Leaf Guard Success

Rianne

Rianne

Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
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Aug 2, 2017
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Going into the fall season, we have lots of trees in our neighborhood. DH cleans the gutters every year, two or three times. Has anyone had a good experience with gutter guards?
 
Rianne said:
Going into the fall season, we have lots of trees in our neighborhood. DH cleans the gutters every year, two or three times. Has anyone had a good experience with gutter guards?
Click to expand...


We had them installed a few years ago when we replaced all of our gutters. We used a company called “The Gutter Guys.” They’re great and it’s one less thing to worry about, especially since I can’t climb ladders anymore.
 
I had Leaf Filter guards installed right after I bought the house 6 years ago and haven't had any problem at all. I over paid pretty bad at a couple grand for a small ranch house but after my hip replacement there is no way i'm getting on a ladder so it was worth it to me.
 
Rianne said:
... Has anyone had a good experience with gutter guards?
Click to expand...
Yes, but my experience is that market is kind of a swamp with varying quality and wild claims. Opinions:

The first thing to do is to reject any product that is made of plastic. There are rigid plastic covers and plastic foam fillers, all of which are going to be vulnerable to ultraviolet damage to one degree or another.

After rejecting plastic, there is not a lot left. I ended up buying "Gutter Glove" "DoneRight" (https://www.gutterglove.com/) which is all metal -- aluminum extrusion structure and stainless steel screens. Before committing on our city house, I had about 30' of the product installed at our lake place in a location where I could easily see it out the window. Three years' watching convinced me that the product worked. Now maybe 5 years in on the city house I am still happy.

One weakness is pine needles. They tend to jump headfirst into the screening and end up looking like a brown brush sticking up. But they eventually deteriorate, so it is not a long term problem. If your problem is pine needles and not leaves you may want to investigate this some more.

All of the installers I talked to are small companies; just the owner and a few guys. Bad news is they really can't be counted on for warranty; you are left only with the OEM warranty. Better news is that as independents, they can negotiate price. One conversation I had went like this: "Adding that is worth $800." "Not to me. I'll go $500." and he took the deal. I also aged his quotation for a couple of weeks and when he made the follow-up call I asked what kind of price cut he'd give me if I snapped on the deal today. That saved me another few hundred $$.

Gutter Glove dealers, at least, have exclusive territories. So you can't compete two companies offering the same product. But you can use other leaf guard companies quotations and pretend you are on the fence.
 
We just had our gutters replaced when our roof was done. I researched different gutter protection and really liked Leaf Guard, primarily due to some innovative mitre pieces they have for high volume areas, like corners. Unfortunately the gutter installer wasn’t an authorized Leaf Guard installer so he couldn’t supply it. I didn’t want to break out the gutter guards from the rest of the project, so I just went back to what we had before, which is a cheap, honeycomb mesh. Our new mesh has a tighter honeycomb weave, so it will do better than what we had before, but not as good as the fine stainless steel mesh. Cost was also a factor. Our installer offered a stainless steel mesh, but it was significantly more.
 
I have used this product and it is FANTASTIC.

I put some on as a test on 1 gutter that I normally clean out each year. Normally due to the forest it would be 1/2 full of the mucky stuff.

During my 1 year test I saw it was clean with nothing inside except some roof granuales from the roofing.

After 4 years, it still is clean gutters under the guard.

This is the product, be sure you get the one with the fiberglass screening on it and not the one with just holes in the plastic. The plastic has stood up well to the UV. It's easy to install, and cut to length.

It won't break the bank as it only costs $0.83 per foot.

https://www.menards.com/main/building-materials/gutters-accessories/gutter-accessories/lb-plastics-3-filtered-vinyl-gutter-cover/1585123/p-1539325725571-c-5812.htm
 
When I was in Costco a month or so ago, I noticed they had stainless steel ones that should work similar to the UV resistant plastic ones I am currently using. The price seemed reasonable to me if a person is DIY, as it was $1.49 to $2.08 per foot (the 100' package was the cheapest per foot).

https://www.costco.com/CatalogSearch?dept=All&keyword=gutter+guards
 
Sunset said:
I have used this product and it is FANTASTIC. ...
Click to expand...
Glad the product is working for you. I will, however, stick to my recommendation to avoid plastic.

Just for grins I went to the LB Plastics web site and used Google to search for the words "guaranty" and "warranty." Neither was found.
 
Since our house is one story high, we just use a gutter cleaning attachment for our leaf blower. Works quite well for the pine needles that is our main problem.
 
