Had a diverter up for a year—helped with the overshoot, but it did catch a lot of leaves and gunk. Cleaning was more annoying, but at least water stopped pooling at the foundation.
I hear you on the cleaning hassle. I put in a cheap aluminum diverter last fall, mainly because we kept getting these ridiculous puddles right where the walkway meets the house—almost slipped twice. It definitely redirected the water better, but honestly? The amount of junk that built up behind it after a couple windy weeks was nuts. Ended up having to get up there twice as often just to scoop out clumps of maple seeds and bits of shingle grit.
Still, I guess it’s easier to clear out leaves than deal with basement dampness... but I’m not sure if the trade-off is worth it long-term. Sometimes I wonder if those gutter guards would be less hassle, though I’ve heard mixed things. My neighbor swears by his mesh covers, but he’s got pine needles instead of broad leaves like me—different beast.
I also keep thinking about what you said about foam inserts: “always figured they’d clog up quick and just rot.” That’s exactly my worry. My cousin tried those a couple years back (he’s got a big old oak over his place) and after one season he was pulling out soggy hunks of blackened foam that smelled awful. Not really an upgrade in my book.
Maybe there’s no perfect solution except getting up there more often than I’d like. Or maybe just cutting down every tree in sight... half kidding, but only half.
Maybe there’s no perfect solution except getting up there more often than I’d like. Or maybe just cutting down every tree in sight... half kidding, but only half.
I get where you’re coming from—sometimes it feels like the trees are plotting against us. I’ve seen those mesh guards work for folks with pine needles, but with big leaves and all that shingle grit? They still need a good cleaning now and then, just not as often. Foam inserts... yeah, I’ve pulled out enough moldy chunks to last a lifetime. Honestly, nothing’s truly “set it and forget it” unless you’re cool with water going wherever it wants.
Mesh guards are decent, but yeah—big leaves and shingle grit still sneak through. I’ve seen folks try those bottle-brush style inserts too, but they just end up catching everything and turning into a soggy mess. Honestly, unless you’re cool with the occasional ladder workout, there’s always some upkeep. Trees definitely keep us busy...
Honestly, unless you’re cool with the occasional ladder workout, there’s always some upkeep. Trees definitely keep us busy...
That’s the truth—my gutters basically become a science experiment every fall. The bottle-brush ones looked promising until they started growing moss and sprouting little trees of their own. I’ve heard some folks swear by those solid surface guards (the ones that sit on top and let water run over), but I always wonder if heavy rain just causes water to shoot past the gutter entirely. Anyone tried those during a real downpour? Always feels like it’s a tradeoff between less cleaning and risking overflow.
I tried those solid surface guards last year after getting tired of scooping out handfuls of sludge every fall. They seemed like a genius idea at first—no more leaves, just water sliding right in. But during our first big storm, I watched water just pour right over the edge and pool around my foundation. Not ideal. Maybe it’s the pitch of my roof or the way the gutters are installed, but it was definitely worse than just dealing with clogged gutters.
Ended up pulling them off and going back to the old-fashioned method: gloves, a bucket, and a lot of grumbling. I’m half-convinced there’s no “set it and forget it” solution if you’ve got big trees nearby. Has anyone actually found something that works long-term, or is this just one of those suburban rites of passage?
