How can you tell which type of gutter guard you have from a picture?
Short answer. Look at the top surface and the front edge: a fine woven metal fabric means micro-mesh, rows of holes in solid metal mean a perforated cover, a coarse grid means a screen, a solid cover with a narrow front slot means a hood, and nothing on top but a dark block or bristles in the trough means a foam or brush insert. Knowing the type tells you how to clean it and why it may be failing.
Identification cues
- Micro-mesh. Fine metal fabric, often stainless, over a ribbed aluminum frame. Openings are tiny. Usually screwed to the front lip.
- Perforated aluminum. A solid sheet with round or slotted holes in rows. Holes are big enough to see light through easily.
- Screen. A grid of square or diamond openings, plastic or expanded metal, often slightly wavy.
- Hood or reverse curve. Solid metal with a rounded front that curls down, leaving a slot just behind the curl. No holes on top.
- Foam insert. A triangular gray or black block filling the gutter.
- Brush insert. A wire spine with bristles, like a long bottle brush.
Also check how it is attached
Take a second photo of the back edge where the guard meets the roof. If the guard disappears under the first row of shingles, it is an under-shingle install, which can lift shingles and break their seal. If it rests on the gutter's back edge or a bracket on the fascia, it is gutter-mounted.
What the type tells you
- Mesh: brush and rinse the surface; check under it yearly.
- Perforated or screen: expect needles stuck in the openings.
- Hood: check inside through the slot; overflow in hard rain is typical.
- Foam or brush: pull out to clean; often near the end of their useful life.
If you just bought a house and inherited the guards, this tells you what maintenance the last owner signed you up for. See gutter sizing and guards and our Georgia maintenance checklist.