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Plastic guard over new dark grey plastic rain gutter on asphalt shingles roof at shallow depth of field.

5 Best Gutter Guards for Metal Roofs (2023 Guide)

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Metals roofs are an attractive choice in home design, requiring less long-term maintenance than many other roofing materials. While metal roofs are aesthetically pleasing and require less upkeep than traditional asphalt shingles, they can produce large amounts of runoff. To ensure your foundation, lawn, and other home structures are protected from water damage, you need to keep your gutters free from clogs and debris.

One of the most effective ways to keep your gutters clog-free and functioning at peak performance is to install a good set of gutter guards. To help you find the right gutter guards for your home, we’ve researched the top brands in the industry and evaluated them using our objective review criteria. Below, we’ll look at some of the best gutter guards for metal roofs and provide useful tips for picking the right guards for your home.

See our list of top gutter companies based on in-depth research.

Select the company that best meets your needs.

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5 Best Gutter Guards for Metal Roofs of 2023

Here are our top gutter guard solutions for metal roofs: 

Product Image Star Rating BBB Rating Link
LeafFilter LeafFilter LeafFilter
A+ Visit Site
LeafGuard LeafGuard LeafGuard
A+ Visit Site
All American Gutter Protection All American Gutter Protection All American Gutter Protection
A Visit Site
MasterShield MasterShield
Visit Site
HomeCraft HomeCraft HomeCraft
B Visit Site
LeafFilter
Logo LeafFilter
Product Image LeafFilter
Star Rating
BBB Rating A+
Visit Site
LeafGuard
Logo LeafGuard
Product Image LeafGuard
Star Rating
BBB Rating A+
Visit Site
All American Gutter Protection
Logo All American Gutter Protection
Product Image All American Gutter Protection
Star Rating
BBB Rating A
Visit Site
MasterShield
Logo MasterShield
Product Image
Star Rating
BBB Rating
Visit Site
HomeCraft
Logo HomeCraft
Product Image HomeCraft
Star Rating
BBB Rating B
Visit Site
Company
Star Rating
BBB Rating
Best For
A+
Best Filtration
A+
Best for Large Debris
A
Best Deals and Discounts
Best for the Environment
B
Best Additional Services

LeafFilter

Best Filtration
4.8
BBB Rating : A+

Key Features

  • Stainless steel screen measuring 275 microns
  • Professional installation, including structural hangers and fasteners to reinforce existing rain gutters
  • Sealed design
  • Transferable lifetime warranty
  • Pitched uPVC frame

What We Like

LeafFilter’s gutter guard solution comes with a lifetime warranty and features stainless steel micro-mesh. The small holes in the gutter screen measure 275 microns, preventing both large pieces of debris and granular detritus from clogging the gutters and downspouts. The company claims that this includes matter as small as soil, pollen, shingle grit, and pine needles.

Overall, LeafFilter’s three-part gutter guard system, professional installation, and lifelong warranty make it an excellent choice for any homeowner with a metal roof. Its micro-mesh screen is designed to handle small debris while still allowing water to pass through easily, meaning even roofs with steep inclines and heavy leaf litter will benefit from it.

What To Expect

LeafFilter requires professional installation by the company’s employees, an important consideration for homeowners who prefer a DIY project. The installers will reinforce your existing gutters with structural hangers, and the gutter guard’s built-in pitch will help guide water during heavy rain.

What Customers Are Saying

We analyzed customer reviews on the Better Business Bureau (BBB), LeafFilter’s Google My Business page, and Trustpilot for a clearer picture of what to expect from LeafFilter. Many customers with positive experiences expressed approval for LeafFilter’s customer service and the efficiency of its professional installers. We also read several reviews praising LeafFilter for its swift resolution of issues.

More critical reviews mentioned dissatisfaction with LeafFilter’s pricing, including higher-than-expected quotes and surprise upcharges. A few customers submitted complaints that the product doesn’t work as advertised, observing that dust and grit have clogged the micro-mesh.

LeafGuard

Best for Large Debris
4
BBB Rating : A+

Key Features

  • Comprehensive gutter installation
  • Sloped design uses liquid adhesion to collect water and shed debris
  • Custom-formed to fit each home
  • Financing options
  • Lifetime finish warranty

What We Like

LeafGuard advertises a gutter guard that protects a home’s structure from overflow damage to the residence’s soffits, fascias, foundation, and landscaping. Its process is a comprehensive gutter solution that involves the removal of the old gutter system and the installation of LeafGuard’s custom-formed gutters and downspouts.

