Gutter Guard

Glenn F.

Member
Living on a heavily wooded lot I need to clean gutters on my
two story house at least three times/year, which is getting
less fun all the time. What "gutter guard" would you
recommend? I am not looking to save pennies.

Glenn F.
 
I have yet to find one that I liked. The ones that rely on surface tension of water over time become ineffective due to sap and dirt on the gutter surface, so rain winds up bypassing the gutter altogether. The screen type work okay, so long as you don't have pine trees (they are a magnet for pine needles). I found the most effective solution to be a chainsaw. :)
 
"I found the most effective solution to be a chainsaw."

Same here. Be careful that you don't build a dam that backs up water onto the shingles.
 
Late last fall we had guards and new gutters installed all the way around the house. The guards have louver-like slits cut in them. The first thing I noticed was that snow builds up on the guards and when melt begins water runs over the top. What melts from the shingles up gets into the gutters but what melts on top runs over the gutter. It's like a small waterfall the length of the gutter. A groove is eroded in the yard along the drip line and the house gets splashed with mud. When it started to rain this spring I discovered the guards will not allow the volume of water running down a valley, where two roof pitches come together, to pass through. It's another waterfall situation, this one more concentrated, boring a hole in the yard and splashing the house with mud. As it warmed up this spring it became apparent that over the winter, the snow that built up on the guards had created an ice-dam situation, breaking the shingles tar-strip bond. This spring, all the way around the house, the entire 2nd tier of shingles curled and lifted. The company that installed the guards and gutters (costing a small fortune) said, "Yep, you're going to have that." I glued the shingles back down. At the valleys, I replaced the guards with 1/4 inch screen and I'll be sweeping snow off the gutter guards every winter. There are no leaves in the gutters.
 
My Brother put on Black (color) gutters with black guards -- -- work good! always the first thing to thaw off! Roy
 
I used to live in a heavily wooded lot with tree limbs over the house. I was getting too old to get on the roof and clean the gutters 3 or 4 times a year. Finally spent the cash on Leaf Guard gutters. Worth every penny. Never touched them again for the next 15 years. Monsoon downpours go right in no problem. Wish I had done it sooner. They can form large icicles in the winter though.
 
Solid Gutter Covers is the best way to go. Anything with slats, slots or holes just catch debris such as small leaf stems or "helicopters" from Maple trees etc. They are a pain in the rear to clean out.


Whatever you choose. A good installation is 90% of whether you have good or bad results once they are installed.

Found a quick link to show the type I am talking about.

https://www.sportys.com/toolshop/solid-gutter-covers-white.html
 
Good quality guards are expensive. Don't fall into the trap of shopping by price only. You usually get what you pay for. This holds true for most everything.
 
Getting a 2nd here for Leaf Guard, have to agree with JF 100%. We had them installed on our house 4 years ago and I haven't had to even look at them, zero issues.

We had the gutters replaced so the whole set up is Leaf Guard, I am pretty sure it carries a lifetime warranty. They use stainless steel surgical mesh to cover the tops of the gutter, the holes in the mesh are so fine you would think a hard rain would run right over it, but it doesn't. All the leaves and stuff just get pushed off the mesh by the rain and the rain falls into the gutter. Very happy with it, it ain't cheap though, have a couple more spots on the house to do, think we've saved up enough to get it done this year.
 
In the late 90's plastic snap in was used, pine needle and other debris soon collapse them into the gutter. They were replaced with those that are hinged onto the outer edge of gutter and supposed to lay flat along edge of shingle, total garbage. New home with steep pitch roof has 8 foot length that slips under lagging edge of shingle and then fits into groove on outside edge of gutter with an occasion screw to ensure stability. That are 99% efficient, two exceptions, heavy rains and steep pitch they tend to over spill, oak tree blossoms and other tree seeds tend to pile up in valleys where overspill guards, are used. 6 years and no other problems.
 
We did leaf guard and love it. Lifetime warranty. No more ladders. LeafGuard gutter system is guaranteed not to clog with leaves, pine needles, or other organic debris as long as you own your home or your installing contractor will clean or repair it for free.
 
I got some really low priced ones from Rural King. They just snapped in on the front edge. Been several years and they are doing the job.
 
I had the Alcoa perforated aluminum screens installed about 5 years ago. Very happy with them. I have mainly maple leaves and spinners to deal with. I also live in an area that is fairly windy and the house is exposed. Anything that collects on top of the screens seems to dry out and blow away. I only have one spot that seems to collect leaves but it is an easy spot to access and I just clean it off a couple times per year.
 
I got an alum expanded material like diamond shaped grates you walk on but made for the purpose....just slip one side up under the shingles, the other side tucks into the outer lip on 5" gutters, bow shaped which keeps tension on the mounting....work great. HD purchase.
 
Another thumbs up for leaf guard. Lots of oak and hickory on my place, and other than cleaning the valleys twice a year there's no other maintenance. I'm in Arkansas so not a lot of snow.
BillL
 

I have this type I still have to sweep them off a couple tines a year.

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Its not that bad on haft the house I can use a 6 ft ladder and a couple of brushes... One hour and its done they brush off no way in ell I would have them on a two story house I would get rid of the trees....

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I am stuck with'em :(
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