Recommendation? Gutter Guards

Railsplitter · Oct 9, 2018

I'm getting sick of cleaning out my gutters in the fall and I'm considering installing some type of gutter guard to keep the debris out.

I'd like some recommendations about what works and what doesn't so I don't waste time and money. Brands. Types of gutter guards. Which ones to avoid and if any of them are exceptional.

The main thing I want to avoid is to buy gutter guards and then still have to clean my gutters because debris seeped through the guard and clogged them anyway. Ideally, I want gutter guards that keep my gutters flowing freely for decades if those even exist.

Ease of installation would be a big plus as well. Price isn't a huge concern as I'd like to nip this in the bud once and for all and I'll pay what I have to pay to make that happen.

Any comments, good or bad, would be very helpful.

Thanks.

bikerector · Oct 9, 2018

I've had a place where thinner mesh wire was installed, a littler tighter than chicken wire, that worked so-so. Kept the big leaves out at least but made cleaning them a bit of a pain for the stuff that still worked it's way in like twigs and buds and such.

Father-in-law mentioned the foamy insert deals as he likes them, especially for the hard to reach spots. I plan to install some eventually but need to finish up some painting chores first. Not sure how well these would work in a downpour but it should be better than when it's stuff with leaves. Installation is supposed to be easy too, no idea on cost.

LEGION 12 · Oct 9, 2018

bikerector said:
I've had a place where thinner mesh wire was installed, a littler tighter than chicken wire, that worked so-so. Kept the big leaves out at least but made cleaning them a bit of a pain for the stuff that still worked it's way in like twigs and buds and such.

Father-in-law mentioned the foamy insert deals as he likes them, especially for the hard to reach spots. I plan to install some eventually but need to finish up some painting chores first. Not sure how well these would work in a downpour but it should be better than when it's stuff with leaves. Installation is supposed to be easy too, no idea on cost.

Those will fail eventually dirt and and shingle granules will build up and form a layer that water can't get through , you will have to remove and clean them yearly . I suggest option # 2 here . https://www.familyhandyman.com/roof/gutter-repair/the-best-gutter-guards-for-your-home/view-all/

Railsplitter · Oct 9, 2018

Thanks for the recommendations guys.

It looks like each option has its pros and cons and they all appear to require some degree of maintenance. My hope was to install them and never have to climb up there again but that doesn't seem like a realistic goal.

Also, I have to consider the fact that my gutters themselves will probably have to be replaced at least one more time in my lifetime. (just had new ones installed last November)

Gonna have to chew on this for awhile longer.

bikerector · Oct 9, 2018

My grandpa's solution is to pay the neighbor a few beers, that may work for you depending on where you live and how old your neighbors are.

Dddrees · Oct 10, 2018

Get yourself a good ladder instead. I have a Little Giant and it least when using it I feel secure. I really takes little time every year to go around the house and clean the gutters out after the leaves fall.

Scott321 · Oct 10, 2018

I manage a couple of properties for my family. We use the foam around our garage, but that roof area is limited and we have a tree right above it. The squirrels get into it every year and leave pieces sticking out. In all honesty, I should just tear them out.

The problem with some of the more expensive gutter gaurds (according to some of the contractors we've used over time), is that in a heavy downpour, a lot of the water can overshoot the gutter gaurd and overflow onto the ground, destroying your grading and affecting your foundation over time.

IMO, for the price of adding the expensive gutter gaurds (depending on who installs them), you could afford to pay someone to clean your gutters for decades. Just make sure they're bonded and insured, as you don't want some stranger sueing you because they slipped off of your roof.

Railsplitter · Oct 10, 2018

Dddrees said:
Get yourself a good ladder instead. I have a Little Giant and it least when using it I feel secure. I really takes little time every year to go around the house and clean the gutters out after the leaves fall.

It would be great if I only had to clean them once a year but honestly, I would still be sick of it.

I have to do it in the fall and in the spring. Our neighbor to the east of us has two trees that drop those maple seeds. I call them "helicopters" because of the way they spin around when they fall from the trees. They have a maple tree in the front yard and one in the back yard and those helicopters, which fall off the trees in the spring, clog my gutters worse than the leaves do.

I've spoken to them about the possibly of cutting the trees down but apparently, our city ordinance requires at least one tree in the front and one in the back which is what they currently have.

Dddrees · Oct 10, 2018

Railsplitter said:
It would be great if I only had to clean them once a year but honestly, I would still be sick of it.

I have to do it in the fall and in the spring. Our neighbor to the east of us has two trees that drop those maple seeds. I call them "helicopters" because of the way they spin around when they fall from the trees. They have a maple tree in the front yard and one in the back yard and those helicopters, which fall off the trees in the spring, clog my gutters worse than the leaves do.

I've spoken to them about the possibly of cutting the trees down but apparently, our city ordinance requires at least one tree in the front and one in the back which is what they currently have.

Understand, and it's not my favorite chore either.

LEGION 12 · Oct 10, 2018

Railsplitter said:
It would be great if I only had to clean them once a year but honestly, I would still be sick of it.

I have to do it in the fall and in the spring. Our neighbor to the east of us has two trees that drop those maple seeds. I call them "helicopters" because of the way they spin around when they fall from the trees. They have a maple tree in the front yard and one in the back yard and those helicopters, which fall off the trees in the spring, clog my gutters worse than the leaves do.

