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Gutter-related issues are far from rare. In 2009, the U.S. Better Business Bureau received a whopping 776 complaints against companies or individuals in the gutters/downspouts biz. That was down from 928 complaints in 2008, but it's still a decent volume of potential fly-by-night activity. Plus "the number of complaints which were unpursuable (meaning the BBB couldn't track the company down or the company went out of business) was 9.5 percent, which is considerably higher than the 3.4-percent average across all industries," says BBB spokesperson Alison Southwick.
The vast majority of gutter guard companies are legitimate. When we tested six professionally installed gutter guard systems and found them to be impressive at shedding leaves, though even the best pro systems were only so-so at containing severe downpours. Be sure to read the fine print in the contract to make sure free service calls are included. And follow these best practices from the BBB befor hiring any home improvement contractor.
Looking to save a bundle? You can also go the DIY route. Our tests of 13 homeowner-installed systems included several low-priced screens that should withstand heavy leaf buildup and even capture and route torrential rains while costing thousands less than the pro systems. It might be your best option, as a robotic gutter cleaner we tested earlier this year didn't perform well.
--Daniel DiClerico
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