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I got an estimate from Leaf Filter for $7,900 for 200ft. He started dwindling the price down and was at $3,300 at the end. So that tells you what their profit margins are.
I own my own small contractor company and do many different jobs, including installing gutter guards. I found the best price for the homeowner and for me to make a little bit of money, (since they are pretty easy to put on I don’t kill them on the labor as much as a much more intensive project) I charge 110$ per box of gutter guard, they are about 90$ at Home Depot, and 3$ per piece to put on. I just did a house last week that cost the home owner $440 for the 4 boxes and I charge 4$ per piece to put on. So I’m profiting about $160 per box. The average home in my area has about 160ft of gutters. The cost will go up slightly on homes that are 2-3 stories as it takes me more time to do the job. The prices I quoted are on a ranch style home. With material included it costs this home owner around $1100. Not a bad price and I made that money in about 3.5 hours. So to your point…. They jack the price WAY up and their profit margins are outrageously higher than a 3 man company can do it for that doesn’t try to rip anyone off.
@@danmorse2002 at 1100 for 160 ft thatshould legally be minimum wage Don't pay the least and expect the most.your 3 man team verse one of my best guys. Get a job and invest wiser
Thank you for creating this video . I’m a contractor and I appreciate it. The only issue I have with the video is that is a new shingled roof system that hasn’t adhered to the structure yet. Most roofs are not able to lift up the edges like you do in your video making installation much different.
Don't waste your money or time with the Huxley plastic gutter snap-in screens... They do not work ... After a few hours if you manage to get one or two installed, the plastic will crack and fall apart from the sun rays in just a few years ... (Oakland Home Inspections LLC) Metal gutter guards are the only ones that work and actually fit, and do not crack or fall apart ...
Did you have to screw them in or just snap them in i was wondering i just need a few on one end where the neighbor trees pours all the leaves in the gutter about 9 feet or so
I've been saying this for years. I used to work in the aluminum industry and installing gutters was one of many products I installed. I have seen all the issues with these gutter guards. It usually just makes more problems. Just buy a gutter nozzle attachment for your hose and give your gutters a periodic spray down. You can even get one with an extension and clean your gutters from the ground.
Seems like even with gutter guards, you're still doing work, may as well just clear them out every year. In our case, it's definitely not as easy. We live on a hill, so our house is such that the only way to do that is to get on the roof. It's technically 4 stories tall from the back (3 levels with main floor access from the front, but lower level still elevated by about 1 level from the rear). There's no way a gutter nozzle attachment is gonna work for us in the back of the house, so... to the roof it is!
Someone's speaking common sense! I am surrounded by trees and I clean mine twice a year (in spring and fall). It takes me less than an hour to do my house, car port and workshop. If you are using gutter guards in a cold climate you are setting yourself up for ice damming and potentially thousands of dollars of damage to your roof. Even if you do find guards that work for you, you will spend thousands of dollars on something that could have been accomplished with simple maintenance.
I bought one of the cheap white plastic guards he was talking about at 14:45. I tried it out on my garage. There are two giant maple trees that throw out tons of debris and leaves on the garage. Let me tell you...they work awesome! I'm totally blown away. They have been on there for 8 years and I've yet to have to clean my gutter once. I look into them every year and they are clear, no issues. I live in Minnesota and these gutters see every weather scenario you can throw at them: heavy thunderstorms, hail, snow, ice, leaves, seeding trees in the spring, leaves in the fall. The only thing they haven't seen in 8 years is a tornado or straight line winds. They are still in good shape. The ones I have do look cheap and kinda flimsy but I've gotta say, if they failed tomorrow I'd go out and buy the same thing again because I think I paid $5 bucks for a 3 foot section. I did my whole garage for less than $40 bucks. Maybe I got lucky and there are similar products that do suck? Not sure.
Same with me. I bought them on sale (Menards) and they were less than you paid. And I am in MN also. I had them for 5 years and just sold the house and inspector passed them. I need some on my new house and will go with the same cheapos on sale at Menards. But I need gutters on my walkout wide which is 2 floors up. For these I will get some LeafGuard or similar as I don't do tall ladders anymore (nor roofs).
I used those kind as well here in CT. We have lots of maple trees around. They were installed about 20 years ago, and only were taken down because we put a new roof on. We get a LOT of leaves and maple helicopters around. Every couple of years, I need to clean out the helicopter bits.
So glad to hear this. I just bought these plastic ones at Menards, but they had the hole grid and mesh. I'm not cheap but for what most people charge to install leaf guards, this cost me a couple hundred bucks and that was including paying a local handyman to install them on the second story that I couldn't get to. Easy install, snaps right in, no screws.... Seemed like a no brainer to me.
Wow. I've seen a lot of how to videos and reviews, but this is one of the best ones. Great job comparing everything without selling anything and not throwing companies under the bus. Great video.
Some products and companies need to be under the bus. If you don’t tell the brand why do the video. It’s amazing people can’t call crap ,,, what it is,,, crap.
Don't waste your money or time with the Huxley plastic gutter snap-in screens... They do not work ... After a few hours if you manage to get one or two installed, the plastic will crack and fall apart from the sun rays in just a few years ... (Oakland Home Inspections LLC) Metal gutter guards are the only ones that work and actually fit, and do not crack or fall apart ...
I was sold on the foam insert gutter filter by Future Foam from Menards. After 1 year it has proven to be a massive failure. It is as if there is no gutter installed. The rain flows right over the gutter because the filter is plugged with small debri and creates a plugged effect. Water comes in the basement again. Total waste of money. I have given up on the idea of any guard or filter. Back to the days of cleaning the gutters twice a year!
I only have a one story house, but I've never seen any gutter guard that has convinced me that it is less trouble than just cleaning the gutters once in a while.
Living in Ontario Canada we experience all nature throws at our treed property into our gutters. Each late fall I climb a ladder to the high side of the slope with garden hose in hand and rinse the gutters out. For safety I have my wife down at the bottom of the ladder to give me something soft to land on should I slip. Gutter guards,save your money.
@@happyrecluse2849 Here's a pro tip. Have your wife wear a bright green safety vest so you can always see where your landing spot is out of the corner of your eye. 😆
Oh my I’m glad we have them with lots of trees but the right kind must be used or they clog up. He’s right. They do help a lot so get the best one. Raptor rail with aluminum rails and a special stainless steel mesh. I’ve learned from others that this is very good. And you use screws to attach on both running rails and it helps strengthen. There is another kind….Leaf filter. Good reviews too.
I built an extension for my wet/dry portable shop vac out of central-vac pipe. I used 90° & 45° sweep fittings at the top to get the right angle for the last short piece of pipe that I cut to fit flat in the gutter. Works great! NO leaf guard, NO ladder!
Update - the first gutter guard recommended is made very good, but it also has a serious issue in one of my customers who has this installed. The screen has actually started to become one big muddy mat. In other words, the screen is so fine that little grains of mud or asphalt are starting to fill in the screens and water is now running over those areas. For 2 years now I have gone out to her home and manually brushed the screens where the muddy matting is occurring.
On my house 33 years ago the gutter installers used a 1/4" screen material as a leaf guard. Still in use. I still have to clean the gutters time to time but after watching this I'm probably going to keep what I have. I was considering spending money on plastic or metal covers. This video was very helpful. Seems no system is perfect. I probably have 75 feet of gutters. You saved me a lot of money. Thanks
My father was looking for a solution after making his own and wanting better, this video was exactly what he needed. Thank you!!! By far the most efficient and honest video we watched.
Good review. I would be interested in knowing the impact of these gutter covers when there is snow and when it freezes . and how that might actually cause damning that might push ice back up under your shingles. My personal opinion is that in the winter months in areas of snow and ice it is important to get sun shining into the gutters to help melt the snow and ice. I recently installed new open gutters on my home, but I opted for the 5 inch larger gutters and downspouts and that sure has helped with keeping out debris.
I've had the white "garbage" plastic gutter covers with the mesh from Menards installed for 2.5 years now. They have done the job perfectly well, have not been damaged at all. I live in Minnesota with the harshest winters, hot summers, heavy storms, etc... they work just fine.
Excellent. I almost purchased the foam gutter guards for ease of install. I wasn't thinking about dirt roof debris clogging them. Thanks for the video.
He bashes the foam inserts, but I see a problem: At about the 8:15 mark, it appears he is starting an install of the foam and it is backward! The wide edge goes against the REAR of the gutter and the thin "knife-edge" goes into the groove in the FRONT of the gutter. If I am correct, then he cannot assess the efficacy of these foam inserts fairly ... right? I installed about 20 feet of these just a few days ago, so I cannot comment yet, but a neighbor who has had them in his same-configuration gutters for five years and says they work quite well ... when install correctly.
Properly sized gutters and leader pipes with proper pitch will wash out most of the roofing granules in the gutters. Don't sweat the small stuff, if you can keep the large debris out yet allow good water flow into the gutter you can go many years without even looking up there to check them. I personally use 22 gage sheets of perforated stainless steel, it has 1/8" holes on 3/16" centers. Basically nothing gets through except shingle granules, even pine needles stay out because they would have to land vertically and hit the hole perfectly to make it in. I have a 6 inch gutter so i cut 8 inch pieces 10 foot long and put a 2 inch kick (bend) on them to match the pitch of the roof, then slide the 2 inch kick under the shingles, and use 3/4" stainless tek screws to fasten the perf to the top side flange of the gutter. I like using tek screws because they can be taken in and out several times and reused if the guards need to be removed for any reason. Had them up there for 4 years so far and they are clean as a whistle. Cost for material broke down to $3.30 per linear foot. Of course you have to shear and bend the pieces and install yourself. Fortunately i am a sheetmetal worker and was able to get this task done fairly easily. This setup will last a lifetime.
Most gutter guards that screw into the fascia come with rubber washers for the screws to prevent this. 20 years in business I've never had this happen.
No matter which option you choose a good summary is: that you still have to clean and maintain your gutters but most of these products will reduce how often you have to.
@@ernievilla6840 *Actually, that might be true. Not as often, but **_removing_** the screens / covers to allow the "less often" cleaning negates the advantage. Cleaning becomes a hellofa job.*
I have to disagree. I put the plastic ones on my new 2,600 square foot house in 2006 and they have not failed and work really well. I have three locations on the house where I still have to put a ladder up to clean buildup off the top of the guard and that is due to house design and no the design of the guard. The three locations all have crickets where three different roof lines drain and there is a deflector on the gutter to prevent overflow in these locations. The deflector catches and traps leaves and what I call oak pods that drop from numerous trees in the spring time. For the little time I have to put up ladder to clean these areas twice a year, I would install the same product all over again. I see no failure or sagging of these guards.
I find it funny that he gets to the last plastic ones and say are a waste of money, and they won't last. I have those cheap plastic one on my house. They've been there for 20 years, and they do a great job on a house that is surrounded by Oak trees.
Glad I found you. I was going to install a leaf guard system on my new gutters to keep the pine needles out as they slide off the metal roof. Saw the black metal ones and the plastic ones at Lowe's. Decided to wait. Sure glad I did. I did buy the little cages for the down spouts. Thank you for your candor. I loved it!
