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Soon enough the leaves will put on their brilliant color show before falling gently to the ground—or into your gutters, where the resulting clogs could lead to roof leaks, foundation cracks, and other costly repairs. But this fall foliage fiasco is easily avoided with a good set of gutter guards. Consumer Report' latest report on gutter guards includes nine systems that do the job.
Our Ratings include 19 systems in all, including 13 do-it-yourself products you'll find at Home Depot, Lowe's, and other home centers. The remaining six systems were professionally installed. The gutter guards all underwent the same tough tests in which we barraged them with maple leaves, pine needles, and other gutter-cloggers, then inundated them with simulated heavy rain storms.
You might expect pro systems to perform best, especially given their hefty price tags ($20 to $30 per square foot, installed). Most were excellent at resisting buildup of leaves and debris, but they were all only middling at containing a severe downpour. If you're relatively handy and okay with heights, you could get better results and save significantly on a homeowner-installed system, some of which cost less than $1 dollar per square foot. Just be sure to practice extreme caution. Consumer Reports offers the following safety reminders:
—Daniel DiClerico
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