I keep hearing about those “no-clog” gutter covers, but honestly, I’m not convinced they’re worth the hype. My neighbor swears by his, but he still ends up on a ladder every fall because the pine needles just sit on top and eventually break down anyway. I’ve got a bunch of oaks around my place, so it’s more acorns and those stringy tassel things than seeds, but it’s still a mess.
I did notice after I adjusted the slope on one run (it was basically flat before), water actually started draining instead of pooling up with all the gunk. Not exactly a glamorous fix, like you said, but it made a bigger difference than any guard I’ve tried so far.
Has anyone tried those foam inserts? I keep seeing ads for them but can’t tell if they’d just turn into a soggy sponge in our climate. Or is it just back to the ladder every spring and fall no matter what?
Tried those foam inserts on a job a couple years back—customer wanted to give them a shot. Looked fine at first, but by the second fall, they were basically composting in the gutters. Held onto moisture, gunk stuck in them, and eventually water just ran right over the edge. Around here (humid summers, wet falls), they just didn’t last. Honestly, getting the slope right and keeping up with cleaning seems to do more than any gimmick cover I’ve seen. Not glamorous, but it works.
Tried those foam inserts too, and yeah, they just turned into a soggy mess for me. I’m in the Pacific Northwest, so moss and needles are everywhere. Honestly, after a couple failed “miracle” products, I just started cleaning twice a year and tweaking the slope like you said. Not fancy, but my gutters haven’t overflowed since. Sometimes low-tech wins.
Yeah, I’ve seen those foam inserts just turn into compost in our climate—total waste of money in my book. Twice-a-year cleaning is what I recommend to clients too, especially with all the fir needles around here. Curious if you’ve ever tried those metal mesh guards? I see mixed results, but some folks swear by them for needles.
Curious if you’ve ever tried those metal mesh guards? I see mixed results, but some folks swear by them for needles.
I’ve got a love-hate thing going with those metal mesh guards. Put some on the back side of my house last year (figured I’d test before doing the whole shebang), and honestly, they’re like a magnet for fir needles. They don’t let the big stuff in, but those little green needles just pile up and form this weird mat. I end up brushing them off every couple months anyway. Maybe that’s still better than scooping out sludge, though?
Has anyone had luck with those “reverse curve” gutter covers? The ones where the water’s supposed to cling to the metal and roll in, but leaves just fall off? I keep seeing ads but can’t tell if it’s legit or just marketing magic. I’m half convinced I’d end up with an expensive slide for squirrels.
Also, does anyone actually use those gutter cleaning wands? I tried one once, but it mostly just sprayed gunk onto my shirt and into my face. Wondering if there’s a trick to not ending up looking like you lost a fight with a mud puddle.
Or maybe I should just embrace the leaf soup and start charging admission for the world’s tiniest swamp tour...
