I have a co-worker who recently purchased a house that will need a new roof and gutters in a couple of years. He's looking for a short term, inexpensive DYI gutter guard system that he can install on his existing gutters to hold him over for a couple of years. Any suggestions? Thanks.
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May 18, 2018, 08:33 AM
arcwelder
Gutter guard systems are a waste of money.
The most effective thing you can do for your gutters is to make sure there are no branches closer than 10 feet to the edge of the roof, and clean them occasionally.
If anyone really feels the need to do something to their gutters, this is what I'd recommend:
Simple to install and remove, and least likely to impede the function of the gutter during heavy rain.
Anything that mechanically attaches to the roof or gutter, or requires professional installation, is a hard no.
The best thing to do is clean your gutters at least once a year. Keep tree branches 10' away from the roof edge, and manage any trees significantly taller than the roof that are near.
Gutters need to be pitched correctly, and that actually means they should be barely pitched towards the downspouts. Downspouts need to be appropriately sized and there need to be enough of them.
Gutters that are correctly pitched will shed debris through the downspouts, too steep a pitch and the rain won't sweep away the debris easily.
Arc. ______________________________ "Like a bitter weed, I'm a bad seed"- Johnny Cash "I'm a loner, Dottie. A rebel." - Pee Wee Herman Rode hard, put away wet. RIP JHM "You're a junkyard dog." - Lupe Flores. RIP
May 18, 2018, 08:38 AM
SIG4EVA
I recently installed these and they are awesome. I have trees too close to the house. Even in heavy rains, they do their job and don't overflow due to the designed lip. Installation is not the easiest but was simple enough for me to do myself. If you want to go super easy, they even come with 3M VHB to secure the front. The back slides up under the shingles.
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May 18, 2018, 08:55 AM
smschulz
They are NOT a waste of money.
This the one we put up, yes expensive but well worth it and well made.
May 18, 2018, 10:08 AM
doublesharp
Sorry Arc but those foam inserts turn into perfect bedding material and you will see sprouts within months.
I put up the Costco guards mentioned above and they are a quality product and I expect they will last many years. Sams sells them too but Costco was a little cheaper.
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May 18, 2018, 11:43 AM
Steve Collins
We replaced our gutters in 2010 with Leaf Guard gutters. Not one single gutter problem since and we had 5 huge pin oak trees too close to the house.
May 18, 2018, 11:51 AM
RAMIUS
We recently moved into a house with a shit ton of giant trees around it. I thank God we have Gutter Guards or what ever brand they are..
Absolutely nothing gets in those things.
May 18, 2018, 11:52 AM
Perception
For only a couple of years I would say don't worry about it. Many people go longer than that with no maintenance whatsoever. If he's worried, he can probably clean the whole thing out twice a year for the same amount of time he would invest installing any kind of cheap guard system.
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May 18, 2018, 11:59 AM
Veeper
I'm standing on a ladder as I type this. I'm installing the plastic gutter covers with the screens glued on top, the ones from Lowe's. . They were awesome on my last house and we even had oaks and maples there. Nothibg like that here, but leaves and debris still find their way in.
EDIT FOR PICS - Sorry so big I'm trying to do this from a phon
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May 18, 2018, 01:37 PM
cparktd
With about 36 mature trees and large bushes in my yard, Maple, Box Elder and Poplar with huge leaves I was cleaning out gutters about 5 times a year. The taller than the house Hollies drop leaves with sharp needles on them in the gutter and they hurt!
I was afraid the water would shoot over the fine meshed guards so I tested the expanded metal version. They worked so I did the entire house, about 200 feet, 2 years ago and haven't done any gutter cleaning since. None! Cost was a bit over $1.00 a foot.
I drilled and fastened the guards with UV resistant zip ties to the gutter every 3 feet, at every joint, to make sure they stayed put, Not sure that was necessary but leaning a ladder on the gutter tended to push them back.
The Maple seeds do stick in them some and trash will collect on top of them but they fall, blow out or wash away with rain eventually.
I have not tried any other solution so there may be better options but I'm pleased with mine so far. Got it a Lowes.
Stock photo
My actual install
If it ain't woke... don't fix it.
May 18, 2018, 03:30 PM
alingo2001
Where are you at in Middle Tennessee cparktd? I'm building a house in Shelbyville right now and the back of my lot and behind my lot is pretty wooded and figure I'll definitely need something, at least on the back side.
May 18, 2018, 04:22 PM
arcwelder
quote:
Originally posted by doublesharp: Sorry Arc but those foam inserts turn into perfect bedding material and you will see sprouts within months.
