Gutter gaurds.

[woodtick]

which ones work?

 

[harski]

I purchase these from GutterSupply.com. I installed the front of the house myself and hired out the rear (2 story w/exposed basement). They were a little pricy but have worked extremely well! I save a ton compared to a few local companies such as Guttershield, Gutter helmet, and etc... I would stay away from a gutter helmet type product as the rain water just falls off the house and doesn't really follow the curve of the cap as they claim. Good luck

Harski

http://www.guttersupply.com/p-gutter-protection-rain-drop.gstml

 

[tomxc700]

Don't buy the filter/sponge type either. They get a crust built up on them and the water will run right over the top of the gutter. The ones that harski show's look like they would work pretty good and have a easy install. How long does the product last though. Plastic dry rots in the sun fast and then falls apart. Call a couple of gutter places and ask them for references of guard systems and call them to ask how they like them and if it is Ok to come and look at them. There are lots of different systems and how they attach to your house. They are very different some stand out more then others, might not be the look you want. Gutter guard systems are expensive so do your home work first then purchase. Another thing to watch out for is the length of the panels. Full length/seamless or 4 to 5 foot pieces. I don't think I would go with seamless even though it can look much nicer with out all of the seams every 4 to 5 foot. If you have a piece that gets damaged they will replace the whole piece in stead of 4 or 5 feet. Remember they charge by the foot for covers.

 

[woodtick]

I was looking at doing it myself.Has anyone tried the big box store type?

 

[harski]

I looked at these long and hard before I bought anything. The only type I saw at big box was plastic $1.24 stuff. I think Home Depot had more variety than Menards but I concluded it was all the same.

The parameters I was working around was tree debris and a steep roof pich (12/8 and 12/10). I really wanted the aluminum 3-4 foot piece sections for there longevity as tomx hinted. But, my concern was water volume cuz of the roof pitch/valleys and the flatter surface that they would have due to the fact they mount directly under the drip edge and not under the shingle. This flatter surface may hold more debris like leaves, acorns, and 'helicopters' etc than I'd like. I opted to the other product and risked the longevity over having to clean the flat surface and risk clogging. Especially since I'm not getting on the backside of my roof!!!

I guess all I can suggest is as tomx did is do your homework and decided what best suites you. Good luck!

Harski

 

[tomxc700]

You can do it yourself, you just need to know what type of system you want, and how to install it properly. Then you need to go to your local gutter supply store/gutter installer, talk to them and see what they can get you or if you pay cash price on the side (not a check, but green backs). The plastic crap you get at the big box stores are junk and not worth the time, they dry rot and fall apart and you will be redoing them in a couple years. Another thing to keep in mind is that not everyone knows how to install gutters and cover systems correctly, there's a lot more than just sticking it on the house. The people that just sell them, more than likely don't know how to install them. Right now is the busy time of the year for gutter people. If you have questions just ask, I use to install gutters and cover systems and know about almost all of them out.

 

[polarisrider1]

I use a leave blower. Climb on the roof and throttle out the blower, sniff the 2 stroke and go to my happy place. Kids rake the mess up on the ground. It's a system. One nut case blower operator (me) and 2 kids with rakes. I have never found a gutter guard that works well. Smoke and mirrors. Infomercial crap!

 

[tomxc700]

polarisrider1 how many systems have you purchased? I know of a few bad ones and a few good ones if you want info on a good one email me.

 

[anonomoose]

I am with polaris here, and have never seen a guard that works like it is supposed to work.

I have some screen type guards that clip on and that can flip up to clean below the guards and they do keep acorns and leaves out, but they get clogged up eventually so then you have to climb two stories, on a ladder (funny how when I was a kid, that didn't bother me much...and now I wish I had 4 arms to do that job) and I have to clean below the guard to get the stuff that gets thru out of there, and the top of the guard too. But the alternative is to get pollen branches, twigs, nuts, and leaves in at various times of the year and at least with the screens it is once per year rather than multiple times per year.

 

[polarisrider1]

Everyone has a new and improved. Note: never eat a chili dog over your Key board.

 

[wags]

Here's a good one,about 7 years ago my parents retired to Florida and the 2nd year down there I get this call that when I come down to visit I will need to clean the gutters. Well I go down for a visit and sure enough mom hits me up to clean them for dad so I get out the ladder and start climbing, here comes the guy next door asking me what I'm doing so I tell him. He says don't kill yourself and leaves to return in about 5 minutes with a simple gadget which to this day I use down there and now up here.
No ladders just my garden hose and my extendable wand which uses water pressure to "sweep" the gutter down to the downspout and flushes all the junk down and out. For those with their gutters tied to their drain tiles simply disconnect and redirect out away from the house just for the cleaning then reconnect. Works great.

 

[highhertel]

I have a 100+ year old oak tree that covers most of my house, tell me about plugged gutters. What about those pesky squirrels? They chomp the acorns for months and all the shavings end up in the gutter. I clean them out monthly, no other option. Then add white pine needles to the mix and we really have plugged gutters.

Oh well, I chose to live in the woods.

HH

 

[snolover55]

I had gutter helmet brand guards installed on my gutters 3 years ago. Rainwater has never run over the top as Harski stated. Expensive, but well worth the money to me to keep from cleaning gutters 2-3 times a year, especially on the second story part of the house. Getting too old to be falling off of roofs.

 

[woodtick]

Thanks for the info. I have been doing the 2stroke blower thing for years.You just have to do it befor a 3" rain. I will keep doing the blower thing,until the price comes down.

 

[snobuilder]

I have installed the sheerflow gutter screens on my house as well as a few customers. So far so good, but too early to give an honest opinion, we have a huge silver maple plus others in the yard and between the buds, helicopter seed pods and then the fall leaves, we will be giving this product a good test.
Installation is simple and
At about $.54 per foot or $65.00 (Menards) for the entire house, it is a "what have I got to lose" trial...