Gutter Protection Systems – Best Guards For Leaves, Ice, Debris & Hail

What are the best guttering protection options?

Today, we will be discussing the best roof guards and covers to buy against leaves, ice, hail, and debris.

If you are a homebuilder of sorts, then you may need to be concerned with the artery system of your home, which is the gutters.

The fact is that most gutters are made from materials that do not last long and that can lead to corrosion amongst many other things.

Guttering Protection From Leaves And Ice Dams

If you have a garden that has branches overhanging near your gutters, then you need to consider gutter protection. The honest fact here is that there is so much that you can do when it comes to gutter protection.

All things considered, there are many resources present online that can help you out in your mission.

In addition to this particular fact, you also need to network with those people who have used gutter services to ensure that they have undertaken proper gutter protection.

You must remember that many service companies are well designed in helping you get the best out of gutter protection. However, before you do call a company in to help you with y our gutter protection, you need to see what exactly they would do.

All things considered, there are a few routes companies could take for the sake of gutter protection.

One noteworthy thing that would do is to lather your gutters with a protective sealant so that there is no leakage whatsoever. This would certainly be beneficial, to say the least.

The fact is that when choosing a proper sealant you must ensure that it is safe and does not harm the environment. Additionally, you also need to be aware of the cost that such gutter protection could afford you.

Needless to say, this is something that you must think of a bit deeper before deciding on such a unit.

Other things that a gutter protection company would do are to replace your gutters with full-proof plastic that is both sturdy and durable. The issue with some metals is that they tend to corrode and then have leakages, which are inconvenient and harmful to nature as well.

While these are the main ways through which you can consider gutter protection, remember to get hold of a company that is well versed in this subject.

The last thing that you need to do is to make a decision that you will regret. The best way to choose a company is to network or to see what the client testimonials are like.

All in all, ensure that you get all the necessary details and quotations before you make that final decision.

Additionally, you may also need to think of choosing multiple contractors to give you quotes so that you can make a proper choice.

What is the best gutter protection?

With so many options for gutter leaf protection, it can be difficult to decide which one to use.

To make things less confusing, I’m going to explain the different types of gutter leaf protection systems available to you.

Best Covers And Rain Gutter Guards

Leaf protection systems or (leaf guards) fall into four main categories: gutter hoods, foam and other filler-type products, wire mesh, and expanded metal screen.

There are around 40 different variations of gutter protection that I am aware of.

There is no perfect system and they all do a good job at preventing large debris from entering the gutter system, they all create a new set of problems.

Below are my personal opinions and experiences with these products.

• Solid Cover

The solid cover gutter leaf protection system works by the principle of surface tension. They have a solid top and a curved front surface that leads the water downward and into the gutter.

Aluminum gutter covers or (gutter hoods) work well at preventing leaves and twigs from entering the gutter. However, it is the very small leaves, seedpods, and even dirt that finds their way into the gutters.

Eventually, this debris will need to be cleaned out. The problem is, once the cover has been installed, it is very difficult to see inside the gutter and much more difficult to clean it out.

Another issue associated with this type of gutter guard is that it makes a good home for insects like bees, wasps, and yellow jackets since the opening of the nose allows for easy access and the cover keeps their nests dry.

You will have to periodically clean the nose of these gutter covers so that water will properly adhere to them, otherwise water will run off the top instead of curving around and into the gutter.

For the covers to work properly, the gutters must be installed lower on the facia than they normally would. This is so the cover can maintain the normal pitch of the roof.

Otherwise leaves and debris will collect behind the gutter and cause a dam that will allow water to back up under the shingles resulting in structural damage.

Most of these gutter hoods have a wholesale cost that is more than I charge per foot to install new seamless aluminum gutters.

• Gutter Filtering Foam

Gutter filtering foam is a type of gutter leaf protection made from a porous material that fits inside the gutter, effectively preventing leaves and debris from entering.

This gutter filtering foam is an ideal do-it-yourself product because it’s very easy to install but it does require maintenance.