I purchased the Leaf Filter guards but it was a long battle with a very aggressive salesperson. I have a lot of experience with corporate negotiating, so took it as a challenge and ultimately paid less than a third of their starting price. As an engineer I appreciate the design, and they have performed very well on the house for several years now. Just know you don't have their best price until they literally walk out of the house and start to drive away. Shame that such a nice design is such a pain to purchase.
I just bought some, I refuse to pay someone to install them and I'm finding out these things are very difficult to install. I hate gutter guards beyond belief but I'll have to spend over $1,000 to have them installed and that is just a rip off and I don't care who you are or what you think (to you installers out there). That's way too much just to install 88 ft of it. I think I'm just going to deal with cleaning them every couple of weeks. It's less work lol.
@@TJ-ve8svSo you’re saying that it’s super hard to install to the point that you gave up, but a business is ripping you off if they try to charge accordingly. Hmmm
@@TJ-ve8svso, how do you figure that 'very difficult' = cheap? Did you not hear him say you can pay 30/40$ LF? Sometimes we like things we can't afford, and that's ok, but we all over pay somehow for things we use and eat on daily basis, that in the end, end up in the toilet.
I’ve been called out to clean the leaf guard gutter, at every house the warranty had been voided out because the owner didn’t keep the gutters clean. However I did find a way to clean them out with all the leaves inside. The owners were very upset , especially with what they had paid. You can’t keep the grit out of the gutters so get the one that stops the limbs, leaves and nuts 🥜, and every 3 to 4 years the grits can be washed out because of the larger holes
Great video sir, NO, “BS” just straight facts. Many of those you have shown, I have seen at the stores, your thoughts mirror mine. One thing I will add, that big sponge one “STINKS BAD”.
Great review. I think that micro-mesh is the only way to go. It completely closed off your gutters, so there is zero chance of anything getting in (except rain). I installed Gutter Guard a few years ago in the back, and just installed them in the front. It was quick and easy, and it looks great. Total cost was around $300.00. A friend paid over $10,000.00 for LeafGuard. What a rip-off. And LeafGuard does clog up.
@@peterc504 gutter guard is from costco. I installed them at my father's house and they work great and are easy to clean if too much debris stays on them which happens rarely and only in certain spots
@@gheerock4077Costco guards are called Easy On and are a fine mesh design. Biggest criticism I have seen is that they allow too much water to runover gutters in heavy rain, but they do not clog.
For nine years running now, I've had the more coarse gutter foam in a 24 foot section of gutter that is right under a very messy Douglas Fir tree that drops tons of pine needles and pine cones onto my garage roof and driveway. This foam has done a wonderful job at keeping water flowing off of the roof and through the gutters. Once or twice a year, I use a garden hose to wash the stuck needles off of the foam. Against pine needles, there is nothing that works as well as gutter foam. And it's easy to install (and remove if necessary, though I've never had to remove mine.)
Great video! After 30 years of installing every (leafproof) or (Gutter cover) known to mankind, and after watching customers pay 2 dollars a foot all the way up into the Thousands with a finance plan. There is( no) great gutter guards or covers(in my opinion,after 20 years as an installer/owner and retired home inspector) No such thing as maintenance free either(that is all in the fine print)You are spot on with you great video also! Thanks for informing the people. There are so many things that can cause gutter failures. Pitch, length,Trees,landscaping.(i just replaced what i was told was ice damaged gutters, long story short the new landscape tubes were full/crushed under ground causing the gutters not to drain therefore gutters simply got heavy from the weight of the frozen water) There are cheaper (affordable for most working families) I recommend metal brands that are at the least attached by screws to the gutter, so they do not blow off and yet consider the slotted guards,maybe with the homeowner being fully aware that they will still need maintained or cleaned/checked yearly.(just my opinion) Thanks again for your videos!
I have actually had great success with the cheap plastic ones with the round holes and mircoscreen. I have had them on my house for 12 years. I removed them this year to paint the gutters and fascia. The only gutter that had any build up was a 40 footer with only one downspout and not enough pitch,
You guys just saved me, my time, my money from buying the foam and plastic gutter guards. I was ready to buy from Amazon. Good thing I decided to look for reviews. Huge thank you!
Loved your comparisons. I think you are spot on with assessments for residential roofs. However, I have an almost flat commercial building metal roof in which I had guards like your second best you recommend with small holes. I have found these horrible for my roof because they can’t pass enough water through the small holes when there is a half decent rain (large roof area collects lots of water). The water then pools on top of the guard (particularly with some leaves on top also), and it flows over the gutter edge and into my building creating a leak that actually pools water! I have no doubt my building is poorly designed (and it’s old too), but in my case the small hole guards (flat AL with too few and too small hole) are causing leaks instead of helping to prevent them. I had the spout guards before but they would clog with leaves and then gutters overflow, again with leaks. I’m going to remove the small hole guards and replace them with a large hole mesh type. Since I have a metal roof, I’m not concerned about aggregate collecting, and I can spray out debris every couple years: I just need to keep leaves from clogging the spouts. Bottom line is one size doesn’t fit all. Thanks for the comparison!
I installed seamless gutters for many years. I am qualified to tell you that using any kind of "Gutter Guard" is like putting Armor All on your valve stem caps! Lolol Just a way to get more $$$ from you pocket to someone else's pocket. Strainers do keep birds from building nests in the downspouts, but can block and fill gutters to very heavy weights. I don't sell gutter guards of any kind, I don't install it, I don't recommend it. Inspect your gutters and remove twigs and branches, then blow gutters out 2 or 3 times a year with a leaf blower and a gutter blower attachment, it's that easy. 2nd story gutters usually get enough wind to clear leaves when they are dry. The shingle granules are flushed by heavy rain provided your gutters have the proper pitch to the outlet drains. Flushing with a hose works verywell. The best gutters were the copper half round ones on old farmhouses, as they ever clog, the wind cleaned em just fine, they lasted for many, many years. Everything now is just made poorly. No magic cure, clean your gutters or have someone do it for you.
I have gutters that are 3 stories high in the back and size of my house ... I can't clean them multiple times a year. I'm getting too old for that. I want to try some chicken wire with say about 1/4 to 1/2 inch holes to try. Do they sell rolls of this?
Rick Sievers what you’re talking about is called hail screen or hardware cloth..comes in 1/2 or 1/4 squares but it’s gonna be hard to anchor it to the gutter and roof. you can cut it with tin snips but i don’t think you would be happy. 1/4” squares will let tree seeds like maple get caught and wet leaves will probably dry and attach to the mesh..good luck with what ever you chose, if someone would make a good reliable sysgem they could sell it cheap and still make a fortune..
So do you have any suggestions for the best gutters in today's market being that you said they are off lower quality than in past times? I ask because I'm getting a house built but didn't trust the builders to give me good quality gutters so I'll do it when they are done. Plus I thought they'd charge me an arm and a leg
For the plastic one that's supposed to fail and the worst one that has the water turning over and going down the slots and leaves sliding off, It's amazing I have had them installed for over 5 years and they never failed ONCE! No leaves inside and virtually all rain INSIDE the gutter instead of running over in torrential downpours and no pine needles either. They may not work for him but they sure work HERE!
Located in Canada. Found your video AFTER looking for a clogging solution. Leaf filter came to my place, offered TWO senior discounts and a FB discount and it was still $28/ft installed !!!!. Hard to believe they sell so much at that price. Way more than I am willing to pay, especially when I did a previous place DIY for $3/ft
They're counting on a homeowner not being able to do 2 or 3 story roofs. Hell, you could rent a cherry picker and do it yourself for a quarter of what they charge! Highway robbery.
I leave my gutters open and hit them with the leaf blower a couple times a year. Takes 10 minutes. This works better then any guard system I have ever seen.
I think I'll do the same and just bypass the covers that will likely fail anyway. Will muck out twigs and leaves by hand and use power washer extension when damp or leaf blower when dry to clear the small bits. Thanks for the info and for helping me make a decision to not use any gutter guards just yet. All my woes are due to neighbor's wall of assorted tall trees bordering my guest house roofing. Fortunately the main house where gutters are too high for me to do myself are not near any trees and tend to stay clear.
really hard to do on a 2 and 3 story house. in fact in the 20+ years i've owned the house i've cleaned the top gutters 0 times., but the whole system needs to be changed. it has a 5"k style on it now I'm going to ask a 6" k style be put on. And a differnt downspout locations and larger downspouts.
Ha. I can't allow my gutters to remain open in the Spring or in the Fall because if I did, every downspout would clog up every time it rains during that time. In the Spring, I get billions of maple leaf helicopters and all the other trash from trees for about 3 or 4 weeks. I would have to clean them every time BEFORE it rains or I'd have problems. In the Fall, it's the same thing because of the leaves. I would have tons of problems with my downspouts clogging up and gutters running over if I left them open during these seasons.
Great video, very informative, no nonsense...common sense, thank you. Most gutter guard selection is driven by trees surrounding the house. Your breakdown on 'quality gutter guards' helped me select most appropriate guards for my application. I have a ranch house w/Linden trees which drop flowers and small finger shaped leaves. I installed Amerimax Hoover Dam guards. They handle high flow rainfall, deflect Linden leaves, their flowers, they're very sturdy and easy to install. Only negative of this guard...only available in 3' lengths.
Great video! Very educational! Thank you! New roof installed in 2011 with gutters and gutter guards. I cleaned mine a few days ago (I normally pay someone else to do it, but they are no longer available) and pretty sure I have style #3. Yes, the stuff builds up and sits on the guard and that lip on the front was a real pain to clean. It required a lot of extra effort to dig out all the gunk stuck in there. My contractor was singing the praises of this guard when he quoted the job and claimed it was the best and only one he would recommend. Perhaps it WAS the best in 2011, I'm not sure. I shared this video. Everyone should watch it!
You have to be aware that if the contractor is bidding on a job, they will recommend the cheapist ones they can install the fastest to increase their bottom line.
Here is the review that you never thought to mention. Here are three things to consider when getting gutters; pay the extra $$ to get bigger downspouts as it is well worth it. Never install any leaf guard product of any sort above your walkways or decks...opt instead to just clean the gutters as you really don't want all the roof debris deposited on your walking/living space unless you love to use the blower continually. Lastly, I have found that the Leaf guard gutters make a lot of noise in summer with contraction and expansion In the heat of the day, annoying. The house I now reside in has LEAF GUARD... I just called today to have them through warrantee come clean them, they are very nice to deal with but yes they definitely can clog especially in the Pacific Northwest.
We tried the foam inserts and they worked great in light rains, HOWEVER, they were useless in the first heavy downpour and the overflow washed out or flower garden, pulled them out when it was over, we only installed them in the back gutters, and the gutters had a nice layer of roofing granules underneath. So we ended up cleaning out the gutters anyway. Live and learn.
i have have had foam in my 5 inch gutters for over 15 years and no problems and i am surrounded with maple trees which used to clog my downspouts. sometimes the leaves stem will stick in the foam but the wind will blow it free.
For my one story house I duct tape an eight foot pvc section and elbow on my leaf blower, works great. My neighbor paid LeafFilter six thousand dollars to install on his one story house. I told him he was nuts.