I've spoken to them about the possibly of cutting the trees down but apparently, our city ordinance requires at least one tree in the front and one in the back which is what they currently have.

I have a dogwood behind my house a maple next door and another maple in front , I feel your pain .

Inazone · Oct 10, 2018

My house has mature maple trees on three sides, so I feel your pain. When our roof and gutters were replaced a couple years ago, we got the metal grill/screen type guards included. Not the super-fine mesh like a window screen, but a bit more heavy-duty. They do seem to work well, but we haven't had them long enough that I could give a meaningful opinion on durability.

Cheesehead_Slasher · Oct 15, 2018

I was up cleaning my gutters last night in 40 degrees and rain. Such a pain in the ass. I've been looking for a solution for a while now with no clear winner.

I'm debating between some wire mesh. The foam inserts will freeze and add weight in your gutters. (Assuming you live in the north.) This could be bad.

That or I'll buy a high-powered gas leaf blower with an attachment to blow out the gutters. I'm leaning that way.

22-rimfire · Oct 15, 2018

My second story gutters are a pain to clean out. I have a 28 ft ladder and frankly I'm dangerous moving it. It is just too heavy. I have thought about gutter guards of some sort, but cleaning the gutters after installing gutter guards is a big pain in the butt. So, I have done nothing to this point. I have an attached garage that I can put a small ladder on it and then place a second ladder to the higher roof. Climb up, clean out junk, leave. I don't much care for being up that high along the edge of the roof, but the 28ft ladder is simply un-manageable for me.

Railsplitter · Oct 15, 2018

22-rimfire said:
My second story gutters are a pain to clean out. I have a 28 ft ladder and frankly I'm dangerous moving it. It is just too heavy. I have thought about gutter guards of some sort, but cleaning the gutters after installing gutter guards is a big pain in the butt. So, I have done nothing to this point. I have an attached garage that I can put a small ladder on it and then place a second ladder to the higher roof. Climb up, clean out junk, leave. I don't much care for being up that high along the edge of the roof, but the 28ft ladder is simply un-manageable for me.

I'm fortunate that my gutters are only about 10 feet high. (we have 10 ft ceilings) and yes, the bolded text is my biggest fear. It seems that none of the guards, regardless of the type, would completely free me from having to do that.

22-rimfire · Oct 15, 2018

At 10 feet, I wouldn't worry about it at all. You can do it with a tall step ladder if you wanted to.

I was going to clean them about a month ago and then with fall, they will fill back up with leaves. So, I'm waiting for the fall leaf drop. I have oaks very close to my house as well as other trees. It really bugs me to watch the water cascade off the filled gutter (fronts) in a rain storm. What do you have gutters for if you leave them like that, right?

ferider · Oct 15, 2018

We have large Oaks and pines in our yard, at it's highest our roof is ~30ft above the drive way. And I have a height phobia ...

I tried different types of guards and nothing really worked. In the end I tried to figure out the easiest way to clean the guard, while standing on the roof. I now use a strong leaf blower with a 2.5ft noozle, and it works well. Maybe you already do the same, if not I recommend it.

Roland.

Airborne 1 · Oct 15, 2018

Gutter guards = Ice damns in this part of the world.

Boxer .45 · Oct 15, 2018

Railsplitter said:
The main thing I want to avoid is to buy gutter guards and then still have to clean my gutters because debris seeped through the guard and clogged them anyway. Ideally, I want gutter guards that keep my gutters flowing freely for decades if those even exist.

Ive done construction for my whole life and done lots of roofing. There is no perfect guard, some are better than others. No matter what you do you will still need to clean them out eventually.

Most that are good at keeping things from settling on top of them will still let a little material inside, and visa versa.

Dont cheap out and make absolutely sure you or the company you go with installed them correctly by mfg specs. Most don't including roofing and gutter companies because its a PITA to do.

Railsplitter · Oct 16, 2018

Boxer .45 said:
Ive done construction for my whole life and done lots of roofing. There is no perfect guard, some are better than others. No matter what you do you will still need to clean them out eventually.

Most that are good at keeping things from settling on top of them will still let a little material inside, and visa versa.

Dont cheap out and make absolutely sure you or the company you go with installed them correctly by mfg specs. Most don't including roofing and gutter companies because its a PITA to do.

Thank you for the feedback. I've made my decision. Gonna leave them as is.

I'll just keep cleaning them out twice a year or maybe hire a bonded and insured contractor to clean them for me. An open gutter will be much easier to clean than a covered one and probably cheaper if I decide to pay someone.

Thanks to all who responded. I appreciate all the advice.

22-rimfire · Oct 16, 2018

Railsplitter said:
Thank you for the feedback. I've made my decision. Gonna leave them as is.

I'll just keep cleaning them out twice a year or maybe hire a bonded and insured contractor to clean them for me. An open gutter will be much easier to clean than a covered one and probably cheaper if I decide to pay someone.

Thanks to all who responded. I appreciate all the advice.

I think you made the right decision considering the height. A 16 ft ladder is very easy to handle and would access all of your gutters. I personally would not want to hire someone to do this unless I am not physically able to do so.

I tried the concentrated nozzle on the water hose (sort of a jet) and that had mixed results. My leaves tend to be wet after they are inside the gutters for a while and decomposing. So, the leaf blower effectiveness is questionable. But I do own a pretty powerful one. Sometimes you're just moving the leaves and debris only for it to find it's way back into your gutters. It is all such a POA.