Guttter guards that actually work?

[Pilot]

Just cleaned out the gutters, so it's time to look at gutter guards. I know a lot of them don't work well, so I'm looking for your input on what works for you. I have Douglas-fir trees, so I'm looking for gutter guards that work for short tree needles and cones. So if you have guards that work well for spruces, firs or other trees with needles about an inch or so long and have had good luck with your gutter guards I want to hear from you--what kinds of guards do you have? Thanks.

 

[bcp]

A house near here has Rainhandler gutterless system and they are pleased with it. Their ground has a strong slope away from the house to carry the water away.

Bruce

 

[coobie]

Just cleaned out the gutters, so it's time to look at gutter guards. I know a lot of them don't work well, so I'm looking for your input on what works for you. I have Douglas-fir trees, so I'm looking for gutter guards that work for short tree needles and cones. So if you have guards that work well for spruces, firs or other trees with needles about an inch or so long and have had good luck with your gutter guards I want to hear from you--what kinds of guards do you have? Thanks.

Yes they do.I have the aluminum screens on mine.From my research I stayed away from the gutter helmet.

 

[EddieWalker]

I personally fee that the open screen gutter guards that you get at Home Depot and Lowes are the best choice out there. They are cheap and easy to install. They are open enough to allow the water coming off of the roof to get through them. Whatever else that gets through the screen is small enough to wash out during a heavy rain. I've been installing them for at least a dozen years here in East Texas, where pine trees are everywhere without a call back. We also get tons of leaves from the hardwoods too.

I have had numerous clients that have gone with other brands of gutter guards that where too small to handle all the water that comes off of a roof during a heavy thunderstorm that resulted in water backing up under the shingles. This results in staining on the soffits, or in some cases, water coming into the house and staining the sheetrock. It's particularly bad where there is a valley and you get so much more water coming together.

Keep it simple, the screens work great.

 

[Snobdds]

I find that no screens work for every situation. In Wyoming, the cottonwood trees in spring have little pods that fall off and they go right through the screens. Then a person has to remove all the screens to get all the pods out. In the fall, the screens do keep the leaves off, but the twigs get stuck in the screens.

The best method for me, and considering it's a single story ranch house...is a good Stihl high power blower. I can clean the gutters in about 20 minutes. For me doing that 4 times a year is easier than dealing with screens and removing them to blow out the gutters anyways.

 

[Mendonsy]

Another thing to consider is that many of the gutter guard designs make a perfect home for paper wasps, hornets, and yellow jackets.

 

[joeyd]

I believe in the KISS principle and use the "cage" type downspout guards. I still have to clean the gutters but it also allows me to see what is going on at that level. Usually if you don't see it (over head) you don't know there is a problem beginning. But I only have 4 to check, one at each corner of the house.

 

[dickfoster]

Just cleaned out the gutters, so it's time to look at gutter guards. I know a lot of them don't work well, so I'm looking for your input on what works for you. I have Douglas-fir trees, so I'm looking for gutter guards that work for short tree needles and cones. So if you have guards that work well for spruces, firs or other trees with needles about an inch or so long and have had good luck with your gutter guards I want to hear from you--what kinds of guards do you have? Thanks.

I put the screen types on my place and they work. Expanded metal covered by fine screen mesh. It had those shield things where the leaves and junk is supposed to roll of the edge while the water curls around and goes to the gutter. All those things did was to make the gutter nearly impossible to clean. If it looks like it should work it probably will.
My only trouble is figuring out a way to get valley diverters that will work that not collect a bunch of leaves and junk. I don't like needing to get up there on a ladder to clean the junk collected behind them all the time.

 

[ultrarunner]

Only the Redwoods give me trouble...

Tried the brush type and will no more come Spring... they a long sections of bristle brush that are suppose to keep water flowing.

GutterBrush Gutter Guard - Affordable, Effective Gutter Protection

Tried the mesh and screens and found they are difficult to clean...

The Brush just pops in and out without any special care needed.

 

[teejk]

Only the Redwoods give me trouble...

Tried the brush type and will no more come Spring... they a long sections of bristle brush that are suppose to keep water flowing.

GutterBrush Gutter Guard - Affordable, Effective Gutter Protection

Tried the mesh and screens and found they are difficult to clean...

The Brush just pops in and out without any special care needed.

I think you meant "know more" (I'm not a grammar/spelling **** but there is a big difference between "know more" and "no more"). I've heard that product hawked on Gary Sullivan's Sunday radio show just recently. I'm always suspicious of paid sponsors and while the concept makes sense to me I will be curious to see if your experience matches up to the company's claims. We have a lot of large white/red pines here and they produce a lot of needles.