Extremely great information. I have over a 15 year time of owning my home I have gone to big box stores and tried different products. Currently I am using the lowest rated of the good table of products. I had a gutter company come by (Leaf Filter) I liked their product but as high pressure sale would go I did not like the price. I am now committed to installing something my self that is of better quality and filtration that would last 5 or more years not 1-3 years as the product on the bad table have.
I own a gutter company and we have been using the expanded wire Armour Lock for years.They work well and are inexpensive. We use the 6" screens on a 5" gutter so we can slip them under the shingles instead of laying them on the hangers. This gives good pitch and lets the leaves blow off.
Steve Allen 20 years and ez lock and armour lock are solid guards inside valleys of the roof are the only weak points. May have to clean off debris over the top of the guard.
We've been using guards similar to the plastic brown ones in the video and they worked great for several years but are now starting to warp due to sun exposure. For some reason they don't make this style in aluminum which would solve the warping problem.
I have a ranch house and have my young son( now 22 ) get on the roof and clean out the gutters. He can do the whole house in 15 minutes. I used to do it myself but am too old and fat to do it now. If you can not find anyone to do it, then use a j shaped extension on a blower and blow out the gutters. Then get on ladder and inspect in a few places. If you can not do any of this you will have to hire someone. Leaf covers are crap.
Thanks, a very good presentation. You answered all the questions I had pertaining to the differences between gutter guard types and how they'd preform compared to each other.
I have to disagree on the strainer idea. I tried it and 2 weeks later my gutter was overflowing during a rainstorm. I checked it during that rainstorm and sure enough debris was clogged all around it not allowing it to drain whatsoever, so I pulled it out and the water shot down the downspout like it should. I am now just checking my gutters 2-3 times a year and cleaning out by hand.
For many people, the challenge is avoiding cleaning gutters due to challenges with safety and physical conditioning and this is balanced by costly gutter cleaners who do a lousy job half of the time (and you don't know which half of the time unless you inspect personally). If gutter guards require observation, they are not that helpful. Once I am inspecting a gutter, I might as well stick my hand in the muck and clean it.
I installed the white plastic slotted ones from HD about 15 years ago and they worked great until last winter when squirrels chewed through the ends and built nests. When I replaced them with metal mesh type the gutters were clean and in 15 years I had never cleaned them, so the design is great but needs to be metal. Also, I live in New England with lots of overhanging maple trees and snowy winters and the white plastic slotted ones held up great until the squirrel attack.
I went with the one piece metal black from Home-depot. I am a carpenter and built my house and should have had covers installed when I had gutters installed but I went with your last option downspout filters. Which protected the down spouts but required clearing the gutters several times a year. The guards I chose work fantastic on gutters. I have 5inch gutters and a 4/12 and 5/12. Pitch roof which allows most all of the debris to get washed by the rain or blown off by the wind. It slides under the shingle and snaps in front tight. Some grit gets through and I'll wait to see it some gets stuck . But for now its real blessing not to have to clean gutters. I'm into it for less than 400 dollars,
I used the black aluminum ones from Loews on a house with a metal roof. They slid under the metal and snapped tightly to the lip of the gutter. I have 2 large trees in the front and 1 monster in the back we will see. They are very strong when pushed 2 in under the metal.
I put the micro mesh Leaf Filter guards on my house 5 years ago & there is NO sand or anything in them. I just used the sticky tape on them to hold them down but, cleaned the edge with alcohol 1st. I have huge maple trees around my house & live in Michigan. I LOVE THEM!!!!
I got a quote from leaf gutter for nine thousand dollars. The salesman said they only do the best work. That is just way to expensive for the job when another contractor gave a quote for two thousand. Big difference for sure.
@@RoofingInsights3.0 I can do the work for way less. The manufactures use the do not sell to customers to force them to pay big money using cuntractors. Just can not see paying the thousands for something that I can do in two to three day after work. Thanks.
I've had the plastic variety - one of your last three. Contrary to your comments, they have not broken or failed badly, and in the right circumstances, mostly work well. The worst problem which I have on my current house is that the pitch is great enough that in a heavy rain the water runs over the top of the cover and not into the gutter, despite a slight raised lip that's supposed to stop that problem. There's definitely a gutter installation issue- too low. And I'd rather have granules fall through the holes than have the holes so small they can't handle a heavy rain.
Impressive- marking a comment as "loved" when the comment "disagrees" is rather unusual, and makes me MUCH more inclined to believe your material. Thanks!
Hi Nelson... Where do you live and about how many instances of heavy rain do you get each year? I'm in Portland, OR and while we get our share of the wet stuff, it's probably only 5-10x/yr that rain is so heavy, I'm actually concerned about water over-running the gutter.
@@TheBenners76 I'm in central New york, where our annual rainfall is about 41 inches, a bit more than you. Much of the rain is concentrated in spring. It's too bad it's not a bit earlier. Still, I'd just suggest installing 2 or 3 sections and see how they work. They're inexpensive and usually pretty easy to install unless the eaves are way up high. I wish you well.
I just have a strip of 1/4" hardware cloth covering mine and have had no issues even in torrential rains. I don't know what this guy's talking about regarding the "granules"... I'm 22 years into a 20 year roof and yeah, there's granules, but nowhere near enough to even pretend it's a problem.
My wife insisted that I install downspout strainers on a couple of runs of gutters. I didn't want to, but I also didn't want to fight over gutters. The strainers clogged in short order, causing the gutters to fill up and overflow when it was raining, and hold a trough of water when it wasn't raining. I took my eye off the ball on those gutters and the fascia rotted and the gutters ripped out and fell down. I've had better luck with the plastic flow-over gutters that Dmitry rated as second-worst junk, but I can't argue against what he said about them. Where possible, I have removed gutters entirely and installed egg-rock filled troughs in the ground at the drip line. That works the best for the situations where it can be properly installed.
Beg to differ re: foam filters. I installed them on the front of my house four years ago.(big maple over that area) There is a void area at the bottom which allows the water to flow freely. They install easily, they come out easily. Can't imagine having to remove a cover which has been screwed down under the shingles (which is a bad idea to begin with) every couple years to clean the gutters of the crap the cover didn't catch. Yes, after this period of time there is some deterioration of the top of the cover. A lot of collected garbage can be shaken out of them when removed. BUT, the bottom of the gutter is perfectly clear, meaning it has been performing during the entire time. Now, granted, I have a 4/12 pitch, which means the velocity of the water running off is not as high as a higher pitch, which allows the filter to catch the water. I'm sure this is a factor for all types. Nice thing is, because they are foam and completely flexible, changing contours do not affect performance. Note, they do collect pine needles, but likely, so do all the others. I consider these best option for homeowner installation. Like with everything else, you'll have to monitor it. Cost me about $90 for a 60' length. Even putting new ones in every 4-5 years compared to hundreds or even thousands of dollars...you decide. You have to remove all of them (virtually or literally) to clean them anyway. Could just put new ones in for a few bucks.
I have to agree. I also have the foam filter and it works GREAT !!!!!!!!!! We just have 4" of rain in 12 hours and the gutter foam filter worked well. The filter keeps every leaf, pine needle and maple seeds out of the gutters.
I have been a gutter guy for 27 years, I built my current trailer to solve all those problems. I cannot explain it entirely here but there is really only one direction to create a system that actually is just as well built as any gutter, but it's not cheap or easy to figure out until it operates properly
The BIGGEST problem with having a gutter with leaves guard or helmet installed by the professional is the price. I paid $32/linear foot for my gutter & helmet from Leaf Guard. It has been 8 years now and it still works well but, I must say it is expensive.
LeafGuard quoted me over $20k for 300 linear ft. It's worth more than double what the gutter cost. Such a joke. Doesn't matter if it's good if it's ridiculously high-priced.
I see an ad for a local company advertising a gutter guard to keep leaves from clogging your gutters have a screen. My only thing about an anti leaf gutter is that no roof has only leaves. Dirt will go through those guards and clog the gutter eventually.
Great video, we were actually thinking of the Leaf Filter so I am very glad to get your input. We had the metal version of the one with the large holes, it had a very rough top and bottom and had no lip or edge it was just cut to fit. We took it out a couple of years ago, all it did was trap the leaves and was total junk. Now we have nothing and just clean our gutters every couple of months. We did make a small catcher like you suggested.
First get an estimate on cutting down the trees, it may be a much wiser option, especially since heavy downpours often fly right off these guards and damage perimeter landscaping.
Just bumped into this video after installing LeafFilter instead of LeafGuard. I'm happy to see he agrees micro mesh is the best option. But this video is great! Thanks for providing an honest take on the way too many available gutter guard products on the market!
Owning a house is a lot of work if you want to do it right. I'm up the ladder twice a year (spring and fall) to inspect and clean. It takes me half an hour to do the job. I also use the cheap little strainers that stick in the downspouts. All those other products are garbage. If you are too old to climb then get a family member to go up there. Buy him a case of beer for the trouble.
Chris, i totally agree with you. I am 42 and i inspect 2 to 3 times per year. At 6:33, i recently purchased those. They wrk fine and fit my gutters well. I have 6 oak trees in my backyard and must check my gutters everso often. My neighbors just spent thousands on leaf guard, the prob is, she has trees hanging over her house. The leaves pile up on the gutters/guards and becomes stuck. I would never scew dwn my guards, too much wrk if there is a need to remove them. I dn't care how great the gaurd is, overtime, small particules build up. Leaf Filters are thieves....and yes, very aggresive. ***Plastics are no good if you have squirrels, like i do. I have a few plastic on the backside, need to change them (can only blame laziness).
The best solution I have found is to just clean your rain gutters twice a year. Those guards never do the job, and are actually quite costly to install.
Great info thank you! I had an estimate by Leaf Filter yesterday. Very long (1hour) but good sales pitch but when I rejected their offer which started at $3300.00 then finally discounted to $2400.00+ for 70 total feet of all straight cover. When I objected to the price the sales person suddenly reduced the offer by $700.00 as a last resort which to me shows a lack of integrity. As a senior citizen that really ticked me off, if they would have offered it at that price to start instead of trying to take advantage of me I would have been much more likely to buy. Their product looked better than anything in your video but they were too aggressive.
This is one thing that I have against outfits with agressive/high pitch sales tactics anymore for home improvement, they immediately lose my business. They say how wonderful their product is over the competition so its a much better offer, then they offer 30% off, after haranguing you another hour "let me call my manager, oh heres another 30% off". I dont have the time or patience for it anymore. Last couple major projects (basement waterproofing then roof) I went with the no pressure sales, but essentially the highest bidders. Was worth pretty much every penny.
Look guys, Dmitry did great with this video. But I've been a gutter guy since 1993, and for the last 15 the only type of cover I will use is the type where I make it myself using the Van Mark trim a gutter tool, also I never interfere with the roof ever.... ever.. because I only use it if I can hang the gutter lower and attach upper part of cover just under the drip edge. Lmk if you want to see my system.
Thank you for the educational video and all the research and advice you gave. I gave you a thumbs up and subscribed. I just got a quote for my 800 sq ft house from Leaf Guard and it was 10,500! So, I’m thinking of doing something myself!
