a ladder. That's a real reason and it's the one people are least likely to say out loud.
When it isn't
An open subdivision lot with young landscaping — a lot of Wentzville and O'Fallon. Once cleaning is a once-a-year twenty-minute job, guard is hard to justify.
Gutter that's near the end of its life. Put the money into replacement, and add guard then.
A single-story ranch with a walkable roofline and no trees. Cleaning it yourself is genuinely easy.
The honest downsides
It's not free and it's not zero maintenance. Mesh needs rinsing, valleys need a look.
Bad guard is worse than none. Foam, brush and slotted screen create problems they were sold to prevent, and we've pulled a lot of them off.
It doesn't stop ice dams and it won't fix a gutter that's pitched wrong.
Our position
We install guard where it earns its keep and we say no where it doesn't. Third-generation family business — the reputation is worth more than a guard sale on a house that doesn't need one.
Questions people ask
Do gutter guards really work?
Quality micro-mesh does. Foam, brush and wide screen largely don't.
Are gutter guards worth it on a ranch with no trees?
Usually not. We'll tell you that rather than sell it.
Do gutter guards void a roof warranty?
Not when installed correctly. Where a roof warranty is a concern we use bracket mounting that doesn't lift shingles.
What's the biggest mistake people make with guards?
Buying the cheap kind. A failed guard costs more to remove and clean around than never having one.
Free estimate
We measure, we look at the fascia, and you get a number in writing.
Talk to a real St. Louis gutter company
Third generation, family-run since 1947. Somebody picks up, day or night.