When getting quotes for gutter guard, it is important to take a few things into consideration before making a decision.
You need to take into account why you are installing gutter guard, ie prevent storm damge, prevent vermin entering your roof cavity, providing clean rain water for tanks etc. For example, if you are experiencing blocked gutters from jacaranda leaves or pine needles, you need to look at the size of the holes in the mesh - will the needles or leaves easily fall through? In a case such as this, a fine leaf mesh will small holes the size of fly screen will be the best option.
If you are looking to provide clean rain water for water tanks, then a mesh with excellent water retention should be considered. Aluminium diamond mesh is excellent for this reason, a good way to compare different systems when getting quotes is to ask each salesman to hold a sample of the mesh on an angle under a tap, this will give you an idea on if water flows straight through the gutter mesh or shears and slides over the top.
If preventing vermin enter your roof is your main focus, a stronger steel system is probably the way to go. Plastic meshes can be chewed through and will also tend to split in places after a length of time. Keep in mind though that strong steel meshes which are placed in the gutter can still leave small gaps for rodents to slip through.
Another point to consider before choosing your system is the environment - in hot sunny climates i.e. Queensland, an aluminium or steel system will certainly outlast any plastic or polyethylene gutter guard system, regardless of UV protecting coatings. Also, in the heat and direct sunlight, plastic systems expand and will have a lumpy or bumpy appearance. Other environment factors could be amount of heavy rainfall, and likely hood of large hail.
Also, when receiving a quote from a salesman, do they only have one product which they are constantly pushing, or do they have one or two products on offer to suit your individual needs? No single gutter guard is perfect for every roof, so a small range of options to best suit your needs is helpful.
Price is obviously an important thing to consider before giving a company the go ahead, be wary of companies using hard sell tactics - ie a large discount only applies if a contract is signed at time of quote - in our experience, these are normally way overpriced quotes. See our page pricing for more information.
And lastly, installation - do the installers have a decent amount of experience - and will the proper safety techniques be used? The last thing you need is "cowboy" tradesmen rushing through your job or injuring themselves. Installing gutter guard can be a dangerous exercise, make sure the company has all the correct work method safety plans and statements in place to insure a safe install.
You need to take into account why you are installing gutter guard, ie prevent storm damge, prevent vermin entering your roof cavity, providing clean rain water for tanks etc. For example, if you are experiencing blocked gutters from jacaranda leaves or pine needles, you need to look at the size of the holes in the mesh - will the needles or leaves easily fall through? In a case such as this, a fine leaf mesh will small holes the size of fly screen will be the best option.
If you are looking to provide clean rain water for water tanks, then a mesh with excellent water retention should be considered. Aluminium diamond mesh is excellent for this reason, a good way to compare different systems when getting quotes is to ask each salesman to hold a sample of the mesh on an angle under a tap, this will give you an idea on if water flows straight through the gutter mesh or shears and slides over the top.
If preventing vermin enter your roof is your main focus, a stronger steel system is probably the way to go. Plastic meshes can be chewed through and will also tend to split in places after a length of time. Keep in mind though that strong steel meshes which are placed in the gutter can still leave small gaps for rodents to slip through.
Another point to consider before choosing your system is the environment - in hot sunny climates i.e. Queensland, an aluminium or steel system will certainly outlast any plastic or polyethylene gutter guard system, regardless of UV protecting coatings. Also, in the heat and direct sunlight, plastic systems expand and will have a lumpy or bumpy appearance. Other environment factors could be amount of heavy rainfall, and likely hood of large hail.
Also, when receiving a quote from a salesman, do they only have one product which they are constantly pushing, or do they have one or two products on offer to suit your individual needs? No single gutter guard is perfect for every roof, so a small range of options to best suit your needs is helpful.
Price is obviously an important thing to consider before giving a company the go ahead, be wary of companies using hard sell tactics - ie a large discount only applies if a contract is signed at time of quote - in our experience, these are normally way overpriced quotes. See our page pricing for more information.
And lastly, installation - do the installers have a decent amount of experience - and will the proper safety techniques be used? The last thing you need is "cowboy" tradesmen rushing through your job or injuring themselves. Installing gutter guard can be a dangerous exercise, make sure the company has all the correct work method safety plans and statements in place to insure a safe install.