Thank you very much for this honest review! Saved me from buying the black sponge. Actually im not going to buy a guard at all now because my roof is 10 years old and most of the granules are already in the gutter, and i only have one 20ft gutter to clean needles out of.
Excellent video! Thank you for your professional opinion on all the products carried by the major chain stores. This is exactly what I was interested in hearing.
Ive installed and removed many types and brands and in my experience sureflo has been the most reliable i dont like micro screen often the get clogged from algae growth i do explain to customers there is no maintenance free option however I always install 1' pieces at each end that can be removed easily for simple wash out of shingle sand
I live in Miami, Florida and my concern material filters could tear away ---Also how many inches apart because I have a metal roof and the water falls like niagra falls
No matter the type you will need to clean your gutters periodically. For the DIY homeowner he is often looking for ease of installation. Right now I'm looking at putting covers on simply because I have large trees in the backyard that between the leaves, flowers in the spring and the wirlybirds it is a continual PITA keeping the gutters clean. With the landscaping and perennials I have areas where it is really hard to get at. I cleaned my cutters out about 6 weeks ago and they are all ready full and I will be doing it again tomorrow. Pros and Cons The expanded metal type. For, ease of installation, can be flushed easily due to the large openings. Against, the large holes let to much through and are structurally weak The Reverse Curve type. For, looks, performance as long as they are clean. If they get dirty the water will not flow around the curve the way it should. Against, they look to be a real pain to clean out when it needs to be done. These Gutter Covers work on the Coanda Principle where a fluid will follow a curve due to flow and pressure on one side. Cost. The last ones. The Plastic POS covers. For, I honestly can't think of a single thing that they have going for them. Against, they do not fit to the front lip of the cutter if you have seamless cutters. Weak. Not just weak but flimsy. The edges when butted will not line up resulting in gaps that let crap through. They will warp due to the sun. The screens on the ones that have them are on the top side. The screens will come off eventually. The first ones he showed, For, performance in terms of keeping debris out. Against. Cost, but not as pricey the Reverse Flow types. Cleaning. This needs the gutter protection to be basically dis-assembled in order to clean the gutters out I actually picked up a couple of samples today at the local Menards. Mainly to see how they went in. The first was an expanded metal type. These would almost need some kind of support underneath. The second one is called Leaf Zero. While it is PVC it is or appears to be a higher quality product. The pieces overlap on the ends which is a good thing IMO. Performance? I honestly don't know. They have a series of holes that are maybe 2.5 to 3mm in diameter. How much they will flow is an open question. As far as snapping into the front edge. I had a hard time removing the piece I bought it snapped in so well. The big problem is my gutters are right up to the singles on one end and maybe an inch lower at the down spout (40 and 36ft runs). The way these go in they snap into the front lip and the back lip snaps up against the overlapping edge of the shingles. If there is enough clearance below the shingle they can get a screw to hold them in place. Unfortunately they are only available in white. If they make vinyl siding in and trim blocks for outside lights etc why cant they make these in colors. These might be a solution for my problem only I think I will have to drop the gutters down a half inch or so. One thing pretty much all these systems I have looked at is the ends of the pieces where they but up do not have a means of keeping the edges of the pieces aligned to one another. Joint pieces should be easy one would think
At least your gutters are sloped for drainage. In my neck of the woods - CA - there is frequently no slope at all from builders or gutter replacement companies. It's like they've never heard of this. Worse, when there is a slight slope, it is often AWAY from the ends where the downspouts are located! Water pools in the gutters all winter and carries into spring. Even galvanized or aluminum gutters rust or corrode under these conditions.
@@tharais Many years ago I had a house like that! Builders installed gutters in the expectation that water flows uphill. The easiest way to sort it was to add another downpipe at the lowest point. Luckily there was a nearby gully to drain into. Failing that I would have had to dig and lay another soakaway. Easier though than undoing hundreds of gutter clips and re-hanging the gutter, some of which was totally inaccessible.
On the first one, I believe that the lip that he wants to screw down, is actually held in place by the composite shingle. I had one similar and never had a problem with the lip that went under the shingle. The other side clamps onto the gutter edge.
I bought and installed the plastic gutter guards 37 years ago and have had no problems with leaves getting into my gutters, but small maple seeds did come through the diamond shaped holes. Last year I installed new plastic gutter guards with the fine mesh ($50 for 75 feet) and not even maple seeds can get into my gutters. Leaf guard would cost about $2200 for 300 feet of gutters on a one story house. I installed these myself for $200 dollars. I slid these under my shingles aand snapped them to my gutters. In Indiana we will have at times 80 to 100 mph winds---we have had know problems.
The only good thing about the downspout baskets is if your downspout goes into an underground pipe, it keeps all debris out of there. Other than that, it only causes your gutter to be clogged even quicker than if you left it unrestricted. Using the 3x4 downspout allows quite a bit of mess to pass through.
We have underground pipes. I installed the baskets to keep my pipes clean. We have maple trees and a red pin oak. We have propellers and we have the small acorns and we have the pollen strands. You add all that together and I have to clean those baskets constantly, especially in the springtime when the pollen strands are dropping. I guess you have to pick your poison.
@@TheOnlySgtRock I'm dealing with a similar problem but that basket has made the clogs on top worse and I get a waterfall over the gutter. I'm looking into a downspout Clean Out In-line Strainer that can be installed to clean out clogs from the ground. Of course, this doesn't address the problem of a thousand helicopters accumulating at a gutter bracket and blocking the flow of water. .
@@jeanbrennan3302 So I installed a 4 pack of Gutter Brush (www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00872KA5S), only over my down spouts (18" pieces) and took out the basket strainers. I am hoping this will keep the stuff from clogging the downspout and underground pipes but let the water flow.
I got the Ecoguard from Costco and they were bad. In the summer, the shingles granules would slip passed it and you see them all over the floor. This means the that the metal filter is filtering out every tiny little things. When it rains, the water runs right off the gutter guard so not much made it in the gutter. In the winter, they ice up and you get icicles everywhere
All will work just use a blower every 6 mths before the leaves decompose and fall through . All will fail if you think gutter guards are a magic wand and no other maintenance is needed .
@@RoofingInsights3.0Insights you are so real and honest! I am going with Atlas Lowes, they have great reviews. I am going to try installing them myself. I would like your opinion of the Atlas System. I have a single story, tile roof. I will be using an 8-foot ladder. thank you
I used the cheaper leaf guard that you review on this episode and I agree with you 100%. I used the foam and the other guard. I had to remove them shortly after installation. 100% waste of money. Thank you for your service.
I have giant red oak trees and the leaves fill my gutters in the late fall/early winter. I simply walk the roof with a blower cleaning out the gutters. Generally 2-3 times a year. Twice in early winter and then again in spring. No problems so far. I have seen way too many gutter covers fall and yes even the high dollar micro filters. Lord be with you.
I put in plastic gutter covers about 20 years ago. I think I got them at Menard's. They had a fine nylon mesh covering over the bigger holes. They were very cheap only costing about $20 to do my entire house. They worked very good but now I need to replace some of them because the nylon mesh covering wore away. They did allow some roof granules to enter the gutter so I still had to spray out my gutters about 1x a year. That was a huge improvement when previously I had to clean my gutters 5-6x's a year, as I have a lot of trees around my house. They were very easy to install and reasonably effective.
@@1voiceofstl, I've been using my garden hose, and since it just rained, I be using it tomorrow, however, the next time I have to clean the gutter, I'lll try my leaf blower. It sounds like it might be better than my hose, less messy, anyway.
One of the best instructional ,informative and honest review of products for DIY. Great detail and well explained. He sure helped me in choosing the best product . Well done
![Why LeafFilter is the Worst Performing Gutter Guard [S1 E18]](/img/n.gif)
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I got an estimate from Leaf Filter for $7,900 for 200ft. He started dwindling the price down and was at $3,300 at the end. So that tells you what their profit margins are.
A rep just left my home.
Saying he can give me a great price if I act on it today.
REALLY Sir?!
I own my own small contractor company and do many different jobs, including installing gutter guards. I found the best price for the homeowner and for me to make a little bit of money, (since they are pretty easy to put on I don’t kill them on the labor as much as a much more intensive project) I charge 110$ per box of gutter guard, they are about 90$ at Home Depot, and 3$ per piece to put on. I just did a house last week that cost the home owner $440 for the 4 boxes and I charge 4$ per piece to put on. So I’m profiting about $160 per box. The average home in my area has about 160ft of gutters. The cost will go up slightly on homes that are 2-3 stories as it takes me more time to do the job. The prices I quoted are on a ranch style home. With material included it costs this home owner around $1100. Not a bad price and I made that money in about 3.5 hours. So to your point…. They jack the price WAY up and their profit margins are outrageously higher than a 3 man company can do it for that doesn’t try to rip anyone off.
@@danmorse2002 at 1100 for 160 ft thatshould legally be minimum wage
Don't pay the least and expect the most.your 3 man team verse one of my best guys. Get a job and invest wiser
@@juschill1 really every quote on average last for 7 days. Quotes go up cuz material cost goes up thats life
Wow nothing like wasting money 💰
Thank you for creating this video . I’m a contractor and I appreciate it. The only issue I have with the video is that is a new shingled roof system that hasn’t adhered to the structure yet. Most roofs are not able to lift up the edges like you do in your video making installation much different.
Don't waste your money or time with the Huxley plastic gutter snap-in screens... They do not work ... After a few hours if you manage to get one or two installed, the plastic will crack and fall apart from the sun rays in just a few years ... (Oakland Home Inspections LLC) Metal gutter guards are the only ones that work and actually fit, and do not crack or fall apart ...
I installed the plastic ones you call "the worst of the worst" about ten years ago on my house and my garage. Still works great!
you must not have maple helicopters near your house.
@@nancywolf3786 I have plenty of pine needles.
Did you have to screw them in or just snap them in i was wondering i just need a few on one end where the neighbor trees pours all the leaves in the gutter about 9 feet or so
@@joedevitto6113 I screwed them in. You also have to cut and fold the ends to keep stuff out. Still working great!
@@kilby714 I think anything is better than nothing to help keep the leaves out . just have to keep an eye on it when its fall season then .. thanks ~
I've been saying this for years. I used to work in the aluminum industry and installing gutters was one of many products I installed. I have seen all the issues with these gutter guards. It usually just makes more problems. Just buy a gutter nozzle attachment for your hose and give your gutters a periodic spray down. You can even get one with an extension and clean your gutters from the ground.
Seems like even with gutter guards, you're still doing work, may as well just clear them out every year. In our case, it's definitely not as easy. We live on a hill, so our house is such that the only way to do that is to get on the roof. It's technically 4 stories tall from the back (3 levels with main floor access from the front, but lower level still elevated by about 1 level from the rear). There's no way a gutter nozzle attachment is gonna work for us in the back of the house, so... to the roof it is!
Your solution makes a lot of sense 👌🏿.
They help keep things like French drains clear
Someone's speaking common sense! I am surrounded by trees and I clean mine twice a year (in spring and fall). It takes me less than an hour to do my house, car port and workshop. If you are using gutter guards in a cold climate you are setting yourself up for ice damming and potentially thousands of dollars of damage to your roof. Even if you do find guards that work for you, you will spend thousands of dollars on something that could have been accomplished with simple maintenance.
