GUTTER PROTECTION - What say you?

There are quite a few companies that have different solutions. I don't really know much about it as it never rains in California and our gutters are just for decoration. Who do you like, what system works. If I did live under a tree with rain what should I use? Do you guys use it as an upsell or does it go to the gutter companies?

We install LeafProof the most. We will not install any foam product. We once did. We also have the Van-Mark gutter guard machine. Some places this is very helpful as I can custom make the pieces.

We tell them that pine needles still need to be cleaned off the gutters and the roof. The gutters will remain clear causing less problems. But the water will not be able to get to the gutters with pine needles.

Most times we are called out is because they had someone else do the roof and they left all their roofing debris in the gutter and it clogged. Out of all the 10s of 1000's of feet we have installed we have a callback every other year. Then we show them what to do and the problem is solved. You have to hit the front nose of the gutter guard with a hose every year and you will never have a problem.

I worked on one the other day where they had water in their basement. I explained to them that they didn't have a leak from the gutters or the roof, but they did have a grading problem. all of the gutter protection in the world won't fix stupid, where they put edging around the beds and then fill it up with mulch every year until the level is 5 inches higher than the house wall. It is great to get ants and termites into the wood too. Dumb!!

Actually, the "gutters" extend all the way to the end of the underground system if you have one. Clean gutters do no good if the downspouts are plugged up. clean downspouts only work if there is a place for the water to run to underground. The black corrugated pipe works, but it does tend to collect debris and clog. All the gutters in the world won't work if the elbows at the bottom of the downspout dump onto the ground and the water runs back towards the house. There is a whole science to roofing and gutters if you analyze it and think about it. It all starts with the concept of water running down hill. What a concept.

I concur with The SEAN. I once dealt with a gutter jam packed with pine needles. This was on a gutter which had Gutter Helmet installed on it. The dirty little secret was that Gutter Helmet installers are independent franchisees. The installer on that particular home was out of business, and none of the other franchisees would honor the warranty . . . go figure.

I remain unimpressed by any of the gutter guard products currently on the market.

Sure, they realize it, but they are each selling "the" gutter guard. they care more about the $$ than actually protecting the gutters.

That is a interesting comment The SEAN, each style of guard could be good for a different kind of debris. I wonder if the gutter guard company's realize this. Good feedback thanks.

there is no perfect gutter guard for every situation. each gutter, depending on the debris will need a specific guard. I have used, cleaned out, repaired, installed, removed, every kind there is.

Gutter helmet, gutter screens Gutter foam, Cleaning them out. All of these things work and all of them don't work too well. A good cleaning including the downspouts is what is needed.