I put up the Costco guards mentioned above and they are a quality product and I expect they will last many years. Sams sells them too but Costco was a little cheaper.
Just so I'm clear, I wouldn't use them, because I'm advocating for open gutters that are correctly installed. I have clients who use them, and because they're easy to deal with is about the only reason I give them a pass.
Over the years I've seen a lot of failures of nearly all of these, and it may just be because it encourages homeowners to now simply ignore the gutters.
The other one which is typically a no, is downspouts that go into the ground. They can be installed in such a way that allows them to be cleaned, or they just eventually fill with crud and back up, notably in the winter.
As long as you're inspecting the condition of the gutters, and really, the exterior of the home once a year, that's the key.
Arc. ______________________________ "Like a bitter weed, I'm a bad seed"- Johnny Cash "I'm a loner, Dottie. A rebel." - Pee Wee Herman Rode hard, put away wet. RIP JHM "You're a junkyard dog." - Lupe Flores. RIP
May 18, 2018, 05:37 PM
chellim1
quote:
The most effective thing you can do for your gutters is to make sure there are no branches closer than 10 feet to the edge of the roof, and clean them occasionally.
I agree....
But my house is (was) surrounded by giant white oak trees. The trees are beautiful, but the house was built to save the trees. Real tree huggers. 3 were literally within 2 feet of the house. This causes all kinds of problems, including inviting wildlife into the home. My solution is to cut down some of the trees.
But... for years I had the trees and the do-it-yourself screens mentioned here do help. I still had to remove a few of them once a year and run a hose through the gutter.
This picture was taken from the top of my roof:
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May 18, 2018, 06:43 PM
cparktd
quote:
Originally posted by alingo2001: Where are you at in Middle Tennessee cparktd? I'm building a house in Shelbyville
Lived in Shelbyville from 1955 till 2015, then moved 10 miles to Bell Buckle.
If it ain't woke... don't fix it.
May 18, 2018, 08:56 PM
Haveme1or2
I bought an old house that has the original leaf guard system. Great stuff. 0 stuff in them. I had a gutter put on my new porch that has a large hood attached. I think it'll work well. I'll see soon. The pecan tree is dropping its crap every where :/
May 18, 2018, 09:22 PM
Lord Vaalic
Off topic ... Thread hijack...
We should have a middle TN meet up and shoot
Don't weep for the stupid, or you will be crying all day
May 19, 2018, 05:14 AM
jimmy123x
quote:
Originally posted by cparktd: With about 36 mature trees and large bushes in my yard, Maple, Box Elder and Poplar with huge leaves I was cleaning out gutters about 5 times a year. The taller than the house Hollies drop leaves with sharp needles on them in the gutter and they hurt!
I was afraid the water would shoot over the fine meshed guards so I tested the expanded metal version. They worked so I did the entire house, about 200 feet, 2 years ago and haven't done any gutter cleaning since. None! Cost was a bit over $1.00 a foot.
I drilled and fastened the guards with UV resistant zip ties to the gutter every 3 feet, at every joint, to make sure they stayed put, Not sure that was necessary but leaning a ladder on the gutter tended to push them back.
The Maple seeds do stick in them some and trash will collect on top of them but they fall, blow out or wash away with rain eventually.
I have not tried any other solution so there may be better options but I'm pleased with mine so far. Got it a Lowes.
Stock photo
My actual install
I have the ones in the lower photo, they work great.
May 19, 2018, 08:21 AM
xantom
I have tried many different styles. I ended up with Gutter RX Guards. I have 2 ash, and 1 large silver Maple(helicopters) in my back yard. Nothing will cover every scenario, but these have worked the best for me. I tried wire mesh(cparktd's style) but the helicopters would could get through. I tried ones with small holes that ran under my shingles(Veeper's style) and the rain would just run off the roof. If you live where you will have ice and snow, ice build up can an issue too.
"We've done four already, but now we're steady..."
May 19, 2018, 08:44 AM
Veeper
quote:
Originally posted by xantom: I have tried many different styles. I ended up with Gutter RX Guards. I have 2 ash, and 1 large silver Maple(helicopters) in my back yard. Nothing will cover every scenario, but these have worked the best for me. I tried wire mesh(cparktd's style) but the helicopters would could get through. I tried ones with small holes that ran under my shingles(Veeper's style) and the rain would just run off the roof. If you live where you will have ice and snow, ice build up can an issue too.
I'm in West Michigan, so I really appreciate the insight, seeing that you're in MN. I'll definitely keep an eye on this type when my cheap-O lowes covers fail.
Thanks.
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