- My Forums
- Tiger Rant
- LSU Recruiting
- SEC Rant
- Saints Talk
- Pelicans Talk
- More Sports Board
- Fantasy Sports
- Golf Board
- Soccer Board
- O-T Lounge
- Tech Board
- Home/Garden Board
- Outdoor Board
- Health/Fitness Board
- Movie/TV Board
- Book Board
- Music Board
- Political Talk
- Money Talk
- Fark Board
- Gaming Board
- Travel Board
- Food/Drink Board
- Ticket Exchange
- TD Help Board
Customize My Forums- View All Forums
- Show Left Links
- Topic Sort Options
- Trending Topics
- Recent Topics
- Active Topics
Started By
Message
Anyone here use gutter guards to keep leaves out?
Posted on 2/26/18 at 9:10 am
Posted on 2/26/18 at 9:10 am
If so, which ones do you use and do they work? I have two live oaks that overhang the front and back corner of my house and it's a constant battle to keep them clean.
10
Posted on 2/26/18 at 9:30 am to Coon
Mine look like a small, coated expanded metal. Think it can be found at Lowes. I should have put them on as soon as I put the gutters up!
Posted on 2/26/18 at 9:32 am to Coon
I’ve seen some at Stines that are basically a pourious foam that sits in the gutter. I’m curious how they work.
Posted on 2/26/18 at 9:37 am to Coon
Not yet, but I have got to add some. My yard is full of oaks that constantly fill them with leaves. My neighbor has the mesh PVC ones that snap in and says they work great. I just need to get off my arse and do it.
Posted on 2/26/18 at 10:07 am to Coon
I am happy with Leaf Sentry Gutter Guards.
Posted on 2/26/18 at 10:21 am to Coon
I have a HUGE live oak in my back yard. When the house was built, I had them put in some gutter guards, which were these type:
Those work great for big Maple leaves, as in the picture, but not so good for live oak leaves which are smaller and tend to get stuck in the gaps. A few years later I replaced them with this type, a grid with a mesh:
MUCH Better for the leaves, but what I found is that with live oaks, leaves are just HALF of your problem. The other half are the catkins, that small stuff that comes after the leaves drop (usually in conjunction with the pollen). That stuff will just clump up and sit on top of the fine mesh, blocking water flow into the gutter and eventually backing up and holding up leaves the following year.
So, every spring after the catkins have finished dropping I have to get up on a ladder (2nd floor) and blast off the catkin mess with a hose. It comes off very easily; just needs a little more pressure than rain flow to knock it off. Then it's good for another year.
Oh, and the white plastic will degrade due to UV sunlight over time-- I've noticed the underlying grid (not the mesh on type) breaking off in a few spots. Will have to replace it in a year or two. Probably lasted 12-15 years though...
Those work great for big Maple leaves, as in the picture, but not so good for live oak leaves which are smaller and tend to get stuck in the gaps. A few years later I replaced them with this type, a grid with a mesh:
MUCH Better for the leaves, but what I found is that with live oaks, leaves are just HALF of your problem. The other half are the catkins, that small stuff that comes after the leaves drop (usually in conjunction with the pollen). That stuff will just clump up and sit on top of the fine mesh, blocking water flow into the gutter and eventually backing up and holding up leaves the following year.
So, every spring after the catkins have finished dropping I have to get up on a ladder (2nd floor) and blast off the catkin mess with a hose. It comes off very easily; just needs a little more pressure than rain flow to knock it off. Then it's good for another year.
Oh, and the white plastic will degrade due to UV sunlight over time-- I've noticed the underlying grid (not the mesh on type) breaking off in a few spots. Will have to replace it in a year or two. Probably lasted 12-15 years though...
This post was edited on 2/26/18 at 10:23 am
Posted on 2/26/18 at 10:47 am to BRich
I have a big live oak that covers my entire back patio, and the gutters are a wire mesh that is has small enough holes to prevent leaves from accumulating. They just blow off in a good wind. Make sure you put them on at the correct angle so the leaves fall off and don't accumulate and clog up the channel.
Posted on 2/26/18 at 10:47 am to Coon
Ran across this online but haven't used it. Seems like it may be expensive? https://www.gutterglove.com/
Posted on 2/26/18 at 10:51 am to Coon
Costco usually has a sale on the metal mesh ones a couple of times a year, but I have never pulled the trigger on them.
Posted on 2/26/18 at 12:24 pm to Coon
Have two live oaks and have used several different types. Most can't take the weight of live oak leaves. Ones by Flexxpoint have been only ones to hold up. Can get on Amazon.
Posted on 2/28/18 at 4:42 pm to Coon
I have Alcoa Leaf Relief guards and they work well with Oak leaves & droppings. They don't work as well with all the pine trees I have to deal with. I've had these for over ten years and they're easy to take on/off.
Posted on 3/1/18 at 6:56 am to Coon
I am on the second set and it was so disappointing in the first results when I had gutter-guards put on existing 4' gutters that 10 years later I had all of it ripped off.
What I learned in the process: They have this book called the IBC (international building code) and by researching it I learned their is a rainfall chart for the USA in it, and based on this rainfall chart a determination is made for the size of the gutters allowed that "shall" hold and distribute the fill.
Nowhere below Kentucky does it show an area where anything less than 5' gutters are allowed and 6' covers most of our area here in the South.
How 4' is even sold here is criminal in my eye.
2nd, Gutters, Gutter guards are only as good as the craftsmanship of the installer. make sure the installer has a supervisor come back after he leaves with a level and measure the work (QA), you doing it also with him is best.
Go look at his last three jobs before you contract with a company not the display units if they have a problem, run!
5' 6' gutters preferably first and ask if they are following the current IBC standard for rainfall in your area. Most inspectors don't even know the rules because nobody makes them, but once you know, and they know you know the codes and standards, shite gets real and the fluff stops.
Good luck!
What I learned in the process: They have this book called the IBC (international building code) and by researching it I learned their is a rainfall chart for the USA in it, and based on this rainfall chart a determination is made for the size of the gutters allowed that "shall" hold and distribute the fill.
Nowhere below Kentucky does it show an area where anything less than 5' gutters are allowed and 6' covers most of our area here in the South.
How 4' is even sold here is criminal in my eye.
2nd, Gutters, Gutter guards are only as good as the craftsmanship of the installer. make sure the installer has a supervisor come back after he leaves with a level and measure the work (QA), you doing it also with him is best.
Go look at his last three jobs before you contract with a company not the display units if they have a problem, run!
5' 6' gutters preferably first and ask if they are following the current IBC standard for rainfall in your area. Most inspectors don't even know the rules because nobody makes them, but once you know, and they know you know the codes and standards, shite gets real and the fluff stops.
Good luck!
Posted on 3/1/18 at 9:49 am to BarberitosDawg
quote:
ask if they are following the current IBC standard for rainfall in your area.
Ask a gutter installer in Louisiana if they follow the International Building Code and you will get a funny look.
But I certainly agree, most homes should have at least 5" gutters. Only very small runoff areas should have 4" installed.
Page 1 of 1
Popular
Back to top
Follow TigerDroppings for LSU Football News