Gutter leaf guards

   / Gutter leaf guards #1  

dieselsmoke1

Platinum Member
Joined
Aug 13, 2003
Messages
842
Location
Eastern North Carolina
Tractor
Mahindra 2810HST
Just cleaned out the gutters....again.
About half leafs half pine straw.
Tired of this act, going to install some leaf guards.
Local big box stores have screen types and the flow diverters.
Any advise on what works and what doesn't appreciated.

Thanks
 
   / Gutter leaf guards #3  
I used the "pop in" 4' sections from Lowes. They're either a firm plastic or laminated metal. I can't remember the brand. They come in a box. They work very well. If I come up with more details, I will forward...
 
   / Gutter leaf guards #4  
dear ds1...

about a year ago i saw a this old house episode where they used a new product made out of plastic that litrally covers the majority of the gutter but has just enough room for the water to get in...i have personally cleaned hundreds of gutters while doing handyman work and the only thing that i can say with the mesh type of gutter clutter setups is that over time i've many that literally clog up especially with pine needles...which make their way through the mesh and then make their way down into the drain pipes....the guys on the show talked about this problem and demonstrated with a few 5 gallon buckets of leaves and needles..and then put the hose to the roof..i was amazed at how well the product worked...u may have to do alittle searchin round but if i had gutters i would most definitely b lookin for this stuff bcause the majority of our trees round here are jist exactly that ...big tall white pines....... just food for thought

TODD /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif
 
   / Gutter leaf guards #5  
I have used the screen guards before and they didn't work very well with pine needles. I ended up taking them down. I saw the episode of "This Old House" that Polecat mentioned and it was pretty amazing how well that product seemed to work considering the gutter was almost completely covered.
 
   / Gutter leaf guards #6  
welcome to tbn logan!!! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
your profile does'nt say where u r from???so /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
where ru from???? /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
   / Gutter leaf guards #7  
I've seen that product advertised around here,they call them gutter helmets.They don't look like they would work but supposedly they use surface tension to direct the water to the gutter through the small gap.If anybody has them I would be curious to know if they work or not.
 
   / Gutter leaf guards #8  
Thanks Polecat. Born in mountains of North Carolina, raised in N. Florida, now living in S. GA. I don't post much because I am still learning, but I have been doing a lot of "listening". I think I'm addicted to TBN.
 
   / Gutter leaf guards #9  
u think u r!!!!!!!!!!!!!i've been on here since noon today...well on and off ...had 2 cook dinner 4 myself and the better half and 4 all the "chillin's!!!"
 
   / Gutter leaf guards #10  
I've had the "Leaf Guard" gutters on our old house for a few years. They are the type with the gutter covered except for the front edge. The water rolls over the edge and "sticks" to the matal due to surface tension. The leaves blow off and the water goes in. They claim that if it clogs they will come out and clean it. Never had any problems in 6 years or so. BUT if it's a really heavy rain, some water will not make it to the gutter. It just comes so fast that it can make the turn.

The leaf guard is a gutter and top in one piece. Not what you want if your gutters don't need to be replaced.

Tomorrrow morning a fellow is coming by to give me an estimate on adding a "topper" to the existing gutters on our new house. I'll let you know how it goes.

And if you have any maple trees, forget about screens. The maple seeds will stick in the screen until the wing rots off. Then it falls through and you get maple trees growing in your gutters.
 
 
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