Anyone have gutter guards that they like?

[AlbertC]

My

gutter guards do not work well with the type trees I have. The small oak leaves fit In the small slits and become lodged and then other leaves fall and it creates a damn. The gutter guards do work well when they are clean and are able to handle heavy rains quite effectively.

I have to clean the gutter guards about 2-3 times a year which seems stupid because the purpose of the guards is supposed to keep me from having to do this. The guards are better than nothing because without them the gutters would quickly become clogged with leaves.

Please don’t suggest ”leaf filter” guards as I am not up to spending 6-7 k for this. Anyone have any product that they like?

 

[Alan W.]

I had that same type and they allowed too much to pass through and hang up.
Found these at Lowes with screen and so far nothing is hanging up in them. I have them on my shingled house and the metal roofed garage.
Leaves and debris flow right off.

 

[jaxs]

I tried different types on my outbuildings and lowering gutters 8-10" below drip edge and recessing far as possible and still have 90% water fall in gutter has worked better than any. Appearance might be a factor on a home if lowered that much but I suggest you at least drop yours from flush with roof. In case you haven't already figured it out,if you watch leaves as they scoot down a roof without gutters their trejectory would take them past your gutter if it were a few inches lower. This is piticularly true in windy conditions when 80% of leaves fall from trees onto roof.

 

[ruffdog]

Most times, anything small enough to slip into the openings like small leaves or needles will defeat the purpose.

 

[Citydude]

These look promising

Viking Gutter Guard Stainless Steel Micro-Mesh Kit 8-pack (5" x 32') at Menards https://www.menards.com/main/p-1538375210883.htm

 

[shooterdon]

Do not use the Leaf Filter. They do not honor their warranty.

 

[kf4uda]

Been using these for several years. They have worked well:

Amerimax Home Products Solid 3 ft. White Vinyl Surface Tension Gutter Guard 85323 - The Home Depot

Magnify the appearance of your gutters with Amerimax Home Products White Solid Gutter Cover. Easy to install and features flex design.

www.homedepot.com

 

[Have tractor did travel]

Re the Amerimax Gutter Cover recommended by kf4uda. In one place, manufacturer states material is PVC. In other place, says vinyl. To my experience, PVC doesn't stand up well to ultraviolet rays. Vinyl does.
I've used Gutter Guard, as available at Home Depot. To make the bend, I use a Vise Grip "break" and after making the bend with my hand, I make the bend a sharp 90 degree by hammering on it with a rubber mallet. I make the bend 'down', so the gutter spike supports the back of the cover, and do not use screws into the back of the gutter. I also use stainless steel screws - the self drilling, hex head type.
AlbertC - No need to spend $6K for "Leaf Filter", do it yourself for $1 - $3 a foot. Average house is 160 feet.
Some years ago, Consumers Reports rated gutter covers. They no longer reference it on the directory, but I called the home office, and they sent me the test and article. Their top rated cover has been discontinued by the manufacturer, but the gist of their testing (and recommendation) was to use covers that had lots of holes, closely spaced. They didn't think much of the "Gutter Helmet", or Amerimax Gutter Cover type of cover". Consumers did have good results with the Viking Gutter Guard, or Gutter Guard type of cover.

 

[Dwellonroof]

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07H4TLQ86/ref=ox_sc_saved_title_4?smid=A2N2871FUWIMEF&psc=1

 

[s219]

The most promising ones I tried were a coarse foam insert that went inside the gutter. Used them for 4-5 years after our house was built, with great results, then noticed problems one day. Gravel runoff from the roof shingles eventually plugged up the holes in the foam. So I yanked them out. I only have about 35' of gutters. I have been using a leaf blower attachment to blow out the gutters once a week when the leaves are falling (no issues the rest of the year). I want to try another type of guard to see if they work any better.

I have the helmet type of gutter guards on my barn. Water runs around the curved top and falls in a slot on the side of the gutter (coanda effect). They work extremely well as long as it's raining steady. In a very light sprinkle, the water doesn't move fast enough to follow the curve and tends to drip off. They also fail to work in the winter when snow/ice sits on the gutter impeding the flow. When we get a thaw the water wants to drip off instead of go in the slot.