LeafGuard Reviews | Expert Verified (2024)
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LeafGuard is a popular gutter guard provider with more than 50 locations in the United States and more than 30 years of industry experience. After reading customer reviews and researching the product, we recommend LeafGuard as an effective gutter guard product. Its all-in-one system could be a good fit for your home if you need replacement gutters in addition to gutter guards. However, it comes with a high price tag. In this LeafGuard review, we’ll take a look at how LeafGuard works, what its warranty covers, and who will benefit the most from a LeafGuard installation.
What Did We Rate LeafGuard?
We rated LeafGuard against our objective review standards in key categories that homeowners consider when purchasing gutter guards. LeafGuard earned 4 out of 5 stars. Here’s how we broke it down in each category:
- Design: LeafGuard earned points in this category due to its durable one-piece system and self-cleaning reverse-curve guard design. However, this type of guard performs less well than micro-mesh screens and thus won fewer points overall.
- Customer support: LeafGuard scored well in this category due to its lifetime warranty on its scratch-guard coating.
- Quote process: We gave LeafGuard full points in this category because of its comprehensive quote process, financing options, and discounts.
- Services: LeafGuard earned points for its reliable system installations but lost points due to its lack of additional services.
- Customer reviews: LeafGuard received points in this category for an average customer review score across third-party review sites such as BBB and Trustpilot.
What Do We Think of LeafGuard Gutter Guards?
After reading hundreds of customer reviews, analyzing its products, surveying 243 LeafGuard customers, and combing through its generous warranty, we believe its gutter guard is effective for most homes. Its reverse-curve system prevents debris from entering gutter systems by pushing aside leaves, pine needles, and other materials. Even negative reviews note that LeafGuard keeps debris out of their gutters.
However, many customers indicate overflow issues with steeply pitched roofs. LeafGuard’s system is also expensive because it involves replacing your entire gutter system.
Pros
Cons
How Much Do LeafGuard Gutter Guards Cost?
Estimating the cost of a professional gutter guard system is difficult because numerous factors, such as your home’s size, roof slope, total length of guttering, and surrounding landscape, impact the cost of gutter guard installation.
LeafGuard, like most home improvement companies, doesn’t provide quotes without an at-home inspection. To estimate how much you can expect to pay for a LeafGuard system, we conducted a survey of 243 LeafGuard customers and the results showed an average cost of $5,200 for a 200 linear foot LeafGuard system. The average cost by linear foot is $26.50 with a range of $20-$45 per linear foot. Based on these findings and the higher prices reported in customer reviews, we estimate that the typical cost range for a LeafGuard system will be between $4,000 and $10,000. LeafGuard’s financing page supports this, as customers must purchase a system valued at $7,883 to qualify for financing.
The price of LeafGuard may seem high, especially when compared to other gutter guard brands. However, note that LeafGuard is a one-piece system that includes new gutters in the installation. Accounting for the installation of a new gutter system brings LeafGuard more in line with the industry standard for professionally installed gutter guard products such as LeafFilter. We recommend requesting a free quote from LeafGuard for an accurate price for gutter guard installation at your home.
What Are Customers Saying About LeafGuard?
LeafGuard holds an A+ rating and accreditation with the Better Business Bureau (BBB). LeafGuard’s reviews are mixed across independent review sites. Its BBB page has more than 150 customer reviews with an average rating of 1.5 out of 5 stars. Its Trustpilot page features 41 reviews with a rating of 2.1 out of 5 stars. This sentiment isn’t reflected by our survey respondents: 75% of LeafGuard customers were satisfied or very satisfied with the performance of their gutter guards.
Across both BBB and Trustpilot, positive reviews praise the professionalism of LeafGuard’s staff and the performance of its guards. This review we read from Larry highlights the courteousness of LeafGuard’s staff and praises the thorough cleanup of the installation team. Many reviews also note that LeafGuard’s technicians get the job done promptly.
The most common themes across negative reviews include expensive costs and high-pressure sales tactics. For example, this review from Steve expresses dissatisfaction with how LeafGuard presents its product and the products of its competitors. Other reviews claim that LeafGuard’s performance doesn’t merit the higher-than-average price of the system.
Positive Reviews
Negative Reviews
How Does LeafGuard Compare to Other Gutter Protection Systems?
