I am an eavestrough company owner and have been installing gutters for over 30 years. There are no gutter covers that are maintenance free. Save your money and clean your gutters a few times a year.
MIKE, YOU HAVE THE ONLY HONEST ANSWER TO GUTTER MAINTENANCE ON THE ENTIRE INTERNET...THANK YOU....THE REST OF YOU TAKE YOU HEADS OUT OF YOU BUTT AND LISTEN TO A TRUE STATEMENT FROM A PROFESSIONAL.
In colder climates (when its raining but ~ 40 degrees), the water droplets have more cohesion and can roll off the front of the gutter rather than go in. That is a problem of the mesh types. Each type has it's own challenges. Plastic cracks in short time. The aluminum screen type gets pushed down and becomes ineffectual after acorns/small branches fall on it. IMO the aluminum covers with holes that screw in front and back are the most resistant to damage/disturbance and continue to function well for a very long time. Lastly on the 'tape' one......there no way that doesn't become a disaster in less than 2 years.
I have LEAF FILTER installed on my 2 story house. Product is certainly good. Well designed.. Very durable PVC backer and non rusting high grade Stainless steel mesh. SS holding barckets. Never clean gutters again is UNTRUE. Even the fine mesh can trap pollen, less cleaning is TRUE. Pricing, unfortunately has wild swings. It is based on what the Sales person perceives as affordable by the home owner, based on size, location and property value. A good rule of thumb is S12- $15/linear foot as a fair price for material and labor. A bit higher $ 20-$25 /lft for a complicated roof and gutters and down spouts dirty and in bad condition. ANything above that is extra topping for the sales guy.
A number of people recommending Raindrop have recently created RU-vid accounts. I'm suspicious of the company creating accounts to come here and leave positive comments.
Micro mesh gets quickly clogged up with mold, moss, mildew here in the PNW. It is better for pine needles then my favorite guard, the 3ft powder coated steel mesh from Everbilt (Home depot), but because the micro mesh ends up restricting water after only less than 2 years, it just is a big waste of money here with all our moist air and rain. The steel everbilt guards only let some needles in, not all, and most go down spout, every couple years just spray down from top through guards to flush all down if you want/need to, easy, open to the elements, never rusts, DIY and cheap and long warranty, best choice I have seen. FYI, I own gutter cleaning business and install guards among other services. Good video, thank you
I went to the hardware store, and bought window screening. I cut it into strips, and using a staple gun, attached the screening to the gutters. Works like a charm.
Your other video stated leaf filter starts their pricing at $32 a linear foot, you're right on target with that comment, I had them come out to my house Friday 9-22-23 and that's exactly on point. After I told the rep I was just starting my due diligence on the peoject, and he realized he wasn't going to close the sale the same day, he proceeded to slice the price in half and said it was only good for that day. In my book he lost all credibility, I invited him to leave my property telling him he was done. I have Nest cameras all around my home and have the presentation on video, I sent leaf filter a spirited email with a link to some of the clips from his presentation asking them if this is how they train their people to sell their product. Not sure if they're going to respond at all, seems very shady to me.....
I'm having a rep from Leaf Filter come out tomorrow 10/02/2023 ( Monday). Having seen the video you're talking about, and now reading your experience, I plan on saving the rep both our time, and tell him straight out," I have no intention of paying $30 per linear ft. I will pay no more than $12 a foot. If you agree, you can close the deal today. If not, with all due respect, I'll shop around, thanks for your time". What are your thoughts?
@@johnmiskanic8056 Right on! Offer to pay what you can afford. If they want your business, they will accept. If not, they can move on to the next sucker.
@@WAL_DC-6B he declined my offer, respectfully. I bout $200 worth of very comparable material from Home Depot and had a friend assist me in installing it. So far, works like a charm. No issues. Saved over 10K
Raindrop is the best option in the Ohio Valley. Micro mesh products easily clog here due to dirt, algae, mildew, pollution, etc. Raindrop is truly maintenance free when properly installed.
