A system, not a strip of metal
A gutter guard has two jobs: let water in, keep debris out. A guard on a gutter that's pitched wrong, leaking at the seams or hanging off pulled spikes just sits on top of a broken system and takes the blame. So every ClearSpout job fixes the gutter first.
The six steps, every job, no exceptions
1. Inspect and photograph. Eight photos minimum before we start: every run, the corners, the downspouts, the fascia, the roof edge. You see them in your quote and again in your photo report.
2. Clean. All debris out of the troughs and downspouts by hand, then a flush to prove the water runs.
3. Reseal. Every seam, end cap and outlet, so the first leak isn't at the joint we ignored.
4. Re-pitch and re-hang. The slope corrected toward the downspout, and hidden screw hangers put in where the old spikes have pulled. Beyond six hangers, or where a run is rotted or crushed, I show you the photo and price that work separately. We don't guard a gutter that can't hold the guard.
5. Guard. Alu-Rex Gutter Clean Pro, fastened through the front of the gutter with screws every 24 inches, to the manufacturer's installation instructions. Never under your shingles.
- A splash diverter at every inside corner and roof valley, where the water concentrates.
- A strainer at every downspout outlet.
- One lift-out section per run, so the run can be checked and cleared without tools.
6. Walkthrough and report. A flush test before the guard goes on and another after. We walk the house with you, hand you the warranty, tell you the truth about ice, and send the before-and-after photo report the same day.
The guard we chose, and why
Alu-Rex Gutter Clean Pro is a dual-layer perforated aluminum guard from a Quebec manufacturer, designed, in the manufacturer's words, for snow load and freeze-thaw. Aluminum, because a plastic frame goes brittle in an Ontario winter. Dual-layer with offset holes, because maple keys and leaves are what clog Niagara gutters. It's screwed to the gutter every 24 inches, not clipped on to lift in the first storm.
If you're replacing your gutters, we install Alu-Rex DoublePro instead: the guard and the hanger in one piece, fastened into the fascia, on new eavestrough. New eavestrough is a Crestwell Exteriors job, priced per job in a written quote before any work.
The guard's own warranty, whichever one we install: Alu-Rex's written warranty on the guard itself, which transfers once with the house and is limited to the product's price. The exact terms come with your warranty certificate.
The guard types, compared honestly
| Type | What it does well | Where it falls short |
|---|---|---|
| Dual-layer perforated aluminum (what we install) | Winter, wind-clearing, maple keys and leaves | Fine grit gets through in small amounts, harmlessly; needles are the manufacturer's claim, not ours |
| Stainless micro-mesh | The finest filter made: needles and grit | The surface films over and needs brushing once or twice a year in heavy tree cover; the frame decides how it winters |
| Single-layer perforated aluminum | A fair value tier | Needles pass through and keys wedge in the holes |
| Reverse-curve hoods | Big dry leaves and light rain | In a downpour water speeds past the curve; keys slide into the slot |
| Foam and brush inserts | Cheap | Replaced every few years; the worst buy |
| Plastic snap-in screens | Cheap | What you probably have now and hate; they clog in a season |
This is our reading of independent tests and installer reports. Nobody credible calls any guard free of care.
Who it suits, and who it doesn't
It suits you if maples, oaks or ash overhang the house, you're done with the ladder, you've just paid for a roof and want nothing under the shingles, you're selling and buyers ask about the eaves, or water pours over the front after every storm.
It may not suit you if your lot is heavy with pine or spruce. Needles are the hardest case for any guard made: they are small enough to sit on a surface that leaves blow off. The offset holes are designed to block them; that's the manufacturer's claim, and we're testing it this fall. So ask me before you buy if your lot is heavy with pine or spruce, and I'll tell you what I've seen. On a heavy evergreen lot the honest options are new gutters with DoublePro on them, or the retrofit guard plus Care so the brushing is our job. If guards are the wrong call for your house, I'll say so.
We work on detached and semi-detached homes. Townhouses and condos aren't something we do yet.
Or text phone number to come