How do I Know What Gutter Guard I Have?
The average homeowner is usually fully aware about when they had their gutter guards installed and whether the gutter guards are working properly. But as time goes on, they seem to forget what brand name their gutter guards are and who actually put them up there. In this article we talk about ways to identify what gutter guard you have. This will be useful information for when you decide to actually clean, repair, or replace your gutter guard because the company you employ to carry out the work may need to know.
Why do I need to know what type of gutter guard I have?
- To determine how frequently it will need service or replacement
- So you know what type of process you will need to clean it out
- To source the right replacement parts
Some professional gutter guard companies will insist that you just remove your old gutter guards and replace them with theirs. But if the gutter guard is in good shape, it can likely be restored to “working like new again.”
Plastic or Metal
One important question you will want to know the answer to is, “are my gutter guards plastic or metal.”
Some Plastic & Metal Facts:
- If it’s a black coloured, rolled in, or brush style guard, it’s definitely plastic. All brush guards have plastic bristles and all foam guards are synthetic material.
- If it’s a screwed down mesh and you can’t see through it, it’s likely to be one of the old plastic polymesh products.
- Clipped in gutter guards are always metal.
- Your old fashioned downpipe strainers were always metal, but nowadays local hardware stores are stocking plastic downpipe guards.
- Plastic can warp slightly from extreme sun exposure, this can cause cracking of the mesh. So if it has visible sun damage and cracking, it’s probably plastic. For this reason we don’t encourage use of polymesh guards in far north parts of Australia.
- Metal mesh guards have finer strands, meaning you can actually see through them.
Try sifting through old records
Old Receipts
It sounds pretty obvious, but if you try sifting through your old records and payment invoices you might find the receipt from the gutter guard supplier. Over the many years of operating, we have seen many gutter protection businesses come and go, but if you can let us know the name of the gutter mesh product, we will know the best way to service them.
Word Search ‘Gutter’
Once again… we’re being kind of obvious here, but try searching the word ‘gutter’ in your online bank statements, email inboxes and even the SMS history of your phone. Some gutter guard companies tend to use the word ‘leaf’ and ‘leaf guard’ in their marketing so you might want to also search using those words. If you can find your old paper work or communications with the gutter guard company, we can assist in determining the make and model of the gutter guards you have.
Before Calling us
If you decide to call us up regarding your gutter guard and you still don’t know what type it is, it’s best if you already know the answer to these questions:-
- What colour is the gutter guard?
- Does the colour of your gutter mesh match the roof colour?
- Is the gutter mesh screwed down or is it just sitting in the gutters?
- What year was it installed (roughly)?
- Is your roof tiled, corrugated, slate roof, etc.?
- Is your gutter guard visible when you look up from the ground?