100% agree - micro mesh seems to build a muddy mat after time which defeats water entering the gutter troughs and then the water goes over the top. I have two customers with them, same problems.
Very valuable video. Good insight. I got one vinyl gutter cover im planning on changing sometime in future because of large holes after your educational videos about gutter covers. That large toilet brush gutter cover you tried to clean the toilet with still got me laughing. Lol
As a gutter company owner, I recommend Raindrop over everything except one situation. Pine needles. It's the only one on this list that has consideration for expansion and contraction for temperature. It's also the only cover on this list that I would actually classify as self cleaning due to the rounded tops of the grate. Every other cover should be sold to a customer with the explination that it will require some degree of maintenance. As much as I am not a fan of micro mesh, its the only product for pine needles. Also please consider in many cases Raindrop (as well as any cover that goes under a shingle) may void shingle warranty.
I have a customer with micro mesh and although the product is excellent, the installation is everything. It does also still catch pine needles but the customer notices the ones that are pointing straight up in the air. Worst part though, is her installer did a terrible job. Differing angles, reverse angle to the roof edges, and really dangerous, horrible corner cuts. So he took an absolutely great product and basically created a need for seasonal blow off and sweeping. The mesh is so good it caught mud from the shingles and now it is so tight water runs over those areas until the time of year I get there.
I'm in Canada and I got 182' of gutters with DoublePro from Alu-Rex gutter guards installed on my house and garage last month for $24.64/ft installed and taxes included. 5 gutters and 9 downspouts. The contractor told me that when it comes to pine needles it doesn't matter what you install you'll have some maintenance.
I have used all of them... Raindrop gets my vote for # 1, the reason being it is actually a gutter protection system against falling debris, hail, and ice.
Great video, we offer #1 and #4. Our #4 product is manufactured by the same company that makes our gutter hangers. The leaf guards sit perfectly on the hanger giving it good structure. A good, and better option, has worked great for us.
The problem is not the gutters, rather it is the downspout construction. They have tight turns and use crimp and screws to attach them. The crimp can reduce the size by nearly an inch. What is needed is something that retains the downspout size and reduces the tight turns. Something like a flexible, continual downspout, no joints.
Raindrop should be #1, they don’t clog up and are great if you have Pine Trees. I had leaf guard in the past, but they clog up due to the algae and pine needles. Luckily the Insurance paid to replace our gutter after the hail storm and we went with RainDrop. Highly recommend.
I have installed leaf filter and have un-installed all the other options. Leaf filter definitely works the best. Your #1 option you say is micro mesh.... The top complaint regarding micro mesh is the moss and mildew that grows on it, which requires cleaning. Leaf filter, however, has a patented micro mesh system that's made out of surgical grade stainless steel, which means nothing grows or sticks to it. No mold, moss, mildew can grow on it. This means you never have to clean your gutters again. Yes, it costs a little more, but it also works better...and forever. Makes no sense to dismiss leaf filter, then claim #1 is micro mesh. It's actually quite affordable, especially considering you do it once and never have to worry about it again. It's a no brainer.
Sorry. Too many negative RU-vid videos about sales pitch and the fact that folks still need to get on the ladder to clean the filters. Seems like the company likes to target retirees and veterans. Shame on them
The ratings speak for themselves by all accounts. And, no, you do not have to get on a ladder to clean the leaf filters. They are maintenance free. As far as targeting elderly and veterans, well, Leaf Filter "targets" everyone. It just so happens that many customers are elderly, you know, because they aren't able to climb a ladder to clean gutters and keep their home protected from water damage. Additionally, the disabled veteran, who had both his legs blown off and is wheel chair bound, who bought leaf filter from me was extremely happy he was "targeted" for this much needed service, and very grateful for the only gutter protection system hell never have to clean or worry about. Perspective is everything
Leaf Solution is all I install. Cost is a little higher, but we don't get shingle oil tobacco juicing the face of the gutters. Northern California foothills with a lot of pine trees, so micro mesh products are all that work in our area for keeping debris out of the gutters.
