Had a customer with a similar setup—tons of maples, standard guards, and still ended up with water pouring over the edge every fall. Honestly, most guards just shift the cleaning from inside the gutter to on top of the guard. If you’re not up for regular checks, they’re not a magic fix. I’ve seen folks just pop the guards off every year and do a quick clean—less hassle than dealing with overflow or basement leaks. Sometimes low-tech wins.
I’m in the same boat—first fall in this house, and I thought leaf guards would be a set-it-and-forget-it thing. Turns out, the maples here just dump so much stuff that the guards get covered anyway. I still had to get up there and brush everything off. Not sure it’s saving me much time, honestly. Maybe it’s just less gunk inside the gutters, but the cleaning part’s still there.
Yeah, I’m starting to wonder if leaf guards are just a fancy way to make me feel like I’m doing something productive, but really I’m just adding another step to the whole “don’t fall off the ladder” routine. I’ve got a couple big oaks and a maple right over the house, and even with the guards, I still end up with a mat of soggy leaves on top. Maybe it’s less gross inside the gutters, but I’m still up there with a broom twice every fall.
Has anyone tried those foam inserts instead of the metal or mesh covers? I keep seeing ads for them but can’t tell if they’re any better or just another thing to clean. At this point, I’m half tempted to just let the trees win and see what happens... but then I remember how much water in the basement sucks.
- Totally get the “just another thing to clean” vibe. I’ve got mesh guards and still end up clearing off the top every fall, just like you said.
- Tried foam inserts a couple years back. They *do* keep most leaves out of the gutter itself, but honestly, they get clogged with tiny stuff—oak tassels, maple seeds, etc. Once they’re packed in, water just runs over.
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Been there. Gave up one year and paid for it with a flooded crawlspace.“At this point, I’m half tempted to just let the trees win and see what happens...”
- If you’re under big trees, nothing’s really maintenance-free. For me, mesh is slightly less hassle than foam, but it’s still a ladder job twice a year. Just less gross inside the gutter now.
Yeah, I hear you on the “let the trees win” thing—nature’s relentless, especially if you’ve got oaks or maples hanging overhead. I always tell folks, even with the fanciest guards, maintenance doesn’t disappear... it just gets a bit less disgusting. Mesh is usually the lesser evil in my book. At least you’re not scooping out a compost pile twice a year.
