Has anyone tried those foam gutter inserts? I keep seeing ads but can’t tell if they’re any better or just another critter magnet.
Tried the foam inserts a couple years back—honestly, they did keep out the bigger leaves, but smaller stuff still got stuck on top and eventually broke down into mush. Squirrels seemed to love nesting in them too. Not sure they’re much better than just cleaning the gutters twice a year. If you’ve got a lot of pine needles, they’re even less effective. Just my two cents.
Squirrels seemed to love nesting in them too. Not sure they’re much better than just cleaning the gutters twice a year.
That’s pretty much what happened at my place, too. I put in foam inserts after getting tired of dragging out the ladder every fall, thinking it’d be a set-it-and-forget-it thing. For the first couple months, it looked like they were working—big leaves from my maple tree just kind of sat on top and blew off with the wind. But then we had a few windy days and rain, and suddenly there was this weird sludge building up right on top of the foam. It was like compost soup up there.
The real kicker was when I went up to check things out in spring and found a squirrel had stashed half a bag of acorns in one section. I guess they liked the cozy setup? Anyway, I ended up pulling all the foam out after two seasons because it felt like more hassle than just scooping out leaves twice a year.
I will say, if you don’t have a ton of trees right over your roof, maybe they’d work better. My neighbor has mostly evergreens and he swears by his foam inserts, but he doesn’t get nearly as much debris as I do. Pine needles are another story—they just wedge themselves into everything.
Honestly, I’m still searching for something that actually works long-term without turning into a science experiment or critter hotel. Gutter guards with metal mesh seem promising but I’ve heard mixed reviews about those clogging up too. At this point, climbing up there with gloves and a scoop is just part of my fall routine... not ideal, but at least I know what I’m dealing with each time.
If anyone’s found something that keeps both leaves and squirrels out without turning into mulch city, I’d love to hear about it. Otherwise, looks like it’s me vs. the gutters for another season.
I’ve seen everything from birds building nests in mesh guards to raccoons just ripping the whole thing off. Sometimes I wonder if the real trick is just moving somewhere without trees… Has anyone actually tried those solid cover gutter guards that claim to use “surface tension” to keep stuff out? Curious if they’re any better or just another critter playground.
I totally get the frustration—my first fall in this house, I thought mesh guards would be a quick fix, but squirrels just chewed right through them. I did end up trying those solid surface-tension covers (the ones with the curved edge). Here’s what I noticed: 1) They really do keep out most leaves and big stuff, 2) Pine needles still sneak in sometimes, and 3) Critters seem less interested, probably because there’s nowhere to grab on. Not perfect, but way less maintenance than before. If you’ve got a lot of overhanging branches, you’ll still need to check them now and then... but it’s a step up from leaf soup.
I hear you on the squirrels—those little guys are like gutter ninjas. Tried mesh guards here too and it turned into an all-you-can-eat buffet for the local wildlife. Ended up switching to surface-tension covers, and yeah, they’re pretty good at keeping out leaves but pine needles still manage to find their way in, just like you said. Honestly, between climbing up there every month and dealing with “gutter stew,” I’m half tempted to just put a green roof over the whole thing and call it a day... but my HOA would probably have a meltdown.