I have the LB guards that Sunset mentioned.

Let's keep perspective here. These are extremely affordable. We're talking 80x cheaper (or more) than the pro formed products.

They were good for 10 years. At 10 years, some of the mesh was deteriorating, some was chewed by squirrels. I re-upped this year for another $70 worth of product. Leaf Guard would cost me $5k.

I may eventually get something like Leaf Guard as I get closer to the no-ladder stage of life.
 
The plastic ones on my house don't seem to have degraded at all from UV. Over time small pieces of debris and grit from the shingles still build up, but they help a lot.



But I was at Lowe's the other day and I notice they now sell foam gutter guards. I was wondering whether these might work even better. Anyone try them?
 
OldShooter said:
Glad the product is working for you. I will, however, stick to my recommendation to avoid plastic.

Just for grins I went to the LB Plastics web site and used Google to search for the words "guaranty" and "warranty." Neither was found.
Click to expand...

If someone wants to avoid the plastic, then the second posting I did about the product at Costco, which uses a similar method , but is metal turns out to be the brand you used "Gutter Guard".

I'm glad to hear it worked well for you.
 
CaptTom said:
The plastic ones on my house don't seem to have degraded at all from UV. Over time small pieces of debris and grit from the shingles still build up, but they help a lot.

But I was at Lowe's the other day and I notice they now sell foam gutter guards. I was wondering whether these might work even better. Anyone try them?
Click to expand...

At 10 years, the plastic ones showed their age. The mesh broke down, and the grove that catches the lip started cracking and breaking in places. I was still so happy with the total LBYM price, I re-upped for another 10 years.

As for the foam, I'm not a fan, at least where I live. I'll tell you why. Pollen. This may not apply if you don't live in the southeast USA. In the southeast, the pollen forms a kind of mortar that would foul the foam. It doesn't wash away. I'm not kidding, it becomes soft mortar.
 
I used those inexpensive plastic DIY-installed guards on my 2-story house.

They worked reasonably well..still let small stuff thru which would just sit in the bottom 'flat' of the gutter.

After high wind storms, I'd sometimes find a few panels somewhere in the yard....which would entail me having to reinstall via ladder. (grumble)

They did start to degrade, as plastic does, over some years.

When I had a new roof installed, I had them install black metal guards which were screwed to the gutters. They seem to work OK.

omni
 
I have had good luck with the foam fillers. Gutterstuff is one brand name. It has held up for >10 yrs.
 
omni550 said:
I used those inexpensive plastic DIY-installed guards on my 2-story house.

They worked reasonably well..still let small stuff thru which would just sit in the bottom 'flat' of the gutter.

...
Click to expand...

There are various types of plastic (and metal) guards, some don't work well at all.

I did previously try one that was similar to what I recommended, except it didn't have the fiberglass screening (fiberglass screening is the same as most window screens). It was basically a flat plastic with pencil sized holes all over it. It let in junk and I considered it a failure as it didn't work well enough.
 
The interesting thing about these devices is that it isn't a one-size-fits all. So much depends on your region, and even your back yard.

For example: the pencil sized holes that Sunset mentions: well, those were the perfect size to capture willow oak acorns. It was kind of like a ball in a pinball machine being captured by the kicker holes. willow oak acorns are tiny, but not too tiny. Just enough to jam the holes. Willow oaks are regional, and not everyone has one above their home.

Meanwhile, surface tension devices can fail when they algal growth or when the hurricane comes. Algae and hurricanes are not a problem everywhere.

Then there are ice dams, something I don't worry about, but may be a problem for a different region.

And so on...
 
We had Raindrop gutter covers installed 2 years ago when we had 6" gutters installed. We have large oak trees. So far, so good.
 
All gutter guards are an improvement at first, but all have to be cleaned eventually, and that can be WAY more difficult with the guards in the way (e.g. screens or reverse curve guards restrict access to the debris that will eventually accumulate). It will cost a lot more to pay someone to clean your gutters if you have gutter guards in the way.

There are several types like plastic screens, foam, micro mesh, metal screens, reverse curves, etc. All have pros and cons, none are infallible. And some are surprisingly expensive - “you will never have to clean gutters again” is FALSE.

Right or wrong I’ve concluded just paying someone to clean our gutters once or twice a year is much cheaper than installing gutter guards knowing I’ll still have to have them cleaned though less often at first…
Whether you have a guard of some type or you leave your gutters open to the elements, you will still have to clean them out from time to time.