I bought one of the cheap white plastic guards he was talking about at 14:45. I tried it out on my garage. There are two giant maple trees that throw out tons of debris and leaves on the garage. Let me tell you...they work awesome! I'm totally blown away. They have been on there for 8 years and I've yet to have to clean my gutter once. I look into them every year and they are clear, no issues. I live in Minnesota and these gutters see every weather scenario you can throw at them: heavy thunderstorms, hail, snow, ice, leaves, seeding trees in the spring, leaves in the fall. The only thing they haven't seen in 8 years is a tornado or straight line winds. They are still in good shape. The ones I have do look cheap and kinda flimsy but I've gotta say, if they failed tomorrow I'd go out and buy the same thing again because I think I paid $5 bucks for a 3 foot section. I did my whole garage for less than $40 bucks. Maybe I got lucky and there are similar products that do suck? Not sure.
Same with me. I bought them on sale (Menards) and they were less than you paid. And I am in MN also. I had them for 5 years and just sold the house and inspector passed them. I need some on my new house and will go with the same cheapos on sale at Menards.
But I need gutters on my walkout wide which is 2 floors up. For these I will get some LeafGuard or similar as I don't do tall ladders anymore (nor roofs).
I used those kind as well here in CT. We have lots of maple trees around. They were installed about 20 years ago, and only were taken down because we put a new roof on. We get a LOT of leaves and maple helicopters around. Every couple of years, I need to clean out the helicopter bits.
So glad to hear this. I just bought these plastic ones at Menards, but they had the hole grid and mesh. I'm not cheap but for what most people charge to install leaf guards, this cost me a couple hundred bucks and that was including paying a local handyman to install them on the second story that I couldn't get to. Easy install, snaps right in, no screws.... Seemed like a no brainer to me.
Wow. I've seen a lot of how to videos and reviews, but this is one of the best ones. Great job comparing everything without selling anything and not throwing companies under the bus. Great video.
Video too long but very informative. None work WELL. They move around. Larger downspouts is a very good idea to help.
Some products and companies need to be under the bus. If you don’t tell the brand why do the video. It’s amazing people can’t call crap ,,, what it is,,, crap.
Don't waste your money or time with the Huxley plastic gutter snap-in screens... They do not work ... After a few hours if you manage to get one or two installed, the plastic will crack and fall apart from the sun rays in just a few years ... (Oakland Home Inspections LLC) Metal gutter guards are the only ones that work and actually fit, and do not crack or fall apart ...
I was sold on the foam insert gutter filter by Future Foam from Menards. After 1 year it has proven to be a massive failure. It is as if there is no gutter installed. The rain flows right over the gutter because the filter is plugged with small debri and creates a plugged effect. Water comes in the basement again. Total waste of money. I have given up on the idea of any guard or filter. Back to the days of cleaning the gutters twice a year!
I only have a one story house, but I've never seen any gutter guard that has convinced me that it is less trouble than just cleaning the gutters once in a while.
Living in Ontario Canada we experience all nature throws at our treed property into our gutters. Each late fall I climb a ladder to the high side of the slope with garden hose in hand and rinse the gutters out. For safety I have my wife down at the bottom of the ladder to give me something soft to land on should I slip. Gutter guards,save your money.
@@happyrecluse2849 Here's a pro tip. Have your wife wear a bright green safety vest so you can always see where your landing spot is out of the corner of your eye. 😆
Hahaha, And to think green is her favorite color.
Oh my I’m glad we have them with lots of trees but the right kind must be used or they clog up. He’s right. They do help a lot so get the best one. Raptor rail with aluminum rails and a special stainless steel mesh. I’ve learned from others that this is very good. And you use screws to attach on both running rails and it helps strengthen. There is another kind….Leaf filter. Good reviews too.
I built an extension for my wet/dry portable shop vac out of central-vac pipe. I used 90° & 45° sweep fittings at the top to get the right angle for the last short piece of pipe that I cut to fit flat in the gutter. Works great! NO leaf guard, NO ladder!
Update - the first gutter guard recommended is made very good, but it also has a serious issue in one of my customers who has this installed. The screen has actually started to become one big muddy mat. In other words, the screen is so fine that little grains of mud or asphalt are starting to fill in the screens and water is now running over those areas. For 2 years now I have gone out to her home and manually brushed the screens where the muddy matting is occurring.
HOW is mud getting on a roof?
ground gets dry, dust blows in wind, rain washes it into the gutters.@@terencehennessy1145
@@terencehennessy1145decomposing organic matter
Dust/dirt/sand blown by wind
On my house 33 years ago the gutter installers used a 1/4" screen material as a leaf guard. Still in use. I still have to clean the gutters time to time but after watching this I'm probably going to keep what I have. I was considering spending money on plastic or metal covers. This video was very helpful. Seems no system is perfect.
I probably have 75 feet of gutters.
You saved me a lot of money.
Thanks
Is this the honest and up-front man on UA-cam? Good info.
My father was looking for a solution after making his own and wanting better, this video was exactly what he needed. Thank you!!! By far the most efficient and honest video we watched.
Good review. I would be interested in knowing the impact of these gutter covers when there is snow and when it freezes . and how that might actually cause damning that might push ice back up under your shingles. My personal opinion is that in the winter months in areas of snow and ice it is important to get sun shining into the gutters to help melt the snow and ice.
I recently installed new open gutters on my home, but I opted for the 5 inch larger gutters and downspouts and that sure has helped with keeping out debris.
I've had the white "garbage" plastic gutter covers with the mesh from Menards installed for 2.5 years now. They have done the job perfectly well, have not been damaged at all. I live in Minnesota with the harshest winters, hot summers, heavy storms, etc... they work just fine.
Your example is one home. He has seen many hundreds.
Love the honesty! Fresh to hear negatives on products and not just down playing.
I LOVE this guy. No BS. No pulled punches. Awesome.
Excellent. I almost purchased the foam gutter guards for ease of install. I wasn't thinking about dirt roof debris clogging them. Thanks for the video.
I DID just buy them and back to the store tomorrow
I use the foam inserts for my gutter hydroponics system. works great for growing plant lousy for draining rain.
we just did video on them today: they lead the way of worst gutter products fro sure!
hahaha
that is funny LOL
They have to be taken out every two years and cleaned.
He bashes the foam inserts, but I see a problem: At about the 8:15 mark, it appears he is starting an install of the foam and it is backward! The wide edge goes against the REAR of the gutter and the thin "knife-edge" goes into the groove in the FRONT of the gutter. If I am correct, then he cannot assess the efficacy of these foam inserts fairly ... right? I installed about 20 feet of these just a few days ago, so I cannot comment yet, but a neighbor who has had them in his same-configuration gutters for five years and says they work quite well ... when install correctly.
Properly sized gutters and leader pipes with proper pitch will wash out most of the roofing granules in the gutters. Don't sweat the small stuff, if you can keep the large debris out yet allow good water flow into the gutter you can go many years without even looking up there to check them. I personally use 22 gage sheets of perforated stainless steel, it has 1/8" holes on 3/16" centers. Basically nothing gets through except shingle granules, even pine needles stay out because they would have to land vertically and hit the hole perfectly to make it in. I have a 6 inch gutter so i cut 8 inch pieces 10 foot long and put a 2 inch kick (bend) on them to match the pitch of the roof, then slide the 2 inch kick under the shingles, and use 3/4" stainless tek screws to fasten the perf to the top side flange of the gutter. I like using tek screws because they can be taken in and out several times and reused if the guards need to be removed for any reason. Had them up there for 4 years so far and they are clean as a whistle. Cost for material broke down to $3.30 per linear foot. Of course you have to shear and bend the pieces and install yourself. Fortunately i am a sheetmetal worker and was able to get this task done fairly easily. This setup will last a lifetime.
So instead of paying you what you think your worth. We should assume your sheet metal work is over priced??
@@prd7955 what are you getting at?
Never, never put screws that near and low on the roof's edge, ice will cause water to back up under the shingles and leak into the roof.
Most gutter guards that screw into the fascia come with rubber washers for the screws to prevent this.
20 years in business I've never had this happen.
No matter which option you choose a good summary is: that you still have to clean and maintain your gutters but most of these products will reduce how often you have to.
False
@@RoofingInsights3.0 u can't just say false without an explanation
@@ernievilla6840Villa agreed it was a stupid response!!!
@@ernievilla6840
*Actually, that might be true. Not as often, but **_removing_** the screens / covers to allow the "less often" cleaning negates the advantage. Cleaning becomes a hellofa job.*
I have to disagree. I put the plastic ones on my new 2,600 square foot house in 2006 and they have not failed and work really well. I have three locations on the house where I still have to put a ladder up to clean buildup off the top of the guard and that is due to house design and no the design of the guard. The three locations all have crickets where three different roof lines drain and there is a deflector on the gutter to prevent overflow in these locations. The deflector catches and traps leaves and what I call oak pods that drop from numerous trees in the spring time. For the little time I have to put up ladder to clean these areas twice a year, I would install the same product all over again. I see no failure or sagging of these guards.
I find it funny that he gets to the last plastic ones and say are a waste of money, and they won't last. I have those cheap plastic one on my house. They've been there for 20 years, and they do a great job on a house that is surrounded by Oak trees.
Glad I found you. I was going to install a leaf guard system on my new gutters to keep the pine needles out as they slide off the metal roof. Saw the black metal ones and the plastic ones at Lowe's. Decided to wait. Sure glad I did. I did buy the little cages for the down spouts. Thank you for your candor. I loved it!
I purchased the Leaf Filter guards but it was a long battle with a very aggressive salesperson. I have a lot of experience with corporate negotiating, so took it as a challenge and ultimately paid less than a third of their starting price. As an engineer I appreciate the design, and they have performed very well on the house for several years now. Just know you don't have their best price until they literally walk out of the house and start to drive away. Shame that such a nice design is such a pain to purchase.
I just bought some, I refuse to pay someone to install them and I'm finding out these things are very difficult to install. I hate gutter guards beyond belief but I'll have to spend over $1,000 to have them installed and that is just a rip off and I don't care who you are or what you think (to you installers out there). That's way too much just to install 88 ft of it. I think I'm just going to deal with cleaning them every couple of weeks. It's less work lol.
@@TJ-ve8svSo you’re saying that it’s super hard to install to the point that you gave up, but a business is ripping you off if they try to charge accordingly.
Hmmm
@@TJ-ve8sv They're taking advantage. I laughed when they told me how much they wanted to install gutter guards.
@@TJ-ve8svso, how do you figure that 'very difficult' = cheap? Did you not hear him say you can pay 30/40$ LF? Sometimes we like things we can't afford, and that's ok, but we all over pay somehow for things we use and eat on daily basis, that in the end, end up in the toilet.
I’ve been called out to clean the leaf guard gutter, at every house the warranty had been voided out because the owner didn’t keep the gutters clean. However I did find a way to clean them out with all the leaves inside.
The owners were very upset , especially with what they had paid.
