That’s kind of where I landed too—just couldn’t justify the price for my place. But I do wonder, for folks with a lot of trees right over the roof, does the cost start to make more sense? Or maybe it depends on how bad the clogging gets each fall?
Yeah, I think it really comes down to how much debris you’re dealing with. My place is surrounded by maples and oaks, and every fall the gutters fill up fast. I did the math—paying someone to clean them twice a year adds up, but still not quite as much as the upfront cost of leaf filters. If you’re climbing ladders yourself, there’s also the safety factor to consider. For folks with heavy tree cover, it might pencil out over time, but for lighter foliage, probably not worth it.
If you’re climbing ladders yourself, there’s also the safety factor to consider.
That’s what finally convinced me. I used to play “gutter roulette” every fall—how many leaves before the downspout clogs? Last year I nearly took a nosedive off the ladder, so now I’m eyeing those leaf filters too. My neighbor swears by his, but he’s got pine needles and says they still sneak through. For me, with mostly big maple leaves, might be worth it just for fewer trips up the ladder... and less nagging from my wife.
I get where you’re coming from. I used to think leaf filters were just another upsell, but after my uncle slipped and broke his wrist cleaning gutters, I started rethinking things. Maple leaves tend to mat up and block everything, so most filters will at least keep the big stuff out. Pine needles are trickier—they’ll work their way into anything, honestly. For your situation, it’s probably a decent tradeoff: less ladder time, fewer clogs, and maybe a little peace at home. Just don’t expect zero maintenance... sometimes you still gotta brush off the top in heavy fall seasons.
Had to laugh at the pine needle comment—those things are like ninjas. I put filters on last year thinking I’d never touch a ladder again, but turns out, squirrels love to stash acorns right on top. Anyone else’s gutters become a rodent pantry, or is that just my circus?