Funny story Was in England and saw gutter brush, so I brought it back to the US in my luggage. When the customs x rayed the luggage, they saw something odd, so they opened the luggage, and it sprang out.
I have Raindrop on my house it performs great, does not clog, well engineered product. Also, it easily works on multiple roof systems and gutter types. Should be #1.
Micro mesh will clog up from pollen, dust, dirt, and forms a crust when it dries. If your roof is in a shade area the pollen, dust, dirt, form into an algae/moss. Only get micro mesh if it will be installed in a sunny location that gets a breeze, wind, or if you have pine trees. The one being said is best I bought at Menards and they failed on my back garage in 3 years. Water would flow off them as if I had no gutters at all. Any of the perforated aluminum gutter guards/ covers are the best. I have Ash and Maples, with pines at a distance. I’m in Minnesota.
100% agree - the aluminum ones that are black, powder coated, seem to work best. They are easy to install, have large enough holes to allow water to enter, and small enough to keep out particulate which would not otherwise be washed away. There are so many factors but the biggest one is installation, next do they really need them if there are no trees around, what type of trees, the age of the gutters and any pitch issues in the run (meaning there has to be good flow or otherwise water and debris that does enter will sit and eventually build up to create a clog). Installation very important.
I put in a foam and it works great I've had them for 3 years now keeping all of the stuff out of my gutters before my gutters would plug up at least 3 times a year now only water is in my gutters and the gunk fly's off and they also work great in the winter with snow and ice no issues even below 0 just one thing do not put them under the support brace in the gutter just make a cut at each one works much better that way and the nice part is when they need to be replaced it's cheap and easy and all you need is a scissors and a ladder.
Well I agree. I just removed my gutters for a new roof system had micromesh my company sells as premium leaf protection. As a gutter contractor, I neglected mine taking care of customers 15 years and minor spiderwebs and dirt all that was under it. You decide for yourself.
Science. You need to maximize the area that the water can go into for the gutter to work. Gutter with no guards, lets call that 100% OPEN. Even then, if you have a heavy enough rain, it can overwhelm the gutter and water will pour over the sides. The helmet system cuts down from 100% open with nothing to I reckon lest than 10% open. I would say that a micro mesh gets as close to 50% as possible while also filtering out the smallest amounts of debris as possible. I waitng for a gutter and screen system to desing a gutter that is twice as wide as standard with the finest possible mesh so that you have 100% of the flow of a standard gutter that is 100% open and 100% free of debris.
Stainless steel micro mesh is all I install! Only complaint I've gotten is leaves building up at inside corners when splash guards are present but that's inevitable with any gutter guard. Now its just something I inform customers about beforehand and let them know they still have to get their roof blown off once a year.
@@d.c2123 It's much easier to blow off a couple inside corners than to clean out all of the gutters. They also help keep out pests (if installed properly). And they don't have to worry about gutter clogs.
We love Raindrop. It does a great job of keeping leaves out but more importantly in our area, it protects the gutters from sliding ice and snow. and no, I don’t work for them😉
Raindrop is better than micromesh because of the pitch it adds to shed debris. Anything that lays flat will collect more than something smooth and angled. We stopped installing anything flat for this reason.
#1 My question is it hard to install with hangers on your eavestroughs ? #2 what about the grains that come off my shingles? They have installed my eavestrough so level that water sits in it and also the grains from the shingles.
this stuff works great, installed in 2018: FlowGuard Premium 50-Year Gutter Cover System - Thermal Thaw Black - 5 Inch Aluminum Gutter Guards, 102 Feet - by FlexxPoint
I was going to say the same. I am in contact with hundreds of professional gutter installers and very few use raindrop as opposed to everyone commenting here...
And they have recently created RU-vid accounts with no other activity from Feb 2023. They saw the video, saw an opportunity, and likely did something unethical.