You can’t keep the grit out of the gutters so get the one that stops the limbs, leaves and nuts 🥜, and every 3 to 4 years the grits can be washed out because of the larger holes
Thanks for sharing, appreciate your feedback
Great video sir, NO, “BS” just straight facts. Many of those you have shown, I have seen at the stores, your thoughts mirror mine. One thing I will add, that big sponge one “STINKS BAD”.
Thank you, appreciate feedback!
Roofing Insights - Thank you too, have a great day, every day.🙂
campmein - really good point about the smell........
Great review. I think that micro-mesh is the only way to go. It completely closed off your gutters, so there is zero chance of anything getting in (except rain). I installed Gutter Guard a few years ago in the back, and just installed them in the front. It was quick and easy, and it looks great. Total cost was around $300.00. A friend paid over $10,000.00 for LeafGuard. What a rip-off. And LeafGuard does clog up.
What brand is gutter guard? Is there a link to purchase them
@@peterc504 gutter guard is from costco. I installed them at my father's house and they work great and are easy to clean if too much debris stays on them which happens rarely and only in certain spots
@@hulu3253 link to the ones you're talking about? Are they aluminum or stainless steel meaning they won't rust?
@@hulu3253 what's the name of this Costco brand gutter guard? i'm going there tomorrow to buy one.
@@gheerock4077Costco guards are called Easy On and are a fine mesh design. Biggest criticism I have seen is that they allow too much water to runover gutters in heavy rain, but they do not clog.
For nine years running now, I've had the more coarse gutter foam in a 24 foot section of gutter that is right under a very messy Douglas Fir tree that drops tons of pine needles and pine cones onto my garage roof and driveway. This foam has done a wonderful job at keeping water flowing off of the roof and through the gutters. Once or twice a year, I use a garden hose to wash the stuck needles off of the foam. Against pine needles, there is nothing that works as well as gutter foam. And it's easy to install (and remove if necessary, though I've never had to remove mine.)
Great video! After 30 years of installing every (leafproof) or (Gutter cover) known to mankind, and after watching customers pay 2 dollars a foot all the way up into the Thousands with a finance plan. There is( no) great gutter guards or covers(in my opinion,after 20 years as an installer/owner and retired home inspector) No such thing as maintenance free either(that is all in the fine print)You are spot on with you great video also! Thanks for informing the people. There are so many things that can cause gutter failures. Pitch, length,Trees,landscaping.(i just replaced what i was told was ice damaged gutters, long story short the new landscape tubes were full/crushed under ground causing the gutters not to drain therefore gutters simply got heavy from the weight of the frozen water) There are cheaper (affordable for most working families) I recommend metal brands that are at the least attached by screws to the gutter, so they do not blow off and yet consider the slotted guards,maybe with the homeowner being fully aware that they will still need maintained or cleaned/checked yearly.(just my opinion) Thanks again for your videos!
I have actually had great success with the cheap plastic ones with the round holes and mircoscreen. I have had them on my house for 12 years. I removed them this year to paint the gutters and fascia. The only gutter that had any build up was a 40 footer with only one downspout and not enough pitch,
Thank you for providing such detailed info on them all. Understanding the reasons why they fail is a big help!!
You guys just saved me, my time, my money from buying the foam and plastic gutter guards. I was ready to buy from Amazon. Good thing I decided to look for reviews. Huge thank you!
+mdml glad to help!!!!
I use the downspout screens and they work just fine for a year. I like to clean the gutters every year so that I know what is going on up there.
Thank you for your input and for taking the time to put this video together, it’s hard to find honest opinions.
Loved your comparisons. I think you are spot on with assessments for residential roofs. However, I have an almost flat commercial building metal roof in which I had guards like your second best you recommend with small holes. I have found these horrible for my roof because they can’t pass enough water through the small holes when there is a half decent rain (large roof area collects lots of water). The water then pools on top of the guard (particularly with some leaves on top also), and it flows over the gutter edge and into my building creating a leak that actually pools water! I have no doubt my building is poorly designed (and it’s old too), but in my case the small hole guards (flat AL with too few and too small hole) are causing leaks instead of helping to prevent them. I had the spout guards before but they would clog with leaves and then gutters overflow, again with leaks. I’m going to remove the small hole guards and replace them with a large hole mesh type. Since I have a metal roof, I’m not concerned about aggregate collecting, and I can spray out debris every couple years: I just need to keep leaves from clogging the spouts. Bottom line is one size doesn’t fit all. Thanks for the comparison!
I installed seamless gutters for many years. I am qualified to tell you that using any kind of "Gutter Guard" is like putting Armor All on your valve stem caps! Lolol Just a way to get more $$$ from you pocket to someone else's pocket. Strainers do keep birds from building nests in the downspouts, but can block and fill gutters to very heavy weights. I don't sell gutter guards of any kind, I don't install it, I don't recommend it. Inspect your gutters and remove twigs and branches, then blow gutters out 2 or 3 times a year with a leaf blower and a gutter blower attachment, it's that easy. 2nd story gutters usually get enough wind to clear leaves when they are dry. The shingle granules are flushed by heavy rain provided your gutters have the proper pitch to the outlet drains. Flushing with a hose works verywell. The best gutters were the copper half round ones on old farmhouses, as they ever clog, the wind cleaned em just fine, they lasted for many, many years. Everything now is just made poorly. No magic cure, clean your gutters or have someone do it for you.
I have gutters that are 3 stories high in the back and size of my house
... I can't clean them multiple times a year. I'm getting too old for that. I want to try some chicken wire with say about 1/4 to 1/2 inch holes to try. Do they sell rolls of this?
@@rickwhoo1 look into valor gutter guards they have put in scientific builds into the screen. Works great. Check them out
I totally agree. No more filters or guards. Just clean the gutters twice a year. Must practice major safety procedures!
Rick Sievers what you’re talking about is called hail screen or hardware cloth..comes in 1/2 or 1/4 squares but it’s gonna be hard to anchor it to the gutter and roof. you can cut it with tin snips but i don’t think you would be happy. 1/4” squares will let tree seeds like maple get caught and wet leaves will probably dry and attach to the mesh..good luck with what ever you chose, if someone would make a good reliable sysgem they could sell it cheap and still make a fortune..
So do you have any suggestions for the best gutters in today's market being that you said they are off lower quality than in past times? I ask because I'm getting a house built but didn't trust the builders to give me good quality gutters so I'll do it when they are done. Plus I thought they'd charge me an arm and a leg
For the plastic one that's supposed to fail and the worst one that has the water turning over and going down the slots and leaves sliding off, It's amazing I have had them installed for over 5 years and they never failed ONCE! No leaves inside and virtually all rain INSIDE the gutter instead of running over in torrential downpours and no pine needles either. They may not work for him but they sure work HERE!
you must live in a desert
Located in Canada. Found your video AFTER looking for a clogging solution. Leaf filter came to my place, offered TWO senior discounts and a FB discount and it was still $28/ft installed !!!!. Hard to believe they sell so much at that price. Way more than I am willing to pay, especially when I did a previous place DIY for $3/ft
They're counting on a homeowner not being able to do 2 or 3 story roofs. Hell, you could rent a cherry picker and do it yourself for a quarter of what they charge! Highway robbery.
I leave my gutters open and hit them with the leaf blower a couple times a year. Takes 10 minutes. This works better then any guard system I have ever seen.
I hear ya, big sweet gum trees very close to my house. Tried several guards. Best thing, leave it open and hit with gas Power blower.
And will not keep the birds out.
I think I'll do the same and just bypass the covers that will likely fail anyway. Will muck out twigs and leaves by hand and use power washer extension when damp or leaf blower when dry to clear the small bits. Thanks for the info and for helping me make a decision to not use any gutter guards just yet. All my woes are due to neighbor's wall of assorted tall trees bordering my guest house roofing. Fortunately the main house where gutters are too high for me to do myself are not near any trees and tend to stay clear.
really hard to do on a 2 and 3 story house. in fact in the 20+ years i've owned the house i've cleaned the top gutters 0 times., but the whole system needs to be changed.
it has a 5"k style on it now I'm going to ask a 6" k style be put on.
And a differnt downspout locations and larger downspouts.
Ha. I can't allow my gutters to remain open in the Spring or in the Fall because if I did, every downspout would clog up every time it rains during that time. In the Spring, I get billions of maple leaf helicopters and all the other trash from trees for about 3 or 4 weeks. I would have to clean them every time BEFORE it rains or I'd have problems. In the Fall, it's the same thing because of the leaves. I would have tons of problems with my downspouts clogging up and gutters running over if I left them open during these seasons.
Great video, very informative, no nonsense...common sense, thank you. Most gutter guard selection is driven by trees surrounding the house. Your breakdown on 'quality gutter guards' helped me select most appropriate guards for my application. I have a ranch house w/Linden trees which drop flowers and small finger shaped leaves. I installed Amerimax Hoover Dam guards. They handle high flow rainfall, deflect Linden leaves, their flowers, they're very sturdy and easy to install. Only negative of this guard...only available in 3' lengths.
Great video! Very educational! Thank you! New roof installed in 2011 with gutters and gutter guards. I cleaned mine a few days ago (I normally pay someone else to do it, but they are no longer available) and pretty sure I have style #3. Yes, the stuff builds up and sits on the guard and that lip on the front was a real pain to clean. It required a lot of extra effort to dig out all the gunk stuck in there. My contractor was singing the praises of this guard when he quoted the job and claimed it was the best and only one he would recommend. Perhaps it WAS the best in 2011, I'm not sure. I shared this video. Everyone should watch it!
You have to be aware that if the contractor is bidding on a job, they will recommend the cheapist ones they can install the fastest to increase their bottom line.
Here is the review that you never thought to mention.
Here are three things to consider when getting gutters; pay the extra $$ to get bigger downspouts as it is well worth it. Never install any leaf guard product of any sort above your walkways or decks...opt instead to just clean the gutters as you really don't want all the roof debris deposited on your walking/living space unless you love to use the blower continually. Lastly, I have found that the Leaf guard gutters make a lot of noise in summer with contraction and expansion In the heat of the day, annoying. The house I now reside in has LEAF GUARD... I just called today to have them through warrantee come clean them, they are very nice to deal with but yes they definitely can clog especially in the Pacific Northwest.
Very true I’ve been cleaning gutters for over twenty years and never seen a gutter guard that didn’t need cleaning .
We tried the foam inserts and they worked great in light rains, HOWEVER, they were useless in the first heavy downpour and the overflow washed out or flower garden, pulled them out when it was over, we only installed them in the back gutters, and the gutters had a nice layer of roofing granules underneath. So we ended up cleaning out the gutters anyway. Live and learn.
i have have had foam in my 5 inch gutters for over 15 years and no problems and i am surrounded with maple trees which used to clog my downspouts. sometimes the leaves stem will stick in the foam but the wind will blow it free.
For my one story house I duct tape an eight foot pvc section and elbow on my leaf blower, works great. My neighbor paid LeafFilter six thousand dollars to install on his one story house. I told him he was nuts.
Extremely great information. I have over a 15 year time of owning my home I have gone to big box stores and tried different products. Currently I am using the lowest rated of the good table of products. I had a gutter company come by (Leaf Filter) I liked their product but as high pressure sale would go I did not like the price. I am now committed to installing something my self that is of better quality and filtration that would last 5 or more years not 1-3 years as the product on the bad table have.
