Anyone using this product? Is it reliable? Are there less expensive alternatives?
Thinking of getting Leaf Gard installed
- Thread starter packerzrule
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The channel type. Got a guy coming over next Monday to measure and give me an estimate.
So effing tired of climbing up the ladder to clean out my gutters.
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I'm interesting to know what they say and how they work out b/c we've got gutters all the way around the house and it's been hell keeping the leaves out of them.
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When I got my shake looking metal roof put on I wanted leaf guard gutters put on as well. The ones where the water kind of rolls over the edge and wraps into the down tray. But was told they wouldn't fit with my roof style.
So we got one that have a regular fine mesh screen covering things.
They work great for leaves. And we have torrential, biblical downpours here.
But they don't keep fir needles from passing through. Those little suckers pass through and collect where the down spout opening is and can jam it up. Then thing overflows.
Aside from that though they are great. But I still have to get the real high traffic portions of my gutters shop vacced in mid summer to remove the dry leaves and needles there. They tend to matt down but are easily removed. I got a 12' hose extension and it's easy to do now.
But I do wish I could have gotten the ones I wanted. Which would have been these ones.
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Yeah, that is the style I want to get. Don't have to worry about pine needles, just birch leaves and twigs.
Will keep you posted.
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I'm not sure why the roofers said those wouldn't fit my roofing cover.
While not as good, they and the roof are both are guaranteed for life anyway and transfers if I sell the house.
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My mother bought them. If anything ever goes wrong, they come and fix it for free. I am thankful. It's one less thing i need to work on at her house. One day I may buy them.
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used to work for a competitor of theirs. Same concept though.
They do work fine against leaves. Pine needles will get inside & sometimes stick to the front of the system.
If you have a hose they are easy enough to spray off. If installed correctly the needles will flush out. if you have drains, they should have some form of a leaf trap to catch the debris that flushes out, so they dont go into your drains. these types of systems actually work better in stronger rains than light rains.
They dont work well with metal roofs however. You will see more skipping off the system than a normal roof. if you do have a metal roof. It will work better the more pitch you have on the roof. if you have a low pitched metal roof I would suggest you not get the system.
Other than that. If installed correctly, you should be fine.
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That must be why they said it wouldn't work on my house.
Not a severe pitch to the roof. Don't have a better picture of the roof. This was before the put the little snow stoppers on.
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I always figured they'd end up just being a huge pain in the ass every 5 years, instead of a minor pain in the ass every year. Seems like they'd still need cleaning every few years.
We've got larch needles in the Fall, and they also drop little buds in the Spring and those are the real bastards. It's a twice a year deal here, so I've contemplated em' too.
We've got larch needles in the Fall, and they also drop little buds in the Spring and those are the real bastards. It's a twice a year deal here, so I've contemplated em' too.
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I just put gutters on my house and added the mesh screen. Not the same brand as you are inquiring about.
Its metal mesh...probably aluminum....and it keeps the leaves from clogging up your gutters. I have huge Crepe Myrtles in my landscaping in front of house that dump tons of shit (seed pods...flowers...leaves and bark) year round. The back yard has 4 Elm trees that dump another ton of leaves and seed pods as well.
Unless these "Leaf Gard" screens works any better, which I don't see how they could....
I'd just go with the mesh. Wasn't too expensive and it works!
Now how it works with pine needles is unknown to me. I don't have any pine trees near me.
Its metal mesh...probably aluminum....and it keeps the leaves from clogging up your gutters. I have huge Crepe Myrtles in my landscaping in front of house that dump tons of shit (seed pods...flowers...leaves and bark) year round. The back yard has 4 Elm trees that dump another ton of leaves and seed pods as well.
Unless these "Leaf Gard" screens works any better, which I don't see how they could....
I'd just go with the mesh. Wasn't too expensive and it works!
Now how it works with pine needles is unknown to me. I don't have any pine trees near me.
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I dont know LeafGards Warranties, but imagine they are the same(similar) to ours.
They should warranty against clogs inside the system, but you are responsible for outside the system. So if your hose can hit the gutters you should be fine. Anything happens inside the system they should have to come out & deal with for you.
I have dealt with some homes on side of a hill where they height of the gutter, hoses probably werent gonna work. but normally hoses from the ground works for the homeowner.
I don't have them on this place, but I have heard mixed reviews from my customers in the burbs. They are great, shit still gets in, ice dam issues etc.
New gutters typically run $6-$8 a running foot plus the down spouts around here and I'm told that the gutter guard systems cost about that much as well. I'm curious to hear what kind of numbers you get.
My neighbor had a gutter guard system installed this summer and it was a franchise operation that sent two chuckleheads over. It took them the better part of 3 days to install new gutters and the guards on a very small cape. A friend of mine that owns a gutter install operation would have knocked out the whole job by himself in one day no sweat.
I guess my only solid advice is to stay away from the franchise BS and find a local installer that does it.
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Leafguard is a hooded system not a mesh/gutter screen system
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Oh okay. Yeah I remember seeing those now. They look expensive....
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Pine needles are fairly long.
It's the fir needles I have issues with. Quite a bit shorter.
These are the screens in my gutters.
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Yeah that's what mine look like also. Works great for the leaves I have. For me, personally, that's all I would ever need. It doesn't snow here but once every 10+ years and my house is one level so reaching the gutter with a hose or rake is not difficult.