Gutter Covers

[doylehargraves]

I've seen several things at Home Depot / Lowe's. Anyone have a recommendation on best thing to install? Thanks in advance.

 

[KazooMan]

My only advice is to get something that is easy to remove when you need to clean the gutters. It isn't fun hanging in the air trying to remove gutter covers that have either rusted in place or are too tight to remove easily. Get the salesman to show you how they actually work in a gutter sample before you buy.

 

[hollisdude]

Are you considering the ones that are essentially a screen that covers the gutter? My problem with those is that pine needles will stick in those screen covers (I'm in Houston with 31 pine trees around the house). So not only would I have to clean the gutters but I'd also have to clean out the screens that cover the gutters. No thanks.

 

[brntorng]

The type that cover gutters with some sort of screen tend to collect debris from trees, especially live oaks here in central Texas. Then, when the debris is wet, it can lead to rotting out roof decking and fascia boards. Not good.

I've looked for a solution for years and haven't found one that doesn't create another problem so I just clean gutters periodically. The gutter helmet type looks interesting, but I'm not sold on that, either.

 

[NCAAFBALLROX]

brntorng is mostly correct; 90% of the screens or guards are total crap, & as a roofing contractor I've been around all of them.

A few other designs are "Gutter Fill" type products

(there are a lot of companies that do a similar design)

As well as Gutter Helmet / Leaf Guard, etc.

IMO, they all will need some variety of cleaning out @ some point, & none of them are 100% self supporting / totally clog free.

The best ones are the helmet / guard type units & I don't think Home Depot or Lowe's sells either of these for self installation.

If I were in the market, I'd get price comparisons from all the various sources that do the installations & go with the best combo of price & warranty.

 

[doylehargraves]

Thanks for the feedback. I just think my oak **** is going to end up on top of the gutter covers and build up, anyway. So I just need to be better about just cleaning the damn gutters out.

 

[NCAAFBALLROX]

Provided you're a 1 story home, Home Depot sells a "shepherd's crook" shaped thing that hooks to your hose. Has a shutoff valve & telescopes / extends so that in most applications, you won't need to climb a ladder (& do the "up, clean, down, move ladder, up, clean, down, move ladder...).


OR, you could skip gutters with the exception of over doors or where the erosion is an issue & instead, installThe Link

 

[brntorng]

Consumer Reports tested solutions for their latest issue. The best cover was a cheap and simple screen available at one of the DIY stores. Most of the professionally installed systems were very expensive and sucked.

 

[doylehargraves]

Thanks. I may just get some of that cheap screen and install it in the areas of the gutter where leaves tend to accumulate. See how it works.

Can't hurt.

 

[Bob Wills]

I thought about waiting until it's been dry for a few weeks, pouring some kerosene up and down the gutters, and then lighting a match. Seems flawless.

Why don't they just make gutters that latch and swing down for a cleaning with the garden hose? Yeah, it may not work around the drop outlet, but at least you could get a good chunk of those damn oak leaves.

 

[14bevo]

I would get rid of the gutters. Gutters really don't help much and they cause a lot of problems. redo some lanscaping and ditch 'em.