-
Yep, and if you’ve got a two-story house, it’s double the fun (and double the ladder anxiety).“pine needles are like the glitter of the tree world—once they’re in your gutters, they’re never really gone.”
- Tried mesh guards—cheaper than those solid covers, but still need to brush them off every couple months.
- Gutter cleaning = free upper body workout. I just budget for a leaf blower attachment and call it “maintenance.”
- Not convinced on the foam either... mine turned into a compost heap by spring. For what it’s worth, nothing beats a sturdy pair of gloves and a Saturday afternoon.
“Gutter cleaning = free upper body workout. I just budget for a leaf blower attachment and call it ‘maintenance.’”
That’s pretty much my approach too—except my “workout” usually ends with me covered in pine needles and muttering about moving to the desert. Tried those mesh guards a couple years back, but the squirrels here treat them like a buffet, so I’m back to the old gloves-and-bucket routine. Foam inserts were a total bust for me as well... they just turned into a soggy mess and clogged up worse than before.
Honestly, I’ve found that just staying on top of it every few months is the only thing that keeps the gutters from turning into a science experiment. I did splurge on a telescoping gutter tool last fall—saved me from hauling out the big ladder every time, which is a win for my wallet and my nerves. Still, nothing’s foolproof. If anyone ever invents self-cleaning gutters that don’t cost a fortune, I’m first in line.
Mesh guards are a mixed bag in my book—seen plenty chewed up by wildlife or just clogged with fine debris. Telescoping tools are a game changer for single-story homes, but on taller houses I still end up dragging out the ladder. Ever notice how gutter issues always seem to show up right after a big storm, no matter how on top of it you are?
