Tried the foam inserts a couple years back at my place—lots of fir needles and maple leaves. Here’s what I noticed: they did a decent job at first, blocking the bigger stuff and letting water through. But after one season, the needles started matting on top, and I had to brush them off every few weeks. The real kicker was the mold. Once things got damp in the fall, those inserts held moisture and started to smell funky. Pulled them out that winter and found some spots where they’d collapsed a bit, too.
If you’re in a spot with heavy tree cover, especially pines or cedars, I’d say foam’s more hassle than it’s worth. Mesh covers aren’t perfect either, but at least you can see when they’re clogged. Honestly, nothing beats getting up there twice a year and clearing things out by hand... not fun, but it works. If you’re set on a guard system, maybe look into the solid-surface types that let water in through a slot—less gunk seems to stick to those in my experience.
I’ve had similar issues with foam inserts—on paper, they seemed like a low-maintenance fix, but in practice the needles just piled up and I was still dragging out the ladder every month. Mold was a problem for me too, especially after a wet fall. The solid-surface guards you mentioned are interesting—I’ve seen them advertised, but I’m wary about ice buildup in winter since I’m up north. Has anyone noticed problems with ice dams or overflow when using those?
I’ve inspected a bunch of homes up here in the snow belt, and yeah, solid-surface guards can be a mixed bag. They do a pretty good job at keeping out debris, but I’ve seen them contribute to ice dams if the attic’s not well insulated or ventilated. Water just can’t drain fast enough during freeze-thaw cycles and ends up backing under shingles sometimes. If your gutters already get icy, those covers might make it worse. On the flip side, they’re way better than foam for keeping mold and gunk at bay—at least in my experience. It’s always a trade-off...
Yeah, I’ve seen that too—those solid guards are a double-edged sword in the snow belt. Like you said,
I’ve had tenants complain about leaks right at the eaves after a cold snap, and sure enough, it was ice damming up behind those covers. But honestly, cleaning gutters out here without any guard is a nightmare once the leaves start falling... I’ve tried mesh screens, but they get clogged with pine needles. At this point, I just budget for a mid-winter gutter check and cross my fingers we don’t get a freak thaw.“Water just can’t drain fast enough during freeze-thaw cycles and ends up backing under shingles sometimes.”
“I just budget for a mid-winter gutter check and cross my fingers we don’t get a freak thaw.”
That’s pretty much my winter ritual too. I swear, the only thing more stubborn than pine needles is my neighbor’s cat. Tried those foam inserts once—ended up with a gutter full of frozen mulch. At this point, I just accept that gutters are gonna be a pain no matter what. Hang in there.