He's right stay away from Leaf filter their product will fail, and the warranty is absolutely useless, and a waste of money. My wife and I purchased Leaf filter and call them for warranty work product was warping and twisting and breaking from the cheap vinyl plastic they were using. They wanted to charge us to come out and look at it in the first place. When we did get them out here, they wanted to charges for any fix and replacement of their product. The product had been on the house for only 2 1/2 years.
If you have any trees near your home you will have debris clogging every product we have on this vid. Gutter helmet has it's own problems. The heavy rains can overwhelm the system depending on roof pitch and fiberglass roofing particles and sand/dirt does make its way into the gutter over time and the only way to clean is to disassemble some sections. I will clean my open gutters once a year and they work best.
I lived in the far east for a few years, on our house there were no gutters, when it rained straight off the roof into the ground. The overhang on the roof was larger than here in N America,
I disagree I think Raindrop should be number one - Very sturdy, super easy to install, and since it doesn't sit down in the gutter itself nothing gets stuck in it. Also Cost Effective!
My son put micro mesh on his house two years ago with a very steep roof and they get 5" of rain a month (at times very heavy), and I was surprised, but the rain actually goes through he mesh, even in heavy rain.
Some micro mesh guards have very small or fine holes. Those are the ones that will clog up the fastest especially in a shady area. I think they’re so many manufacturers with different filtering or mesh spacing. Never go with the fine mesh what ever anyone does. Get the more courser mesh if you do buy it.
Which gutter cover has the best chance of not causing freeze-ups which will cause thawing snow to run over the gutter, which then causes icicles to form and have to worry about?
Well, so much for expecting the author of video to actually keep in touch with the questions posted here. Or any review posted by anyone, for that matter, months later. I'm pretty sure I have Not seen any review about gutter guards, mention anything about the results of what to expect during the winter months, which makes me think none of these gutter guards, no matter who makes them, are worth spending my money on. I REALLY want someone to prove me wrong. I really do!
Don’t go with Leaf Filter, and I’m here to say why. I had them installed only on my back patio gutter, and it was $3,000. That was just a year ago this past March, and the gutter is already clogged. So I called them to have someone sent here to fix that. They said it would cost me $97, because my one year warranty was up. So much for their so called “Lifetime No Clogs Guarantee” 😑
We had a Four Seasons Sunroom installed at our house some years ago. The owner of the franchise recommended the foam stuff. It's terrible! Avoid it like the plague just as said in this video.
What works best for live oaks that drop pollen in the spring that turns to mush/muck that might clog micro mesh or get past others and then sludge up the gutters themselves?
as a home owner I have several pines around the property and that tends to be my biggest problem I had gutters installed that have the mesh but I already see pone needles sticking up....do any gutters keep the pine needles away??? Please help!!!
I don't believe that there is any gutter guard that will help with pine needles. I'm in Canada and I got DoublePro from Alu-rex installed last month. It's the top of the line with great reviews. Before getting a quote and placing the order, I read a lot of reviews about gutter guards and when it comes to pine needles it's a problem with whatever you install but some gutter guards are better than others. I asked the contractor about it and he was honest and told me that I might have to get the ladder out some times to give a wipe on top of the guard or use an extension on a leaf blower to blow them off from the ground. Hope this answers your question.
I think a good old fashioned gutter with no cover that you clean every other year is best option. You can see what is in there and it collects ALL the water. My new leaf guard system is dripping here and there. Should not be. It is hardly raining.
Micro mesh is awful. The mesh cloggs with roof grit and then leaks over. I had Gutter Helmet installed on my house and I love it! Does amazing with the pine needles.