Gutter filtering foam is fairly effective for about the first five years or so but eventually, the debris will pile up over the filter and decompose, working its way into the filter and causing a complete obstruction.

Again, these foam filters are more than twice as expensive as the heavy-duty screens that I install.

These products are sold under names like GutterStuff, GutterFilter, Leaf Defier, and Flo-Free.

• Wire Mesh

There are several types of wire mesh gutter leaf protection. The problem here is the fine wire mesh they use is finer than a tea strainer.

It will not take long before the debris will cake over the mesh and cause a waterfall over the front of the gutter.

These screens are great at preventing debris from entering the gutters but within a few years, they will not even let water pass through.

• Plastic Screen

The plastic gutter leaf protection screen is a do-it-yourself product sold in most home improvement stores. This is a very lightweight screen with no strength to support even a small amount of debris.

I have removed these screens many times from inside the gutters they were supposed to protect. Once a few small twigs land on this screen, it will collapse on itself and create a blockage in your gutters.

I would never install this.

• Downspout Strainer

A downspout strainer will keep your downspouts from becoming clogged.

The problem is they will become a magnet for every piece of debris in the gutter and in a short period, they will be covered with this debris and completely close off the downspout.

Just as with the downspout strainer, never install a leaf screen directly over a downspout opening. This is even worse than a downspout strainer.

If you do, the debris will completely close off the downspout in a short period and cause the gutters to overflow.

• Expanded Metal Screen

If you are a Homeowner who suffers substantial problems with tree fall-out, here are some logical reasons to consider a more practical solution at a reasonable cost.

The gutters are installed with a slight grade towards the outlets, so there’s no standing water, therefore less trapped debris in the gutters. Installed with screws, so they can be adjusted if needed.

Expanded metal gutter leaf protection screens to keep out the larger debris that would clog a gutter system quickly. Larger outlets, so what debris gets through the screens will be flushed out in a heavy downpour.

Roof and Gutter Debris Fire Hazards

Roof and gutter debris can create a fire hazard around your roof. If you live in an area at risk for fire, you must be extra careful about keeping your roof and gutters clean.

If burning embers settle into this debris and ignite, the result could be catastrophic.

Best Gutter Guards: Top Cover Options On The Market

When it comes to choosing the right gutter cover, you must remember that there is a whole heap of information that needs to be looked into rather seriously.

All things that relate to a gutter cover can be looked at via cyberspace.

The fact is that this is something that needs to be thought of rather seriously if you do not want to end up with a gutter cover that is low quality.

Gutter Cover Reviews

Choosing the right gutter cover also means that you must think of aspects such as design and material as well.

All in all, what you will understand is that various brands would offer you excellent options to choose from. But you should get hold of a home builder if you are not too well versed in the art of choosing a gutter cover.

Needless to say, if you are an amateur you really should get hold of a home builder that knows his stuff. This would help you get a good job done.

That is exactly something that you really do need to consider it would only mean that you would save quite a bit of time and also money in the process.

Moreover, other facts need to be thought of quite well. While quality and price are certain things that need to be assessed, you also need to ensure that you get hold of the proper reviews concerning the gutter cover.

This would enable you to understand what the various positives and negatives are. Needless to say, you must remember that getting hold of a home builder who is a professional is the way it would work.

Additionally, consider the fact there needs to be a warranty looked into as well.

Furthermore, it would make sense at some point to think of assessing designs as well. One of the more interesting things that need to be considered would be the malleability of a gutter cover.

When buying a gutter cover, you need to consider other factors like the gutter and drainage per se. The fact of the matter is that everything needs to blend in well together. All in all, ensure that think of safety as well.

What this means is that the gutter cover should be made of a material that will not harm the environment at all.

Last but not least, ensure that you think of the overall price of the gutter cover. Make a note of the fact that the price is sure to increase especially if you end up choosing something that is branded.

Therefore ensure that you chose wisely when it comes to a gutter cover and other parts.