The foam at least kept most of it out, though yeah, it did get a bit funky if I forgot about it for too long.
That’s exactly what happened to me—pulled out the foam after a year and it was like a compost log. I’m curious, did you notice any water backing up under your shingles with the foam? I had a bit of that during heavy rain, but maybe my gutters just aren’t pitched right.
Yeah, the foam definitely kept out the worst of the debris, but I’ve seen that same soggy mess when it’s left too long. As for water backing up—yep, I’ve noticed it, especially on roofs with a shallow pitch or older gutters that aren’t hung right. Sometimes the foam slows drainage just enough during heavy rain that water rides up under the shingles. Honestly, I’m not convinced foam is a long-term fix unless you’re on top of maintenance. Gutter slope makes a bigger difference than people think... if it’s off even a little, you’ll get pooling and overflow no matter what kind of insert you use.
I hear you on the foam—mine looked great for about a year, then turned into a soggy leaf lasagna. I ended up pulling it out after a couple of storms because water was just sitting there. Gutter slope is one of those things nobody notices until it’s wrong... I had to rehang a section last fall and it made a huge difference. Honestly, I’m leaning toward the metal mesh covers now. They’re not perfect, but at least they don’t soak up water like a sponge.
Metal mesh is decent, but I’ve seen it clog up with pine needles and small debris more than people expect. You still have to get up there and brush it off a couple times a year, especially if you’ve got a lot of trees nearby. Honestly, the best results I’ve seen come from just keeping gutters clear and making sure the slope is right—no cover is totally maintenance-free. The fancy guards can help, but they’re not a magic fix.
That lines up with what I’ve noticed too—mesh guards help, but they’re not a set-and-forget thing. I’ve got a maple that dumps seeds everywhere, and even with the guards, I’m still clearing stuff off in spring and fall. Making sure the gutters are pitched right has probably saved me more headaches than any cover so far. It’s just less glamorous than a new “no-clog” system, I guess.