Thanks for the video! I was at Home Depot with the gutter foam in my cart, but found your video just in time!
I own a gutter company and we have been using the expanded wire Armour Lock for years.They work well and are inexpensive. We use the 6" screens on a 5" gutter so we can slip them under the shingles instead of laying them on the hangers. This gives good pitch and lets the leaves blow off.
Steve Allen . Me too.
The leaves are winners every time. The gutter guards may stop the leaves for a few weeks . It’s not just install them and forget your gutters
Sigmund have a professional do the leafguard and you won't have any issues. DIY may save you $$$ but not frustration.
Steve Allen 20 years and ez lock and armour lock are solid guards inside valleys of the roof are the only weak points. May have to clean off debris over the top of the guard.
But they collapse he's saying. Where there are no support brackets.
I use the foam for the last 3 years and it works great no more overflowing for 3 years and it stays clear better than the micro screen my mom has
The brown one on the “garbage table” has been on my house gutters for twelve years. Works great.
This presenter has worked on hundreds if not thousands of homes. Your one-home anecdote has basically 1/1000th of the value of his advice.
We've been using guards similar to the plastic brown ones in the video and they worked great for several years but are now starting to warp due to sun exposure. For some reason they don't make this style in aluminum which would solve the warping problem.
Thanks, you just saved me a lot of time and money. Think I'll just keep cleaning my gutters by hand.
Glad I could help!
I have a ranch house and have my young son( now 22 ) get on the roof and clean out the gutters. He can do the whole house in 15 minutes. I used to do it myself but am too old and fat to do it now. If you can not find anyone to do it, then use a j shaped extension on a blower and blow out the gutters. Then get on ladder and inspect in a few places. If you can not do any of this you will have to hire someone. Leaf covers are crap.
I mean this seriously, I like the way you talk. Also thanks for the videos this is helping me make decisions.
thank you, appreciate it
Thanks, a very good presentation. You answered all the questions I had pertaining to the differences between gutter guard types and how they'd preform compared to each other.
I have to disagree on the strainer idea. I tried it and 2 weeks later my gutter was overflowing during a rainstorm. I checked it during that rainstorm and sure enough debris was clogged all around it not allowing it to drain whatsoever, so I pulled it out and the water shot down the downspout like it should. I am now just checking my gutters 2-3 times a year and cleaning out by hand.
Thank you for sharing your experience. Glad to hear the strainer worked out for you.
The only good thing about the strainer is it keeps stuff out of the downspout.
I had installed the brown plastic guards about 15 years. They actually did a decent job though they do catch stems and twigs in the holes.
For many people, the challenge is avoiding cleaning gutters due to challenges with safety and physical conditioning and this is balanced by costly gutter cleaners who do a lousy job half of the time (and you don't know which half of the time unless you inspect personally).
If gutter guards require observation, they are not that helpful. Once I am inspecting a gutter, I might as well stick my hand in the muck and clean it.
I installed the white plastic slotted ones from HD about 15 years ago and they worked great until last winter when squirrels chewed through the ends and built nests. When I replaced them with metal mesh type the gutters were clean and in 15 years I had never cleaned them, so the design is great but needs to be metal. Also, I live in New England with lots of overhanging maple trees and snowy winters and the white plastic slotted ones held up great until the squirrel attack.
Which metal ones are you saying that work really well?
I went with the one piece metal black from Home-depot. I am a carpenter and built my house and should have had covers installed when I had gutters installed but I went with your last option downspout filters. Which protected the down spouts but required clearing the gutters several times a year. The guards I chose work fantastic on gutters. I have 5inch gutters and a 4/12 and 5/12. Pitch roof which allows most all of the debris to get washed by the rain or blown off by the wind. It slides under the shingle and snaps in front tight. Some grit gets through and I'll wait to see it some gets stuck . But for now its real blessing not to have to clean gutters. I'm into it for less than 400 dollars,
I used the black aluminum ones from Loews on a house with a metal roof. They slid under the metal and snapped tightly to the lip of the gutter. I have 2 large trees in the front and 1 monster in the back we will see. They are very strong when pushed 2 in under the metal.
I put the micro mesh Leaf Filter guards on my house 5 years ago & there is NO sand or anything in them. I just used the sticky tape on them to hold them down but, cleaned the edge with alcohol 1st. I have huge maple trees around my house & live in Michigan. I LOVE THEM!!!!
I got a quote from leaf gutter for nine thousand dollars. The salesman said they only do the best work. That is just way to expensive for the job when another contractor gave a quote for two thousand. Big difference for sure.
Watch our video on leaf filter pricing. I bet you could get it down to $4,000
@@RoofingInsights3.0 I can do the work for way less. The manufactures use the do not sell to customers to force them to pay big money using cuntractors. Just can not see paying the thousands for something that I can do in two to three day after work. Thanks.
I've had the plastic variety - one of your last three. Contrary to your comments, they have not broken or failed badly, and in the right circumstances, mostly work well. The worst problem which I have on my current house is that the pitch is great enough that in a heavy rain the water runs over the top of the cover and not into the gutter, despite a slight raised lip that's supposed to stop that problem. There's definitely a gutter installation issue- too low. And I'd rather have granules fall through the holes than have the holes so small they can't handle a heavy rain.
Impressive- marking a comment as "loved" when the comment "disagrees" is rather unusual, and makes me MUCH more inclined to believe your material. Thanks!
Hi Nelson... Where do you live and about how many instances of heavy rain do you get each year? I'm in Portland, OR and while we get our share of the wet stuff, it's probably only 5-10x/yr that rain is so heavy, I'm actually concerned about water over-running the gutter.
@@TheBenners76 I'm in central New york, where our annual rainfall is about 41 inches, a bit more than you. Much of the rain is concentrated in spring. It's too bad it's not a bit earlier. Still, I'd just suggest installing 2 or 3 sections and see how they work. They're inexpensive and usually pretty easy to install unless the eaves are way up high. I wish you well.
I have installed the foam wedge 7 years ago, zero maintenance, still works like a charm. My gutters are clean as a whistle.
I just have a strip of 1/4" hardware cloth covering mine and have had no issues even in torrential rains. I don't know what this guy's talking about regarding the "granules"... I'm 22 years into a 20 year roof and yeah, there's granules, but nowhere near enough to even pretend it's a problem.
Max - just curious, which part if the country do you live in? Just wondering how much rain you might be dealing with.
My wife insisted that I install downspout strainers on a couple of runs of gutters. I didn't want to, but I also didn't want to fight over gutters. The strainers clogged in short order, causing the gutters to fill up and overflow when it was raining, and hold a trough of water when it wasn't raining. I took my eye off the ball on those gutters and the fascia rotted and the gutters ripped out and fell down. I've had better luck with the plastic flow-over gutters that Dmitry rated as second-worst junk, but I can't argue against what he said about them. Where possible, I have removed gutters entirely and installed egg-rock filled troughs in the ground at the drip line. That works the best for the situations where it can be properly installed.
I use flip gutters. In literally one or two minutes I can flip over and reset all the gutters on my house. Everything falls out.
Great reviews.. I was literally driving home from Lowe's listening to the part about not to buy the foam... After purchasing the foam
Beg to differ re: foam filters. I installed them on the front of my house four years ago.(big maple over that area) There is a void area at the bottom which allows the water to flow freely. They install easily, they come out easily. Can't imagine having to remove a cover which has been screwed down under the shingles (which is a bad idea to begin with) every couple years to clean the gutters of the crap the cover didn't catch. Yes, after this period of time there is some deterioration of the top of the cover. A lot of collected garbage can be shaken out of them when removed. BUT, the bottom of the gutter is perfectly clear, meaning it has been performing during the entire time. Now, granted, I have a 4/12 pitch, which means the velocity of the water running off is not as high as a higher pitch, which allows the filter to catch the water. I'm sure this is a factor for all types. Nice thing is, because they are foam and completely flexible, changing contours do not affect performance. Note, they do collect pine needles, but likely, so do all the others. I consider these best option for homeowner installation. Like with everything else, you'll have to monitor it. Cost me about $90 for a 60' length. Even putting new ones in every 4-5 years compared to hundreds or even thousands of dollars...you decide. You have to remove all of them (virtually or literally) to clean them anyway. Could just put new ones in for a few bucks.
I have to agree. I also have the foam filter and it works GREAT !!!!!!!!!! We just have 4" of rain in 12 hours and the gutter foam filter worked well. The filter keeps every leaf, pine needle and maple seeds out of the gutters.
I have one of the white covers from your no good table. I found in home depot. They went up no problem and still up over 5 years without a problem
I was well
I have been a gutter guy for 27 years, I built my current trailer to solve all those problems.
I cannot explain it entirely here but there is really only one direction to create a system that actually is just as well built as any gutter, but it's not cheap or easy to figure out until it operates properly
The BIGGEST problem with having a gutter with leaves guard or helmet installed by the professional is the price. I paid $32/linear foot for my gutter & helmet from Leaf Guard. It has been 8 years now and it still works well but, I must say it is expensive.
LeafGuard quoted me over $20k for 300 linear ft. It's worth more than double what the gutter cost. Such a joke. Doesn't matter if it's good if it's ridiculously high-priced.
@@jnscollier It's insanity that people pay it.
I really like the Black metal leaf cover from homedepot. For me as an installer is quick to install and durable.
I see an ad for a local company advertising a gutter guard to keep leaves from clogging your gutters have a screen. My only thing about an anti leaf gutter is that no roof has only leaves. Dirt will go through those guards and clog the gutter eventually.
Great video, we were actually thinking of the Leaf Filter so I am very glad to get your input. We had the metal version of the one with the large holes, it had a very rough top and bottom and had no lip or edge it was just cut to fit. We took it out a couple of years ago, all it did was trap the leaves and was total junk. Now we have nothing and just clean our gutters every couple of months. We did make a small catcher like you suggested.
Leaf Filter is a scam and very bad quality. Keep doing research until you find the best suitable ones. And keep us updated.
@@gheerock4077 how is it a scam?
First get an estimate on cutting down the trees, it may be a much wiser option, especially since heavy downpours often fly right off these guards and damage perimeter landscaping.
I’m scheduled to have Leaf Filter come tomorrow. 180 feet for $2,354.00
Please respond!
Just bumped into this video after installing LeafFilter instead of LeafGuard. I'm happy to see he agrees micro mesh is the best option. But this video is great! Thanks for providing an honest take on the way too many available gutter guard products on the market!
What about Valor micro mesh. ?
How come nobody is reviewing Valor . Bcuz ?
Owning a house is a lot of work if you want to do it right. I'm up the ladder twice a year (spring and fall) to inspect and clean. It takes me half an hour to do the job. I also use the cheap little strainers that stick in the downspouts. All those other products are garbage. If you are too old to climb then get a family member to go up there. Buy him a case of beer for the trouble.