Even the best gutter guards do not block 100% of the dust, dirt, sediment, insects, debris, leaves, seeds, twigs, and animals that eavestroughs seem to attract.

If a salesperson tells you that with their product you’ll never have to clean your gutters again, run away.

There’s no such thing.

What gutter guards are good at is cutting down on the amount of crud that gets into your eavestroughs, which means that you have to clean them less often.

And when you do have to clean them, the job is generally less messy and arduous.

The first question to ask is whether you need gutter guards at all.

If your house has no trees anywhere near it, isn’t located in an especially dusty or sandy region, and isn’t part of an environment where there are a lot of nesting birds, gutter guards may not be a wise investment.

On the other hand, if you do have some or all of these things, you may be very thankful for a product that makes it unnecessary for you to climb up a ladder and clean your eavestroughs two, three, four, or even five times a year.

If you live in an area where there are a lot of pine trees, you might find that a more solid gutter guard, such as a micro mesh or a reverse curve, will be a smarter purchase.

It’s easy for pine needles to become lodged in or fall through the other types of guards.

On the other hand, if you have a lot of deciduous trees around your house that shed big leaves every year, a brush, screen, or foam guard will keep most of them out.

If you want a gutter guard system that’s practically invisible from ground level, consider a brush or foam system that fits completely inside the gutter.

And if you’re especially concerned about how your roof and eaves look, you probably shouldn’t consider a reverse curve guard, since they tend to be bulky and obvious.

Once you’ve narrowed down the type that’s best for you, you’re ready to take a look at our top recommendations for gutter guards so you can compare price estimates and choose the one that’s right for you.
Click to expand...
https://www.consumersadvocate.org/gutter-guard/pros-cons-type-gutter-guard
 
Last edited:
aaronc879 said:
I had Leaf Filter guards installed right after I bought the house 6 years ago and haven't had any problem at all. I over paid pretty bad at a couple grand for a small ranch house but after my hip replacement there is no way i'm getting on a ladder so it was worth it to me.
Click to expand...

I thought a $4,500 estimate to put gutter guards was expensive.

Then I fell off a ladder and broke two legs cleaning my gutters that Fall. I was in the hospital a week and in bed 8 weeks.

Kind'a makes the gutter guards look reasonable in price.
 
Sunset said:
I have used this product and it is FANTASTIC.

I put some on as a test on 1 gutter that I normally clean out each year. Normally due to the forest it would be 1/2 full of the mucky stuff.

During my 1 year test I saw it was clean with nothing inside except some roof granuales from the roofing.

After 4 years, it still is clean gutters under the guard.

This is the product, be sure you get the one with the fiberglass screening on it and not the one with just holes in the plastic. The plastic has stood up well to the UV. It's easy to install, and cut to length.

It won't break the bank as it only costs $0.83 per foot.

https://www.menards.com/main/building-materials/gutters-accessories/gutter-accessories/lb-plastics-3-filtered-vinyl-gutter-cover/1585123/p-1539325725571-c-5812.htm
Click to expand...

I do not believe that there is a perfect solution. I used to have a diamond shaped mesh product, but leaf stems and maple seeds would stick into it. I now have a round hole perforated product like above. It keeps stuff out but wet leaves/seeds do not blow away and I still have to clean it off occasionally. Much better than nothing though, and it does keep stuff out of the gutter.
 
DrRoy said:
I do not believe that there is a perfect solution. I used to have a diamond shaped mesh product, but leaf stems and maple seeds would stick into it. I now have a round hole perforated product like above. It keeps stuff out but wet leaves/seeds do not blow away and I still have to clean it off occasionally. Much better than nothing though, and it does keep stuff out of the gutter.
Click to expand...

Leaf stems? You ain't seen nothing 'till you get pine needles. :)

Pine needles are a really difficult problem for all the designs. Once stuck in, they act as bollard poles, grabbing further debris.

I like your point about wet stuff not blowing away. In the marketing materials, most of the manufacturers show the stuff blowing off in a breeze. Ha ha, let me show you the real world.
 
I gave gutter leaf guards a thought for a short while but since I live on the coast in Florida all I have to do is wait for hurricane season and the gutters will clear out for free. Plastic or PVC can become brittle in the sun and even SS won't stand up well in the salt air after a few years. Besides I have a standing seam metal roof that crimps over the drip edge and only those guards that fit inside the gutter could be used. Also if screws need to be used they would need to be aluminum to avoid galvanic corrosion.

Cheers!
 
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