LeafGuard stands out thanks to its unique design. Its reverse-curve design is more durable than many other gutter guard systems and features superior self-cleaning. However, micro-mesh gutter guards are better equipped to filter water and block small particles such as shingle grit. Review the table below to compare LeafGuard to LeafFilter as well as to our other top-recommended gutter guards.
| Star Rating | Product Image | Gutter Guard Type | Average Cost | Link | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LeafFilter |  |  | Micro-mesh | $5,528 | Visit Site | |
| LeafGuard |  |  | Reverse-curve | $5,242 | Visit Site | |
| Gutter Guards America |  |  | Micro-mesh | $5,270 | Visit Site | |
| HomeCraft |  |  | Micro-mesh | $6,338 | Visit Site | |
| All American Gutter Protection |  |  | Micro-mesh | $5,630 | Visit Site |
| LeafFilter | |
|---|---|
| Star Rating | |
| Logo |
 |
| Product Image |
 |
| Gutter Guard Type | Micro-mesh |
| Average Cost | $5,528 |
| LeafGuard | |
|---|---|
| Star Rating | |
| Logo |
 |
| Product Image |
 |
| Gutter Guard Type | Reverse-curve |
| Average Cost | $5,242 |
| Gutter Guards America | |
|---|---|
| Star Rating | |
| Logo |
 |
| Product Image |
 |
| Gutter Guard Type | Micro-mesh |
| Average Cost | $5,270 |
| HomeCraft | |
|---|---|
| Star Rating | |
| Logo |
|
| Product Image |
 |
| Gutter Guard Type | Micro-mesh |
| Average Cost | $6,338 |
| All American Gutter Protection | |
|---|---|
| Star Rating | |
| Logo |
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| Product Image |
 |
| Gutter Guard Type | Micro-mesh |
| Average Cost | $5,630 |
How LeafGuard Compares to DIY Alternatives
As part of our review process, we installed and tested a dozen DIY gutter guards. Our testing yielded mixed results. Some DIY brands performed well. For example, the Raptor micro-mesh gutter guard was easy to install and filtered out large and small debris. Other DIY products performed poorly.
Because LeafGuard is professionally installed, we believe it’s of higher quality than DIY guards. Its reverse-curve design, thick aluminum gutters, and scratch-proof coating offer a long-lasting solution. LeafGuard provides a better warranty than any DIY guard thanks to its clog-free guarantee and a lifetime warranty on its coating.
How Does LeafGuard Work?
LeafGuard uses a patented one-piece gutter guard system composed of seamless aluminum rain gutters, structurally reinforced hidden hangers, and a durable gutter helmet. LeafGuard’s system is custom-fitted to your home by trained service technicians, with extra wide downspouts positioned every ten feet.
The LeafGuard gutter protection system is covered in a scratch guard coating, which extends the lifetime of the materials and provides another layer of protection. This scratch-proof paint finish is designed to prevent scratching, chipping, and other damage.
LeafGuard gutter guards are designed to handle more than 32 inches of rain per hour, which is nearly three times the record for most rainfall in a one-hour period. LeafGuard’s system uses the scientific principles of liquid adhesion and surface tension to self-clean. As water is pulled over the front of the guard and funneled through the small opening, it adheres to the guard’s surface. As the water carries debris from your roof shingles down and over the guard, the small gap prevents it from entering your gutters and pushes it off to the ground.
What Does LeafGuard’s Warranty Cover?
LeafGuard includes two forms of financial protection for its customers: a no-clog guarantee and a lifetime transferable warranty on its coating. The no-clog guarantee promises that if your system ever clogs, LeafGuard will clean it for free.
LeafGuard’s warranty covers the performance and longevity of its scratch guard coating. The warranty states that LeafGuard’s finish will never: “blister, flake, chip, crack, peel, split, rot, red rust, or structurally deteriorate as a direct result of manufacturing defects, under ordinary wear conditions, if installed to Englert specifications and provided that the cleaning methods as described on the other side of the Warranty have been fully followed.”
If the scratch guard coating is damaged and the damage falls within the above warranty conditions, LeafGuard promises to “pay 100% of the cost of repainting, repairing, or otherwise replacing the defective aluminum LeafGuard® with Scratchguard® gutters or gutter accessories.”