Many metal roofs have unique shapes, designs, and characteristics that make fitting standard gutters and gutter guards difficult. Thankfully, LeafGuard’s custom installation methods ensure that its gutter guard system will work for your roof. Additionally, LeafGuard’s reverse-curve design has a gap large enough to accommodate heavy water flow, so even steep-sloped roofs shouldn’t experience overflows.

What To Expect

Professional installers use a roll-forming machine on-site to custom-fit the gutters to your home. LeafGuard’s design is a one-piece aluminum gutter that uses a reverse curve to create liquid adhesion, funneling water into the gutter without collecting debris.

What Customers Are Saying

Overall, LeafGuard has mixed customer reviews on the Better Business Bureau (BBB). Positive reviews mention the professionalism of the installers and discounts that reduce the final cost. Many customers also commented on their satisfaction with how well the gutters function.

Negative reviews cite high prices and excessive sales tactics. We also encountered a couple of reviews stating that the installation crews did a poor job cleaning up after finishing the installation.

All American Gutter Protection

Best Deals and Discounts
4.2
Phone : 888-495-7725 BBB Rating : A

Key Features

  • Stainless steel micro-mesh gutter guards
  • Aluminum frame
  • Custom extruded gutters and downspouts
  • Senior and military discounts
  • Lifetime performance guarantee

What We Like

All American Gutter Protection markets gutter guards in 20 states, primarily serving homeowners on the East Coast and in the Midwest. The company uses an aluminum gutter guard with corrosion-resistant steel micro-mesh technology to filter out small debris and provides professional installation. With its aluminum frame, All American’s gutter guard is resistant to warping and cracking.

In addition to its gutter guards, All American offers professional gutter and downspout installations. These products, along with its gutter guards, come in numerous colors, allowing you to match them to your metal roof’s appearance. All American also stands behind the quality of its work with its performance guarantee. As specified in its service agreements, All American claims that its products will last the entire life of your home.

What To Expect

Here is what to expect from the All American installation process: 

  1. On the day of your scheduled appointment, All American will measure your home’s gutters to provide a gutter guard estimate.
  2. You can discuss the gutter guard’s lifetime performance guarantee, military and senior discounts, and the available financing options with your sales representative before signing the contract.
  3. The company will typically schedule the gutter guard installation within two to three days of you signing the contract.

What Customers Are Saying

On the BBB’s website, customers have shared their experiences with All American Gutter Protection. These reviews shed light on the efficiency of All American’s gutter guard installation, with several customers noting the fast service and cleanup. One customer gave a five-star review for exceptional customer service, praising an installer for guidance on addressing an ice dam issue.

Less satisfied customers were unhappy with the company’s response to issues after gutter guard installation, failing to follow up promptly, according to some accounts. Two reviews mentioned that the company did not adhere to its warranty agreement.

MasterShield

Best for the Environment
4.2

Key Features

  • Pitch-adjusted gutter guards
  • Steel micro-mesh screen with copper
  • Warp-resistant interlocking panels
  • Gutter guards made of recycled materials
  • Patented high-flow leaf guard

What We Like

MasterShield’s gutter protection system has two major features that make it ideal for metal roofs: a micro-mesh screen and its branded HydroVortex technology. This technology allows the gutter guard to match the pitch of the metal roof, avoiding the flat edges that often reduce water intake and lead to debris buildup. MasterShield’s interlocking panel design helps prevent damage caused by materials expanding and contracting during temperature swings.

The micro-mesh screen in a MasterShield gutter guard is copper-infused to repel the growth of moss, algae, and numerous microorganisms. Ninety-five percent of the aluminum used in the gutter covers is from recycled waste; 30% of the stainless steel in the micro-mesh is also from recycled materials.

What Customers Are Saying

MasterShield has a few customer reviews published through the Better Business Bureau. One customer mentioned a delay in services, and another cited customer service issues. However, positive feedback included compliments on the performance of the gutter guard product.

