Gutter guards for Johnson City homes under oaks and pines

How it works

1. Call or send a request

   Tell us your address and what's going wrong with the gutters.

2. We connect you

   We pass it to an independent gutter guard installer that covers your part of Washington County.

3. They call you back

   The installer looks at the house and quotes you directly.

Who uses this site?

Homeowners and landlords in Johnson City, Jonesborough, Gray, Boones Creek, Elizabethton and the rural roads between them. Johnson City had 71,046 residents at the 2020 census and sits in an Appalachian valley at about 1,634 feet, mostly in Washington County with smaller pieces in Carter and Sullivan counties. A lot of the housing stock here was built among mature hardwoods, and plenty of lots back up to a wooded ridge. That's great for shade and hard on gutters.

Why do gutters clog so often here?

Because something is always falling. Oaks, maples and tulip poplars drop leaves in October and November, then seeds, catkins and tassels in spring. White pines and other evergreens shed needles through the year, and spring pollen coats everything in a yellow film that washes into the gutters as sludge. On a house tucked against a hillside, wind off the ridge pushes debris onto the roof from trees that aren't even on your lot. Two cleanings a year often isn't enough.

How much water do Johnson City gutters have to carry?

Johnson City averages about 45 inches of precipitation a year, and summer is usually the wettest season, with July averaging around 5.4 inches. Much of that comes in short, heavy afternoon thunderstorms, which is exactly when a half-clogged gutter overflows. The city also averages around 15 inches of snow a year, so gutters here see some freeze-and-thaw too. Water that sits in a clogged gutter can freeze, add weight to the hangers and back up under the roof edge.

Do gutter guards actually work?

Good guards that are installed well keep leaves, twigs and seed pods out of the trough and the downspouts, which is where nearly all overflows start. They don't make gutters maintenance-free. Fine material like pine needles, pollen and shingle grit can collect on top, especially in roof valleys, and most guards need an occasional brush-off or rinse. The payoff is that you're clearing the surface from the ground or a short ladder instead of scooping wet muck out of a two-story gutter.

Which guard type fits which house?

• Stainless micro-mesh. A fine mesh on a rigid frame. Stops needles, seeds and most pollen grit. The usual choice for houses under pines or mixed woods. More on gutter guards.
• Perforated metal or screen covers. Larger openings, lower cost. Fine where the trees are mostly broad-leaf, but needles slip through.
• Reverse-curve hoods. Rainwater follows a rounded nose into the gutter and leaves slide off. Effective on many houses, but visible from the street and prone to overshooting in a hard downpour off a steep roof.
• Foam and brush inserts. Cheap and quick, but they trap debris and break down faster in the sun.

Can guards go on the gutters I have?

Often, yes. If your gutters are solid, pitched toward the downspouts and screwed into sound fascia, an installer can clean them, fix any loose hangers and put guards on. If they sag, hold standing water, leak at several seams or pull away from the house, it usually makes more sense to replace them with seamless gutters and add guards in the same visit. Putting good guards on bad gutters just hides the problem.

What are the warning signs your gutters aren't working?

• Water sheeting over the front edge during rain
• Peeling paint, dark stains or soft spots on the fascia and soffit
• Washed-out mulch or a trench in the soil under the roof edge
• A damp crawl space or basement after storms
• Grass or tree seedlings sprouting in the gutter
• Downspouts that gurgle, overflow at the top or don't run at all
• Gutters sagging between hangers or tipping away from the house

What about hillside lots?

Many Johnson City houses sit on sloped ground, with a walk-out basement or a tall crawl space on the low side. That makes the downhill gutters high off the ground and risky to clean, and it means water released on the uphill side tends to run back toward the foundation. Guards cut down on how often anyone climbs up there, and downspout extensions or buried drain lines can carry the water around the house and downhill.

Is this a gutter company?

No. Johnson City Gutter Guards is a referral service. We connect you with an independent gutter and gutter guard installer that serves your address, and that installer measures, prices, installs and warranties the work. Before you sign anything, read our tips for hiring a gutter installer and the Johnson City gutter guard guide.

Areas we cover

• Johnson City
• Jonesborough
• Gray
• Elizabethton

Planning ahead? Read our Johnson City gutter guard guide.