Unlike many other gutter guard companies, LeafGuard hosts its warranty terms and conditions on its website. As with most warranties, its conditions are numerous and complex. We read the warranty in detail and noted that your warranty will be void in the following circumstances:
- The damage is caused by forces or conditions that go beyond standard wear and tear, such as faulty or improper installation, normal weathering, oxidation, exposure to corrosive atmospheric conditions such as “sea air,” mold and mildew, unreasonable use, crazing or cracking of the paint surface due to field forming in cold temperatures, misuse, physical abuse, accidental damage, vandalism, use of incompatible accessories, fire, flood, earthquake, lightning, radiation, ice or windstorms, hail or other acts of God, wind-borne objects, building settlement, structural failures, or the use of harmful cleaning compounds and pesticides.
- The damage is the result of a lack of proper owner maintenance and cleaning, especially in environments that cause materials to corrode more quickly.
- You don’t report the defect within 45 days of discovering it.
How Easy Is LeafGuard To Clean?
Many gutter guard companies claim you’ll never need to clean your guards post-installation, but this isn’t true. No gutter guard can completely replace the need for regular gutter cleaning. That said, LeafGuard’s reverse-curve system requires little cleaning due to its ability to push debris onto the ground.
LeafGuard provides detailed instructions on how to clean its system on its warranty page. According to LeafGuard, you should use a garden hose and soft bristle brush with a solution of one-third cup of detergent per one gallon of water to remove dirt, leaves, and debris.
What is the Installation Process for LeafGuard?
LeafGuard’s one-piece gutter system can only be installed by a trained technician, and LeafGuard schedules an at-home inspection before providing pricing information. You can expect the following quote and installation process:
Contact LeafGuard by calling or filling out an online form on its website. You’ll talk to a customer service representative who will schedule an inspection for a free quote.
On the day of your inspection, a sales representative will arrive at your home to assess your existing gutter system. They’ll inspect your gutters, roof, and home, looking for anything that could impact the cost of your gutter guard installation. Once completed, your sales representative will generate a quote, explain how the LeafGuard gutter system works, and answer any questions.
If you agree to the price, the representative will schedule an installation date. On that day, a professional crew of technicians will arrive at your home. They’ll disassemble your old gutters and dispose of them. Then, they’ll measure, cut, and install your new gutters with an on-site roll-forming machine. These gutters come with the guards already attached as a one-piece system.
Once the gutters are rolled, the team inserts LeafGuard’s patented hangers two feet apart for maximum stability, and the system is connected to your fascia board. The installers measure each gutter’s pitch to ensure efficient water flow and attach downspouts.
After your gutter and guard system is installed, the team removes all equipment and debris from your property, shows you photos of the completed job, and answers any questions you may have before departing.
Is LeafGuard Worth the Cost?
We believe that LeafGuard is an excellent option for homeowners who need to replace their gutters and want long-lasting protection from debris buildup. LeafGuard is also recommended for homeowners that are constantly dealing with large debris clogging their gutters and who want to avoid frequent gutter cleaning. However, if you have a strict budget, LeafGuard may not be the best fit for you.
FAQ About LeafGuard Gutter Guards
Can you install LeafGuard on existing gutters?
No, you can’t install LeafGuard on existing gutters. LeafGuard’s one-piece system replaces your existing gutter system.
Can LeafGuard handle heavy rain?
LeafGuard claims that it’s rated to handle heavy rainfall of up to 32 inches of rain per hour. However, customer reviews indicate that homes with steep roof valleys may experience overflows.
What is the downside of LeafGuard?
The main downside of LeafGuard is that it’s an expensive system that can overflow in certain conditions. Some customer reviews indicate occasional issues with freezing and ice dams. However, these issues are common across most gutter guard brands in cold climates.
Our Rating Methodology
The This Old House Reviews Team backs up our gutter guard recommendations with a detailed rating methodology to objectively score each gutter guard product and provider. We conduct research by reviewing product specifications and provider website information, speaking with customer representatives, and analyzing customer reviews. We reinforce this research with thorough firsthand product testing, assessing each gutter guard’s durability, quality, filtration, and cleanability. To date, we’ve tested more than a dozen professionally installed and DIY gutter guard products. We then score each provider against our review standards for gutter guard design, customer support, the quote process, services, and reviews to arrive at a final score on a 5-point rating scale.
To share feedback or ask a question about this article, send a note to our Reviews Team at reviews@thisoldhousereviews.com.
