- Had similar issues with mesh guards—
That’s been my experience too, especially with all the pine needles around here.“some stuff still piles up on top and you end up having to brush it off anyway.”
- Tried the reverse curve covers a couple years back. They did keep most big stuff out, but honestly, smaller debris just clung to the lip and made these weird clogs right at the edge. Had to get up there and clear it off anyway.
- Ended up going with 3x4” downspouts and just doing a quick flush every fall and spring. Cheaper, and I spend less time fussing with the guards.
- Not perfect, but at least I’m not fighting with tiny screws and warped mesh every season.
Not perfect, but at least I’m not fighting with tiny screws and warped mesh every season.
That’s exactly why I ditched the fancy guards too. The mesh was supposed to be “maintenance-free,” but I swear I spent more time up there picking out pine needles than before. Now I just run the hose through the gutters twice a year and call it good. Has anyone tried those foam inserts? They look kinda gimmicky, but maybe they’re less hassle?
Tried the foam inserts last fall after getting tired of digging out handfuls of muck every spring. Honestly, they weren’t the miracle fix I hoped for. Stuff still got stuck on top—especially maple seeds and little twigs. Plus, after a heavy rain, some of the foam floated up and started sticking out the edge. Maybe it works better if you only have big leaves falling, but in my yard it just turned into a different kind of headache. I ended up pulling them out by winter. Just my two cents... sometimes simple is better.
I was eyeing those foam inserts too, but your experience makes me think twice. I’ve just been climbing up there every fall and scooping out the mess by hand—tedious, but at least I know it’s done right. Has anyone tried those metal mesh guards? I keep seeing ads for them, but I’m skeptical they’d actually keep out all the little stuff like pine needles or seeds. Wondering if it’s worth the hassle or if I should just stick with my gloves and a bucket...
Mesh guards are a mixed bag, honestly. They do help with the big stuff—leaves, twigs—but pine needles and those tiny seeds still find their way in, especially after a windy week. I’ve seen some folks use finer stainless mesh, but then you run into clogging on top instead of inside. Not a perfect fix, just shifts the cleaning around a bit. Personally, I’d rather spend an afternoon with gloves and a scoop than deal with water backing up under my shingles...