Chris, i totally agree with you. I am 42 and i inspect 2 to 3 times per year. At 6:33, i recently purchased those. They wrk fine and fit my gutters well. I have 6 oak trees in my backyard and must check my gutters everso often. My neighbors just spent thousands on leaf guard, the prob is, she has trees hanging over her house. The leaves pile up on the gutters/guards and becomes stuck. I would never scew dwn my guards, too much wrk if there is a need to remove them. I dn't care how great the gaurd is, overtime, small particules build up. Leaf Filters are thieves....and yes, very aggresive.
***Plastics are no good if you have squirrels, like i do. I have a few plastic on the backside, need to change them (can only blame laziness).
The best solution I have found is to just clean your rain gutters twice a year. Those guards never do the job, and are actually quite costly to install.
Facts
Great info thank you! I had an estimate by Leaf Filter yesterday. Very long (1hour) but good sales pitch but when I rejected their offer which started at $3300.00 then finally discounted to $2400.00+ for 70 total feet of all straight cover. When I objected to the price the sales person suddenly reduced the offer by $700.00 as a last resort which to me shows a lack of integrity. As a senior citizen that really ticked me off, if they would have offered it at that price to start instead of trying to take advantage of me I would have been much more likely to buy. Their product looked better than anything in your video but they were too aggressive.
I have them coming out next weekend. Thanks for the info! Maybe I can get them to that final price up front.
This is one thing that I have against outfits with agressive/high pitch sales tactics anymore for home improvement, they immediately lose my business. They say how wonderful their product is over the competition so its a much better offer, then they offer 30% off, after haranguing you another hour "let me call my manager, oh heres another 30% off". I dont have the time or patience for it anymore. Last couple major projects (basement waterproofing then roof) I went with the no pressure sales, but essentially the highest bidders. Was worth pretty much every penny.
Look guys, Dmitry did great with this video.
But I've been a gutter guy since 1993, and for the last 15 the only type of cover I will use is the type where I make it myself using the Van Mark trim a gutter tool, also I never interfere with the roof ever.... ever.. because I only use it if I can hang the gutter lower and attach upper part of cover just under the drip edge. Lmk if you want to see my system.
I must be lucky. I installed plastic snap in grates with large holes from a big box store over 10 years ago and never had an issue.
Thank you for the educational video and all the research and advice you gave. I gave you a thumbs up and subscribed. I just got a quote for my 800 sq ft house from Leaf Guard and it was 10,500! So, I’m thinking of doing something myself!
Thank you very much for this honest review! Saved me from buying the black sponge. Actually im not going to buy a guard at all now because my roof is 10 years old and most of the granules are already in the gutter, and i only have one 20ft gutter to clean needles out of.
+Lukas Vaznonis you are welcome!!! Thanks for watching!
Excellent video! Thank you for your professional opinion on all the products carried by the major chain stores. This is exactly what I was interested in hearing.
Ive installed and removed many types and brands and in my experience sureflo has been the most reliable i dont like micro screen often the get clogged from algae growth i do explain to customers there is no maintenance free option however I always install 1' pieces at each end that can be removed easily for simple wash out of shingle sand
here in oregon and with a walnut tree, it is the pollen from the tree and the leaves and the walnuts that create issues. I have yet to find a solution
I've had various kinds, and I'm afraid you are right when. you write "there is no maintenance free option".
I live in Miami, Florida and my concern material filters could tear away ---Also how many inches apart because I have a metal roof and the water falls like niagra falls
GREAT video. Rarely seen honesty. Thanks!
No matter the type you will need to clean your gutters periodically. For the DIY homeowner he is often looking for ease of installation. Right now I'm looking at putting covers on simply because I have large trees in the backyard that between the leaves, flowers in the spring and the wirlybirds it is a continual PITA keeping the gutters clean. With the landscaping and perennials I have areas where it is really hard to get at. I cleaned my cutters out about 6 weeks ago and they are all ready full and I will be doing it again tomorrow.
Pros and Cons
The expanded metal type. For, ease of installation, can be flushed easily due to the large openings. Against, the large holes let to much through and are structurally weak
The Reverse Curve type. For, looks, performance as long as they are clean. If they get dirty the water will not flow around the curve the way it should. Against, they look to be a real pain to clean out when it needs to be done. These Gutter Covers work on the Coanda Principle where a fluid will follow a curve due to flow and pressure on one side. Cost.
The last ones. The Plastic POS covers. For, I honestly can't think of a single thing that they have going for them. Against, they do not fit to the front lip of the cutter if you have seamless cutters. Weak. Not just weak but flimsy. The edges when butted will not line up resulting in gaps that let crap through. They will warp due to the sun. The screens on the ones that have them are on the top side. The screens will come off eventually.
The first ones he showed, For, performance in terms of keeping debris out. Against. Cost, but not as pricey the Reverse Flow types. Cleaning. This needs the gutter protection to be basically dis-assembled in order to clean the gutters out
I actually picked up a couple of samples today at the local Menards. Mainly to see how they went in. The first was an expanded metal type. These would almost need some kind of support underneath. The second one is called Leaf Zero. While it is PVC it is or appears to be a higher quality product. The pieces overlap on the ends which is a good thing IMO. Performance? I honestly don't know. They have a series of holes that are maybe 2.5 to 3mm in diameter. How much they will flow is an open question. As far as snapping into the front edge. I had a hard time removing the piece I bought it snapped in so well. The big problem is my gutters are right up to the singles on one end and maybe an inch lower at the down spout (40 and 36ft runs). The way these go in they snap into the front lip and the back lip snaps up against the overlapping edge of the shingles. If there is enough clearance below the shingle they can get a screw to hold them in place. Unfortunately they are only available in white. If they make vinyl siding in and trim blocks for outside lights etc why cant they make these in colors. These might be a solution for my problem only I think I will have to drop the gutters down a half inch or so.
One thing pretty much all these systems I have looked at is the ends of the pieces where they but up do not have a means of keeping the edges of the pieces aligned to one another. Joint pieces should be easy one would think
i use the plastic clip on from home depot, they work and dont want to screw and unscrew everytime i have to clean
At least your gutters are sloped for drainage. In my neck of the woods - CA - there is frequently no slope at all from builders or gutter replacement companies. It's like they've never heard of this.
Worse, when there is a slight slope, it is often AWAY from the ends where the downspouts are located! Water pools in the gutters all winter and carries into spring. Even galvanized or aluminum gutters rust or corrode under these conditions.
@@tharais Many years ago I had a house like that! Builders installed gutters in the expectation that water flows uphill. The easiest way to sort it was to add another downpipe at the lowest point. Luckily there was a nearby gully to drain into. Failing that I would have had to dig and lay another soakaway. Easier though than undoing hundreds of gutter clips and re-hanging the gutter, some of which was totally inaccessible.
@@tharais LOL!
On the first one, I believe that the lip that he wants to screw down, is actually held in place by the composite shingle. I had one similar and never had a problem with the lip that went under the shingle. The other side clamps onto the gutter edge.
Without brand names, how do you expect your audience to ask for the best cover>?
I bought and installed the plastic gutter guards 37 years ago and have had no problems with leaves getting into my gutters, but small maple seeds did come through the diamond shaped holes. Last year I installed new plastic gutter guards with the fine mesh ($50 for 75 feet) and not even maple seeds can get into my gutters. Leaf guard would cost about $2200 for 300 feet of gutters on a one story house. I installed these myself for $200 dollars. I slid these under my shingles aand snapped them to my gutters. In Indiana we will have at times 80 to 100 mph winds---we have had know problems.
The only good thing about the downspout baskets is if your downspout goes into an underground pipe, it keeps all debris out of there. Other than that, it only causes your gutter to be clogged even quicker than if you left it unrestricted. Using the 3x4 downspout allows quite a bit of mess to pass through.
Leaf guards bunch of ass..... Take davantage of whatever they can . Marketing nice product garbage
yep, downspout baskets basically move the clog to the top.... high off the ground ;-)
We have underground pipes. I installed the baskets to keep my pipes clean. We have maple trees and a red pin oak. We have propellers and we have the small acorns and we have the pollen strands. You add all that together and I have to clean those baskets constantly, especially in the springtime when the pollen strands are dropping. I guess you have to pick your poison.
@@TheOnlySgtRock I'm dealing with a similar problem but that basket has made the clogs on top worse and I get a waterfall over the gutter. I'm looking into a downspout Clean Out In-line Strainer that can be installed to clean out clogs from the ground. Of course, this doesn't address the problem of a thousand helicopters accumulating at a gutter bracket and blocking the flow of water. .
@@jeanbrennan3302 So I installed a 4 pack of Gutter Brush (www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00872KA5S), only over my down spouts (18" pieces) and took out the basket strainers. I am hoping this will keep the stuff from clogging the downspout and underground pipes but let the water flow.
I got the Ecoguard from Costco and they were bad. In the summer, the shingles granules would slip passed it and you see them all over the floor. This means the that the metal filter is filtering out every tiny little things. When it rains, the water runs right off the gutter guard so not much made it in the gutter. In the winter, they ice up and you get icicles everywhere
All will work just use a blower every 6 mths before the leaves decompose and fall through . All will fail if you think gutter guards are a magic wand and no other maintenance is needed .
simon woollard,
I use the garden hose.
I like this guy. The Greeks invented everything and they know what is Crap. Thank you for the intuitive review of these products.
You just made my day !!!
@@RoofingInsights3.0Insights you are so real and honest! I am going with Atlas Lowes, they have great reviews. I am going to try installing them myself. I would like your opinion of the Atlas System. I have a single story, tile roof. I will be using an 8-foot ladder. thank you
For my entertainment, there was a LeafFilter ad in the middle of this video.
I used the cheaper leaf guard that you review on this episode and I agree with you 100%. I used the foam and the other guard. I had to remove them shortly after installation. 100% waste of money. Thank you
for your service.
Thanks for sharing!
I have giant red oak trees and the leaves fill my gutters in the late fall/early winter. I simply walk the roof with a blower cleaning out the gutters. Generally 2-3 times a year. Twice in early winter and then again in spring. No problems so far. I have seen way too many gutter covers fall and yes even the high dollar micro filters. Lord be with you.
Do you have a flat roof?
@@joeking433 No, I do not have a flat roof. I have a hip roof of about 4/12 slope.
I put in plastic gutter covers about 20 years ago. I think I got them at Menard's. They had a fine nylon mesh covering over the bigger holes. They were very cheap only costing about $20 to do my entire house. They worked very good but now I need to replace some of them because the nylon mesh covering wore away. They did allow some roof granules to enter the gutter so I still had to spray out my gutters about 1x a year. That was a huge improvement when previously I had to clean my gutters 5-6x's a year, as I have a lot of trees around my house. They were very easy to install and reasonably effective.
Great, thorough presentation! Thanks. I just go up on my roof and either blow the debris out or squat down and pull it out manually.
My ranch house roof has very small slant. I get on the roof and use my leaf blower, very easy.
@@1voiceofstl,
I've been using my garden hose, and since it just rained, I be using it tomorrow, however, the next time I have to clean the gutter, I'lll try my leaf blower. It sounds like it might be better than my hose, less messy, anyway.
One of the best instructional ,informative and honest review of products for DIY. Great detail and well explained. He sure helped me in choosing the best product . Well done
Thank you very much!
Gutter helmets make great wasp and hornet homes.