GutterHawk Roofing & Gutter Specialists
LeafFilter vs GutterHawk Gutter Guards in Tallahassee
Homeowners shopping for gutter guards in Tallahassee often end up with two names on the list: LeafFilter, the national company, and GutterHawk, the local roofing and gutter contractor. This page sets out the difference in plain terms so you can decide which approach fits your house. It is written by GutterHawk, so we have kept it to what each company is and does, and we point you to LeafFilter’s own materials for anything about its product we cannot speak to.
The short version of LeafFilter vs GutterHawk is this. LeafFilter sells its own gutter guard system, which its website describes as stainless steel micromesh, professionally installed on existing gutters, and it serves homeowners across the country. GutterHawk is based in Tallahassee, installs several types of guard, micro-mesh among them, and also forms seamless gutters and repairs and replaces roofs. Both can put a micro-mesh guard on your gutters. The differences lie in the range of products, the work done around the guard, and who you deal with afterward.
For the guard types we install and how we fit them, see our gutter guards in Tallahassee page.
Side by Side
- LeafFilter: a national gutter protection company with its own branded micro-mesh system
- GutterHawk: a Tallahassee roofing and gutter company whose owner has worked in seamless gutters since 1993
- GutterHawk: several guard types, micro-mesh among them, matched to the trees overhead
- GutterHawk: can replace, resize or repair the gutters and roof edge in the same job
- GutterHawk: two local offices, North Monroe and Shamrock
- Both: ask for the written price and warranty before you sign
Who Each Company Is
LeafFilter is a national gutter protection company. Its website says it serves homeowners coast to coast, and its product is a gutter guard system that it sells and has professionally installed on existing gutters. For details of how its installations are arranged in the Tallahassee area, ask LeafFilter directly.
GutterHawk is a local roofing and gutter contractor with two Tallahassee offices, at 5928 N Monroe St and 3034 Shamrock St N. The owner, Jared Reinstein, has worked in the seamless gutter industry since 1993 and is a certified building contractor, license CBC 1255295; the company also holds roofing license CCC 1330917 and is GAF certified. Gutter guards are one part of what we do, alongside seamless gutter installation, gutter repair, roof replacement and roof repair. So when you weigh LeafFilter vs GutterHawk, you are comparing a national company built around its own guard system with a local contractor that handles the whole roof edge.
The Guard Itself
Micro-mesh is the common ground. LeafFilter’s website lists stainless steel micromesh as a feature of its system, and micro-mesh is also the guard type GutterHawk recommends for most Tallahassee homes, because a fine mesh is what keeps pine needles out. Pine straw is the hard test here: needles are thin, they fall in quantity, and they slip through guards designed only for broad leaves.
Where the two companies differ is range. GutterHawk fits more than one family of guard and chooses by what is growing over the house. Under longleaf and loblolly pines we recommend micro-mesh. Under oaks with little pine, a perforated aluminum screen can do the job for less. On an open lot with little overhead, we may tell you guards are not worth buying at all. If you want to compare mesh fineness, frame material or how a particular guard handles pollen film, ask each company for its product specifications in writing and read them side by side.
Work Around the Guard
A guard is only as good as the gutter under it. If the gutter is undersized for the roof, sagging between hangers, pitched the wrong way or leaking at the corners, covering it fixes none of that and makes the problems harder to see. Before any guard goes on, we clean and flush the gutters, check the hangers and seams, and correct the pitch.
Because GutterHawk forms seamless gutters on site, we can also replace a run that is beyond saving, or move a house from 5-inch to 6-inch K-style where the roof sheds more water than the old gutter can carry, and then fit the guard on the new run. And because we are roofers, we look at the drip edge, the fascia and the first row of shingles where the guard meets the roof, and we attach guards without lifting the shingles. Ask any company you are considering what it will do if it finds rotted fascia or failing gutters partway through the job.
Pricing and Written Terms
We do not publish or repeat other companies’ prices, warranty terms or financing offers, and you should not rely on anyone’s summary of them, ours included. LeafFilter’s website describes a warranty on its system; the details are in LeafFilter’s own written terms. Ask each company for a written quote and a copy of its warranty, and read what is covered, for how long, and what happens if you sell the house.
