Raptor gutter guard FAQ

Raptor contractor-grade stainless steel micro-mesh. The filter is a Type 304 stainless steel mesh with roughly 900 openings per square inch, set into an aluminum frame with a patented V-bend and a front trough lip.

Yes. The mesh is Type 304 stainless steel and the fasteners are stainless as well. Type 304 is highly corrosion resistant, which is why we use it in a wet, marine-influenced climate rather than aluminum or plastic mesh.

The raised V-bend runs the length of every panel. It stiffens the mesh so it carries snow load without sagging between hangers, and it stops flat debris — leaves, blossom, needle mats — from lying flush against the surface and sealing off water.

Yes. At about 900 openings per square inch the mesh stops Douglas fir and cedar needles, maple seeds, blossom and even fine shingle grit at the surface. That is the debris that slips through screens and packs a trough solid here.

No. Raptor is sold as a contractor-grade product that a capable homeowner can also install. What a professional install adds is the prep and finish — cleaning and re-pitching the gutters first, lapping and screwing the panels correctly, and flow-testing every run.

Yes. The mesh passes far more water than the gutter and downspouts can carry away, so even with part of the surface covered in debris it stays ahead of the flow. Raptor's front trough is shaped to pull the sheet of water off the mesh and down into the gutter rather than letting it skate over the edge.

That is a reverse-curve ("helmet") problem — those rely on surface tension around a curved nose and lose it in a downpour. Flat micro-mesh with a trough lip does not work that way. In our experience on real roofs through real November storms, Raptor stays ahead of the water.

The mesh blocks grit at the surface, where it dries out and blows or rinses off. On a shingle roof we strongly recommend a roof soft wash before or with the install so you are not sending years of loosened moss onto brand-new guards.

The V-bend and aluminum frame keep the panel rigid under snow load, and the stainless mesh does not become brittle in the cold the way some plastics do. Ice dams are a roof and insulation issue rather than a guard issue — guards neither cause nor cure them.

If they are structurally sound, yes. We hand-clear, flush, re-seal the seams and re-pitch them toward the downspouts, then fit Raptor to what you have. It is sized for standard 5", 6" and 7" gutters.

We will show you photos and quote gutter replacement separately before doing any guard work. Putting guards on a failing gutter just hides the problem.

Panels are fastened with Raptor's stainless self-tapping screws to the gutter, and trimmed to meet the roofline. No staples, no adhesive-only installs. On metal and standing-seam roofs we fasten to the gutter and fascia without penetrating the roofing.

The way we install Raptor, no — we do not lift or drill the shingles. Some reverse-curve systems bolt through the roof, which can void a shingle warranty; that is one more reason we use flat micro-mesh.

Most single-family homes are a one-visit job: assess and measure, clean and re-pitch the gutters, install the guard, then flow-test every run before we pack up.

Yes — storefronts, offices, HOA and property-management buildings across Snohomish and King County. Call (425) 446-0547 for a site walk-through.

Pricing starts around $8 per linear foot with Raptor material and installation included, quoted firm after we measure. A typical single-story home runs $960–$1,650 and a two-story home $1,650–$2,400, depending on linear footage, access and gutter condition.

Yes. Adding gutter guards to a roof wash or house wash visit is discounted because we are already on site and set up.

Raptor backs the guard with a 25-year manufacturer warranty. Olson Pro Wash backs the installation workmanship — if water gets past a section we installed, we come back and fix it.

Very close to open saltwater the manufacturer adjusts the warranty term. If you are on a bluff or waterfront in Mukilteo, Everett or Kirkland, we will confirm the exact coverage for your address before you book.

Not the way you do now. Over several years a thin film of dust and pollen can build on top of the mesh — a quick rinse from a ladder or a soft wash clears it. The twice-a-year scoop-out of wet needle sludge is done.

Call us. Under our workmanship guarantee we come back and diagnose it — usually it is debris on top that needs a rinse, or a downspout clog below the guard. Reach us at (425) 446-0547.

Yes. Because they are screwed rather than glued, a roofer can lift the affected panels and we (or they) can re-set them afterward.