Any Leaf/Filter reviews ??
- Thread starter Jessie
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Jessie—I installed them on my courtyard gutters and have been VERY impressed with one admonition. Anyone who tells you their gutter system is maintenance free is full of baloney. They ALL need maintenance, just with far less frequency. I suspect on an ordinary house and lot spring and fall would suffice. (I have huge pines and a magnolia tree that constantly are shedding needles and huge leaves). I have to blow the roof and gutters off every few months. No product will stop pine needles.
Before the Leaf Filters it was weekly.
The only other admonition is they are sky high. But I do believe they are worth it as long as you understand you still need to blow off the gutter tops occasionally.
Before the Leaf Filters it was weekly.
The only other admonition is they are sky high. But I do believe they are worth it as long as you understand you still need to blow off the gutter tops occasionally.
doublesharp
Member
I put up the ones Costco sells about 3 years ago. Installed them by myself on a low roofed ranch style house and they are maintenance free so far and my big pin oak tree leaves cause no problems. Cost was about $2 a foot for 6" aluminum mesh gutter guard.
Maddog 521
Member
I have gutters all the way around my house, every inch of roof edging. I'm thinking about taking down all the gutter except the areas over the doors and walkways. I don't think I need the entire roof runoff to collect rain water and funnel it to a downspout. It is a problem sometimes.
bigwheelzip
Absent Comrade
Never used them ourselves, but hubby helped my mother's neighbor with hers, after her firefighter husband was killed in the line of duty.
They were the mesh type of gutter cover. Unfortunately, she had a large maple tree in front of her house, and the falling helicopter-like seeds which we called polynoses, would get stuck in the mesh covers, and eventually fall through to clog the gutter.
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They were the mesh type of gutter cover. Unfortunately, she had a large maple tree in front of her house, and the falling helicopter-like seeds which we called polynoses, would get stuck in the mesh covers, and eventually fall through to clog the gutter.
Sent from my Moto G (5) Plus using Tapatalk
Baggy Wrinkle
Member
This topic is close to home for me. A year ago I installed the LeafFilter brand gutter covers on my house and they flat don’t work. I live under fir, cedar, oak, cottonwood and maple trees. The screens clog and water flows over the edge. LeafFilter added new downspouts, put up sheet metal diverters, changed screen sizes, twice, and sent cleaning crews multiple times. Still don’t work. It would have been cheaper to call a service company to clean the gutters a couple of times a year.
After my unsatisfactory experience I talked to a couple roof and gutter companies and they don’t recommend any of the covers. They all have shortcomings I was told. So, mine are going to go.
After my unsatisfactory experience I talked to a couple roof and gutter companies and they don’t recommend any of the covers. They all have shortcomings I was told. So, mine are going to go.
Normal house gutters are 5" with 3" Downspouts. I went with 6" gutters with 4" downs. No problems now. Had hail damage and took advantage of the situation. Now any debri that enters the gutters are found where the downs end. 
^^^Bob—this was the exact method I was going to follow, but mine drain into a courtyard so I had to go with the Leaffilters.
DWalt
Member
There is also another type of "leaf filter" without a screen, it is a sheet of metal with a curve on one edge Rather, it covers the gutter and channels the water into the gutter, while the leaves and other debris wash over the edge. You might check into it. This is one local company which installs them: LeafGuard Gutters | Beldon of San Antonio | Seamless Rain Gutters
jmr986
Member
I had the screen type put over my gutters. Still needs to be cleaned, but less often. Stuff gets stuck in the screen “pores” and needs to be cleaned. The LeafGard brand seems to be popular. Don’t know how effective it is. But, it made the owner a very wealthy man.
Aggie1906
US Veteran
My house is a two story with a walk-out basement. Some would call it high in back over sudden death concrete. Gave up getting up there, and had oversize gutters with slatted style covers put on the back side. Never clogged. Had to roust out a rodent and bird.
Happy with that, I paid for that stainless fine mesh stuff on the low front. That works too. I left a low section bare on the garage and blow that out now and then. I sometimes can blow some chaff off the stainless one.
Lots of leaves and such around my lot, no issues.
But....both styles count on heavy rain just shooting on past the gutters.
Tried cheap rolled plastic stuff years ago, and ripped it off in clog prone.
Happy with that, I paid for that stainless fine mesh stuff on the low front. That works too. I left a low section bare on the garage and blow that out now and then. I sometimes can blow some chaff off the stainless one.
Lots of leaves and such around my lot, no issues.
But....both styles count on heavy rain just shooting on past the gutters.
Tried cheap rolled plastic stuff years ago, and ripped it off in clog prone.
Maddog 521
Member
Two to 3 foot eaves and the dirt slopped away from the building works pretty good. I've only got 1 live oak tree and the neighbors red oak to contend with, and it's only on one side of the house. When the gutters get plugged up that's when the roof boards and soffit starts rotting out. The water then runs straight down the wall to the foundation, and that's another problem area. Building architects and water management engineers might be the right people to talk to. Ask all of your questions and get their opinions.
I made a piece of pvc pipe with a ball valve that I can connect a hose to. I can adjust the nozzle on the top. Stand on ground and walk around the place and blast the crud out of the gutters. Do it on a hot day cause I get wet.
I also went the aluminum mesh way. They have worked perfectly for us. It was so nice not to have to take our downspouts apart to clean the pollen fronds out of them. I do still climb up on the roof using our ten foot ladder to remove the remaining frond piles off with my battery blower. Much safer than trying to clean out the gutters from the roof top, which is the only way I could with all Mom's gardens around the house and garage.
prairieviper
Member
We had the mesh at first but it proved useless as we are surrounded by trees and the debris from leaves clogged the mesh in short order. We ended up going with Leaf Shield, a system like Gutter Helmet, Leaf Guard and others where water follows the bends of the metal and into the gutter and leaves slide over and off.
We also went with 4" downspouts which I believe is key to completing the system and making sure you never have to clean your gutters again. It has worked well for us.
We also went with 4" downspouts which I believe is key to completing the system and making sure you never have to clean your gutters again. It has worked well for us.