So honestly just a metal screen type over the downspout drain area and just pay attention to leaves and debris from your area. Clean gutter when it needs. Otherwise get hustled by gutter guard contractors
These gutter guards are all crap, non work. They get plugged with junk and water just spills over the edge, save your money and just get someone in to clean out the gutters with no guard, its a lot cheaper
Micro mesh is a lot like a sifter - anyone who has ever used a sifter knows what I mean. I don't think it's sustainable to remove all guards and shake the dirt stuck in the mesh preventing water from going in and the re-install them.
we sell micro mesh systems in the NW to combat pine needles & finer debris. You didn't review LeafGuard or Gutter Helmet reverse curve system??? Any reason why?
leafguard was the first product he brought up at #7. Overpriced for the performance it delivers. Had it on our house in Seattle for 20 years. Pine needles began to stick to the opening slot rendering the fancy system useless. Result, gulleys formed around the house as water rolled over the edge of the leafguard. Needed constant attention to scrubbing the needles out of the slot. So much for never having to clean out the gutters.
Hi. We have problem with the roof shingles and the black material getting thru gutter guards and clogging Which one of these works for that or are there any? Thanks
It's called roof or shingle sediment. Nothing works against it. You have to go on the roof periodically and clean it out with a leaf blower. I do it every year.
There is no gutter guard system of any kind that actually works. We’ve tried them all from $400 to $12,000. Not a single one works. Put a screener in your downspout and clean your gutters three times yearly.
He lumped it in with leafguard and leaf filter at number 7. I have Gutter Helmet on my house and love it! Installed and maintained by a local company in my town.
I spend most of my time throwing them out. So much dirt still gets underneath the guards causing more damage and resulting in a much more expensive clean. Add it to the list of scams right alongside the Microsoft Technical Support con and the classic Nigerian Prince scam.
I have leaf filter, and they did not cost the amount you state, I do not believe it is overpriced You get what you pay for. I paid less than you stated they charge, well under 40$ per foot. Performance ids excellent with a transferrable lifetime warranty and the installation does not go under the shingles which can void the roofing warranty
These are all options for a flawed design. They come in pieces and always require maintenance. I could be wrong but I didn't hear anything about a seamless, all one piece gutter design from LeafGuard. let me know if you'd like to know more.
Don’t need to buy expensive premanufactured brand gutter guards. Make your own. I installed the equivalent of #2 raindrop on my 2500 square foot home: 1. Bought 5 rolls of 36” x 5’ hardware cloth (galvanized steel mesh) with 1/4” mesh spacing for a total of $110 and 2 boxes of self tapping screws (100 in each box) total screw cost $50. Mesh and screws both in stock at Ace Hardware. 2. Cut the steel mesh into 3’ x 6” strips. 3. Tuck one side of the steel mesh strip under the roof shingles and secure the other side to the edge of the gutter with self tapping screws. Total cost for materials $160. My own labor took me about 8 hours. Same as #2 Raindrop. I actually like my method better than raindrop because you can easily see through the steel mesh to see and monitor what’s going on with drainage/debris inside your gutters. With raindrop and the other gutter guards you can’t.
Dude what are you f****** talking about leaf filter did my house for a 4th of the cost of my roof? Plus ive had them for 7 years and they still look brand new. The house came with leafguard but it kept on clogging all the damn time.
So the cheaper better filters install themselves? Or do I have to go up & install myself? Find someone to do it??? There’s the HUGE advantage & a MASSIVE hole to your story here. As a homeowner I’d rather pay for the LeafFilter’s or leaf guard etc as it will add to value of my home & installed by professionals who provide guarantees and warrantees UNLIKE Lowe’s Home Depot & Menards filters It’s all great until you can’t find anyone to install & even then what are we to do? Hire dude from corner bar with the rusty pickup & liquor breath to hopefully do a good job? There’s A LOT you’re not covering here hopefully consumers realize there’s pros and cons to everything & in no way is your way the best for everyone - pure common sense establishes that as indisputable fact
All those are trash as a product besides leaf filter. I’m kinda surprised you promote bad guards. I’ve seen em all on houses and they all are a bookshelf for debris that I still have to blow off or take apart to clean gutters.
You need to try Raindrop then. No clog call backs. In the south it lets pine needs in but they blow out or wash down, need the whole system including wide mouths. We don't get calls for clogs. Durable made from same material as stadium bleacher seats