GutterHawk prices gutter guards per linear foot. The figure depends mainly on the guard type, with micro-mesh at the top of the range, plus the total length, the height of the eaves and any gutter or fascia work needed first. Gutter repair and replacement are listed separately on the quote so you can see what the guard costs on its own. Our guard installations come with a written workmanship warranty alongside the manufacturer’s coverage, and we give you both documents to read before you decide.
Local Service After the Install
Gutter guards cut cleaning; they do not end it. Under heavy pine, even good micro-mesh benefits from an occasional rinse where pollen and fine grit build up, and valleys that carry a lot of water deserve a look after big storms. Whoever installs your guards, ask how service visits are arranged once the job is done and who you call if a section overflows.
With GutterHawk, the people who fitted the guards work out of North Monroe and Shamrock, and a return visit is a local drive. We can check the guards, clear what has collected on the mesh, and look at the roof and gutters at the same time. If a storm brings a limb down across the eave, the same company can repair the guard, the gutter and the roof edge together, rather than sending you to separate contractors for each part.
How to Choose Between Them
A fair way to settle LeafFilter vs GutterHawk is to have both companies look at your house and compare what each one proposes. Check whether the guard type fits your trees, whether the company inspected the gutters and fascia and told you what it found, how the guard attaches at the roof edge, and what the written price and warranty actually say.
If your gutters are sound and you want a branded micro-mesh system from a national company, LeafFilter is one option to consider. If your gutters need work, you want the guard type chosen for your trees, or you would like the roof edge and gutters handled by the same local contractor, GutterHawk is set up for that. Either way, lay the proposals out together and decide on the facts in front of you.
Get a GutterHawk Guard Estimate
We will look at what is overhead, check your gutters and roof edge, and give you a written quote you can set beside any other. Call GutterHawk at (850) 779-1081 or (850) 842-7818 to compare LeafFilter vs GutterHawk on your own house.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is GutterHawk part of LeafFilter?
No. LeafFilter is a national gutter protection company; GutterHawk is an independent roofing and gutter contractor in Tallahassee.
Does GutterHawk install micro-mesh guards?
Yes. Micro-mesh is what we recommend under pines, and we fit other types where they suit the trees.
Which is better, LeafFilter vs GutterHawk?
It depends on your gutters and trees. Get a written proposal from each and compare the guard type, gutter work, price and warranty.
Can GutterHawk replace my gutters and add guards at the same time?
Yes. We form new seamless gutters on site and fit guards on the new runs in the same job.
Where can I find LeafFilter’s price and warranty?
Ask LeafFilter for its written quote and terms. We do not quote other companies’ terms.
Will any guard stop all gutter maintenance?
Not under heavy pine. Expect an occasional rinse of the mesh and a look at the valleys after big storms.
Do your guards lift the shingles?
No. We attach guards to the gutter and roof edge so the shingles stay sealed.
Q.2 Aluminum or copper?
Aluminum for nearly everyone. Copper for period homes where appearance justifies several times the cost.
Q.3 K-style or half-round?
K-style carries more water for its size. Half-round suits historic homes and sheds debris better.
Q.4 Do I need 5 inch or 6 inch?
It depends on the roof area and pitch draining into each run. Many homes here need 6 inch.
Q.5 Can you match my existing trim color?
Yes. Aluminum coil comes in a wide range of factory colors.
Q.6 How long does installation take?
Most homes are a single day, including removing the old system.
Q.7 How much do seamless gutters in Tallahassee FL cost?
Priced per linear foot, varying with material, gauge, size, and height. We quote after measuring.
Working With Us Is Easy
01.
Request Your Quote
Getting the process started is easy! Simply fill out our quick form or call us at (850) 779-1081. One of our friendly staff members will get in touch to finalize the details.
02.
We Work On Your Estimate
One of our expert estimators will get to to work analyzing your job and crafting a proposal. Of course, we’re here to answer any questions you may have.
03.
GutterHawk Gets To Work!
Contact Us
Have questions about your roof? Do you need information on gutter maintenance plans? No matter the question, GutterHawk is here to help!