HomeCraft

Best Additional Services
4.4
Phone : 855-434-3836 BBB Rating : B

Key Features

  • Unique raised underlay
  • No substructure to block water flow
  • Powder-coated aluminum frame
  • Hidden hangers
  • Gutter cleaning services

What We Like

HomeCraft Gutter Protection is a gutter guard provider offering gutter cleaning and professional repair services. For its gutter guard design, HomeCraft uses a raised underlay beneath its micro-mesh screen. The diamond pattern of the ridges blocks debris from entering the gutter while still allowing water to enter the system.

Requiring no substructure beneath its mesh, HomeCraft’s powder-coated frames can fit into and conform to most gutter structures. The lack of substructure also prevents the impedance to heavy water flow that is typical of metal roofing systems.

What To Expect

When a HomeCraft representative comes to your house:

    1. During the inspection, the HomeCraft representative will measure your gutters, demonstrate the company’s gutter guard, and provide a quote that remains valid for up to one year. 
    2. Prior to installation, HomeCraft will clean, seal, and repair your existing gutter system as necessary.
    3. The installer will attach the gutter guard and clean any debris. 
    4. You will need to speak to the representative to discuss any necessary steps for registering for the lifetime, transferable warranty. 

What Customers Are Saying

We analyzed numerous HomeCraft reviews on the Better Business Bureau’s (BBB) website. The knowledge and professionalism of the company’s representatives were commonly mentioned. Other positive reviews cited the effectiveness of the gutter guard.

Some negative reviews discussed the frequency of correspondence from the company, claiming that HomeCraft called to solicit business to an excessive degree.


Types of Gutter Guards

Gutter guards add an important layer of protection to your home’s gutter system, improving water flow, preventing clogs, and making regular cleaning easier.

Not all types of gutter guards are suited to every kind of gutter or roof system. Due to their steep inclines and higher-than-average water flow, metal roofs require gutter guards that can handle large amounts of water per minute. Below, we’ll look at each type of gutter guard and explain if it’s a good fit for your metal roof.

Screen

A screen gutter guard has openings that allow water to flow uninterrupted while blocking large debris. This is often a simple DIY installation, constructed with a lock-in design that clips to one side of the gutter and then slides beneath the outermost roof shingles. You slightly overlap sections of screen to close any potential gaps. Note that designs requiring you to slide the screen beneath shingles will not be compatible with a metal roof.

Gutter screens may be effective for blocking twigs and other large debris but are typically too porous to block fine particulates, such as shingle grit, from entering the gutter. They may also come unseated in adverse weather conditions.

Mesh

Mesh gutter guards have a more tightly bound construction than basic gutter screens, using small holes to let water into the gutter while shedding debris. These mesh designs are typically made of PVC or metal and often use a similar installation process to gutter screens. Some designs are more difficult to install, requiring attachment to the home’s fascia boards.

A fine mesh will typically perform better than a more porous screen, but you should still expect small particles, such as crushed leaves and shingle grit, to enter the gutter system.

Mesh guards work well on metal roofs since the larger holes can accommodate large amounts of water. But if you live in an area with pine needles or large amounts of pollen, you may need something that can better handle small particles.

Micro-Mesh

These gutter guards use an ultra-fine mesh, often a steel material, to block debris from entering the home’s gutter system. You’ll find that many micro-mesh gutter guard designs require professional installation. One common installation process uses an insert that conforms to your existing gutter. This is essential for metal roofs that don’t have shingles you can lift to slide in a gutter screen.  

Micro-mesh solutions tend to be more costly, but the design has increased effectiveness for filtering minute pieces of debris while still permitting steady water flow. In general, micro-mesh guards are some of the most effective for metal roofs, as they keep out the most debris while still allowing large amounts of water to pass through them.

Reverse-Curve and Surface Tension

Reverse-curve gutter designs rely on liquid adhesion, using surface tension to direct water over a curved component and down into the gutter. Leaves and other debris do not adhere as easily to the top of the gutter, sliding off the roof and onto the ground. These gutters typically require a brand-new installation rather than an addition to an existing gutter and can be expensive.

While some DIY options may be available, a reverse-curve gutter system can be difficult to install correctly, and many companies exclusively offer professional installation.

Reverse-curve guards can be effective on metal roofs, but some brands have small openings that cannot handle large amounts of water.

