Gutter leaf guards

[Cliff_Johns]

We had our house done four years ago, and I am so happy we did. The guard we bought has the curved lip that draws the water into the gutter, but has some slits cut into the top to catch water as well. The local company that installed it also makes it. It was installed on the current gutters. Works great. Hasn't paid for itself yet in terms of having someone come out and clean the gutters four times a year, but the problem was, we didn't clean them out enough and then when it snowed or rained hard enough, we would get some water where it didn't belong. Then we'd get the gutters cleaned. What a pain. Now they are always clean. No worries.

Cliff

 

[Cliff_Johns]

One thing I forgot. Most of these companies have a guarentee. Something like, "If you gutters clog, we will come out and remove the cover, clean the gutter, and replace the cover at no charge."

If you can find a reputable dealer that's been around for a while that has a guarentee like this, it's to your advantage.
Cliff

 

[MarkV]

Cliff, there are a lot of ads for similar products in my area that I have watched with interest. My understanding was that they could be pretty pricey. Would you recall a price per linear foot for the system you had put in?

MarkV

 

[jfh230]

I've tried several options over the years. My opinion is that anything you can get at the big box stores will be a temporary solution. They just don't perform well over time. Wind, sticks, birds, squirells will dislodge them and allow leaves in at a seam. The best solution seems to be the "helmet" type. There are some that can be installed over existing gutters. They will work the majority of the time but in heavy rains the water can run past the lip. Also inside corners like at valleys will cause an overflow. A word of caution, make sure your gutters are attached securly and that means with some kind of mechanical clip system not a spike driven thru the gutter lip.

Jack

 

[Cliff_Johns]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Cliff, there are a lot of ads for similar products in my area that I have watched with interest. My understanding was that they could be pretty pricey. Would you recall a price per linear foot for the system you had put in?
MarkV )</font>

We had them do some gutter rerouting at the same time so the costs were mixed in, and some of the work was 30 feet up with a steep sloped roof and poor ladder access, but I would guess around $4 - $5 a foot. Something like that. A lot of money, but if you don't clean you gutters that one last time in the fall and it snows/thaws/freezes/snows/freezes and the ice dams up and water comes into your den and the drywall puffs out and the window trim is dammaged, then you pay one way or the other. This happened to a uh . . . friend of mine who isn't very good about remembering those maintance items.

Cliff

 

[milkman]

Had a guy from Gutter Topper come out an give an estimate to cover gutters on house and garage, about 220' of gutter. I was on the road and the wife called with his estimate...$2600.00, that really steamed me and if I'd been home when he gave the estimate, I would have physically threw the thief off the property. I got the 4' plastic covers from Lowes, less than $4.00 each and installed them myself, so far they're working. Like someone else posted, in a downpour, some of the water runs over, but not a lot.

 

[Cliff_Johns]

On the price I mentioned, remember that that was several years ago and a local maker, not a nationally advertised brand.

Cliff

 

[PineRidge]

I am currently experimenting with a brand sold by Ace Hardware Stores. Last fall I installed the gutter guard on my 24 X 35 pole barn since it is located the closest to the trees on my lot and plugs the quickest. So far I am happy, the gutter guard appears to be doing what was promised.

The cost is also relatively low. This particular guard comes in rolls of I believe 20 to 25 foot rolls but may be joined for longer runs by overlapping an inch or so. You first attach plastic arched clips to the gutter to support the gutter guard and the the screen then snaps onto the fastened clips. Looking at the gutter from the end you would notice that the gutter guard has an arched appearance to further promote the shedding of debris. It was available in white or brown.

It actually looks like a factory installed job once it is in place. I'm most likely going to add it to the house gutters next.

 

[dieselsmoke1]

Bought and installed the plastic solid helmet version from Big Orange, $3 for 4'.

Seems to work pretty good, got to put some diverters at the valleys to slow the spillover there.

One neat feature was the ledge whih overhangs the front edge of the gutter by about 1/4". Claims to make the water drip off and not run down the face of the gutter leaving those precious black streaks about every 3/4" apart, appears to work as promised.

I wasn't real happy with the interlocking device which secures the front edge, afraid high winds or an errant pressure washer could disengage, so I added a 2 pop rivets per piece to make sure it didn't move.

Thanks to all for their advice.

 

[KAB]

I have the plastic ones from one of the box stores and they have not clogged for 5 years. About 25 ft section is direcly below a buckeye tree. I usually check them about once a year and have not had a problem. The only one that gets clogged now is the gutter that I did not cover since there are no trees near it.

Kurt