Anyone here install gutter guards on their house?

[FADEC]

Well I think I'm officially sick and tired of cleaning out leaf packed gutters every fall and spring. I know there at least a dozen different companies that make these that look similar but vary slightly.

Seems like every time I go to a home show or expo of some sort these companies practically attack you when you walk past their booth.

My yard is heavily wooded so I definitely would get good use out of them.

Are any companies better or worse than others?? Better or worse designs? Any do it yourself kits that work well? Thanks, Tom

 

[Drew99GT]

If you get lots of ice and snow, I wouldn't recommend them. I've tried gutter guards, leaf guards, gutter covers etc. and, although they do a good job of keeping leaves out, they suck when inclement weather strikes. Snow and ice freezes up and prevents good run off in the winter, and they can't handle over 1 inch per hour rainfall rates in the summer. I have the water damage on my roof and soffets to prove it. I said screw it and just had 6 inch gutters installed with oversized downspouts. It means crawling on the roof several times a year to manual clean them, but I don't have to worry when flooding rains and heavy snow melt occurs.

 

[cchase]

The problem I've noticed them over the years is that:

The "helmet" styles can't handle that much water, so if you have a large roof area draining, they will likely spill past during thunderstorms. They also attract bees, which love making hives in the gutters. In the winter, they ice over and are completely useless, since heat tracing in the gutter won't do anything to fix that.

The "sponge" style act like filters, and quickly become plugged with brown goo that doesn't drain at all. Then they are a nightmare to clean out.

We have several large maple trees around our house, which at various times of the year drop the winged seeds, flowers, leaves, then dried winged seeds, maybe more leaves, etc. So far I haven't seen a product that actually results in less work...

But with that said, I'm always open to new ideas.

 

[Donald]

There are people who remove their gutters for the winters, much less the gutter guards.

 

[jeepman3071]

The best thing I've found so far is normal gutters and using a leaf blower every once in awhile to clean them out. I've seen the gutter helmets cause huge drainage problems, especially with melting snow.

Like said above they also attract bees and other animals. My grandma had a HUGE white faced hornets nest in one of her gutters with the helmet. Her neighbor had the same ones installed and he had squirrels living in his. It was a nightmare.

 

[friendly_jacek]

I had plastic mesh installed for several years and I'm taking it off. Doesn't work and they crook and fall inside the gutter with all the leaves.

 

[sciphi]

Gutter guard makes great rock-catching material for in front of radiators or A/C condensers. That's the only use I have for the stuff. Works well for that mission!

 

[JTK]

I installed the 3' plastic snap-in ones on a 30ft section of my house this past summer. You slide the flat edge under the roofing shingles and snap the front edge onto the edge of your gutters. Very secure setup. I see BLowes caries similar ones with screening added below the holes on the panels.

I get pounded by tree debris where I live. They did great this fall aside from some Maple tree helicopters poking through some of the round holes on the guards.

I picked up these guards when they were on sale for $0.97 per panel. I may do another section of the house next year.

We'll see how they do this winter. I'm thinking OK since I don't even get icicles. House is insulated and ventilated well in the attic space. That's the key IMO. You can't put these in areas that ice dam on you.

Joel

 

[FADEC]

Thanks for all the replies and opinions!!

Seems that most folks really don't care for them too much.

I have been using my electric leaf blower and a long extension for the last several years and it works well. Just hate walking all over the roof and wearing out the shingles. Got it down pretty good by now. Can do the whole roof in about an hour. Usually about three times a year.

 

[cchase]

They do make a little r/c car that supposedly drives down the gutter and flings stuff out. I don't know how well they work if stuff is wet and it may depend how the guttes have been hung.

 

[Drew99GT]

This looks nifty! Won't do anything for the downspout entry though.

 

[cchase]

That's the one I was thinking of.

 

[PW01]

I installed Waterfall gutter guards on my house about 8 years ago. They have been great and I will put them on my next house as well. Super easy to install and they've worked perfectly.

http://www.gutterprotectionbycrane.com/TheWaterFall/WhyTheWaterFall.aspx

 

[FADEC]

Originally Posted By: PW01
I installed Waterfall gutter guards on my house about 8 years ago. They have been great and I will put them on my next house as well. Super easy to install and they've worked perfectly.

http://www.gutterprotectionbycrane.com/TheWaterFall/WhyTheWaterFall.aspx


Wow those look pretty cool Will have to read up on them. Thanks

 

[Dave Sherman]

My old house had a willow tree in the back over my detached garage. After 1 fall I put the cheap plastic screens over the gutters, which made a BIG improvement. It did not make them maintenance free, however. Seed pods, shingle grit, and other stuff could still get through the holes, so once a year or so I'd still have to pull some accumulated stuff out.

 

[mechtech2]

They may fix one problem,but cause others.
Eventually, they need cleaning, too [unless ideal conditions exist].

 

[fsskier]

I have the metal mesh gutter guards with fairly large openings...
maybe 1/4 inch.... and they have been on for about 15 years.

In the spring you can see lots of maple "helicopter" seeds stuck in them but they soon all fall out/go through and disappear. Lots of trees and leaves at my house but the gutters are still clean and work well. I have never at any time cleaned them.... would highly recommend then to anybody that has problems with plugged gutters. My neighbors gutters are constantly plugged without gutter guards..... always on roofs trying to fix them.

I would never want to be without them.

 

[Cutehumor]

there is only gutter in the front of my house that gets clogged with leaves. we have two trees in the front yard that are responsbile. I live in a near zero lot neighborhood so I don't have to worry about tree leaves clogging my gutters except the aforementioned two trees.

 

[MinamiKotaro]

I had gutter guards twice. Once installed myself, the second time "professionally" installed. Both times, it made the gutters clog WORSE.

 

[JHZR2]

Originally Posted By: JTK
I installed the 3' plastic snap-in ones on a 30ft section of my house this past summer. You slide the flat edge under the roofing shingles and snap the front edge onto the edge of your gutters. Very secure setup. I see BLowes caries similar ones with screening added below the holes on the panels.

I get pounded by tree debris where I live. They did great this fall aside from some Maple tree helicopters poking through some of the round holes on the guards.

I picked up these guards when they were on sale for $0.97 per panel. I may do another section of the house next year.

We'll see how they do this winter. I'm thinking OK since I don't even get icicles. House is insulated and ventilated well in the attic space. That's the key IMO. You can't put these in areas that ice dam on you.

Joel


Yes, I did the exact same thing for the gutters where the maples make a mess. They have worked great for a few years now.