Brush

Brush gutter guards are bristle-covered inserts for your existing gutters. For DIY enthusiasts, this gutter guard style allows for an easy installation compared to many alternative options. You simply place the brush into the gutter, where it may or may not be invisible from the ground depending on your gutter design. The brush catches debris as it moves toward the gutter, allowing water to flow between the bristles.

This gutter guard design is effective at catching large debris, but finer detritus, such as shingle grit and pollen, will still accumulate in the gutters. Large sticks and twigs may also damage the bristles, necessitating periodic replacement. These guards also need to be cleaned often; if enough debris is caught within them, they can clog.

Foam

Similar to brush-style gutter guards, foam inserts are a DIY gutter guard option that you can often find at hardware stores or on online marketplaces, such as Amazon. Foam gutter guards sit inside the gutter, blocking debris and allowing water to permeate the foam and trickle into the gutter. Debris can build up on the foam quickly, requiring you to remove the inserts for regular cleaning maintenance.

This guard type is one of the worst options for metal roofs, as the foam doesn’t filter water fast enough, and the debris buildup issue requires frequent cleaning.


Buying Guide

Choosing the right gutter guards for your metal roof requires research and comparison. There are many different brands, both professional and DIY, that offer similar products and services. To find the best option, we recommend considering the following factors before choosing a gutter guard solution for your home:

Warranty

Gutter guard manufacturers and installers often advertise warranties with their products and services. It’s important to research the provider and ask the right questions to understand what will be covered and what will not in the event of future issues. Lifetime warranties, for instance, may only apply to certain types of damage or deterioration.

You should also review your roof warranty to confirm whether the installation of a gutter guard or a new gutter system will void the warranty.

Installation

Another deciding factor is whether you want a DIY or professional installation for your gutter guard system. The latter option typically proves more expensive but can result in a more effective long-term solution. Brush and foam gutter guards are DIY-friendly options but may require more maintenance. 

A professionally installed gutter guard is often more durable, yields additional options, and may come with attractive warranties.

Size

Take the time to measure your gutters before purchasing a gutter guard. Most gutter systems come in 5- and 6-inch widths, but there are exceptions, and you need to confirm that the gutter guard will fit properly.

Appearance

Some gutter guards are high-visibility designs, making appearance an important consideration. Mesh designs cannot typically be seen from below, and brush and foam inserts can often be tucked away when sized correctly. Many companies offer gutter guards in various styles and colors to match the product to your home when low-visibility designs are not an option.


Our Conclusion

When choosing a gutter guard for your home, you’ll want one that can: handle large amounts of water, filter out both small and large debris, and fit to the unique dimensions of your roof. Some DIY options match these criteria, but your best bet is to go with one of the professional companies outlined in this article.

While LeafFilter and LeafGuard are the two best choices for most roofs, we recommend getting quotes from multiple companies before making a final decision. By comparing multiple free quotes, you can find the right company for the lowest cost. If you’re interested in beginning your search for reliable local gutter companies, you can fill out the following quick form.


FAQ About Gutter Guards for Metal Roofs

Will gutter guards work with a metal roof?

Yes, gutter guards will work with a metal roof, but this may be dependent on the design. DIY gutter screens may not be compatible, for example, because there are no shingles in which to tuck one side of the screen.

How do you put gutter guards on a metal roof?

The method to install a gutter guard on a metal roof will vary among designs. Many gutter guards clamp to the gutter itself or attach to the fascia, making them compatible with most roofing systems.

Is it better to have gutter guards or not?

Gutter guards are an attractive option for many, reducing the maintenance involved with cleaning gutters and potentially preventing damage to a home’s foundation, fascia, soffits, and landscaping. However, some gutter guard solutions are expensive, and your budget should be a foremost consideration.

Do I still need to clean my gutters with a gutter guard?

Yes, you still need to clean your gutters with a gutter guard. While some gutter guard companies advertise that “you never need to clean your gutters again,” no gutter guard completely removes the need for cleaning and regular maintenance. However, good gutter guards make cleaning your gutters easier and reduce the frequency at which you need to clean them.

How often should you clean your gutters?

You should clean your gutters at least twice per year, once at the end of fall and again at the end of spring. However, with gutter guards, most gutter systems only need to be cleaned once every year or so.


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 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.