Once-a-year cleaning just isn’t enough if you’re surrounded by big deciduous trees.
Yeah, I’ve learned that the hard way. Tried to push it to once a year and ended up with water coming down the siding and a bit of rot on the fascia. Those “helicopters” from maples are relentless. I will say, mesh guards help a bit but they’re not a cure-all—stuff still gets through and clogs up the downspouts. Honestly, if you’ve got big trees close by, twice a year is really the bare minimum. It’s a pain, but it beats paying for repairs later.
- Been there with the maple “helicopters”—they find a way into everything.
- Tried those mesh guards too. They cut down on the big stuff, but I still had to snake out the downspouts every fall.
- Once, I skipped a season and ended up with a mini garden growing in the gutter... not ideal.
- For me, cleaning late spring and again after the leaves drop seems to keep things under control.
- If you’re thinking about green or living roofs, regular checks are even more important—roots can sneak into seams if you’re not careful.
- It’s a hassle, but yeah, way better than dealing with water damage or rot down the line.
Maple helicopters are the bane of my existence every spring—no matter what I do, they end up clogging something. I tried those foam inserts once, thinking they’d be better than mesh, but honestly, they just turned into a soggy mess and made things worse. I’m with you on the late spring and post-leaf cleanings; it’s a pain, but skipping even one season is asking for trouble. Had a downspout backup last year that nearly flooded my basement... never again. For anyone with older gutters, I’d say double-check those seams too—mine started leaking after years of gunk buildup. It’s tedious work, but way cheaper than fixing water damage.
- Foam inserts can be a hassle, but I’ve actually had better luck with them than mesh in heavy helicopter zones—maybe it’s a regional thing or just luck with brands.
- Mesh tends to let the smaller seeds through, at least in my area, and then they sprout right in the gutter. Not fun.
- On older gutters, I’d add: check for loose fasteners too. Sometimes leaks are more about sagging than seams.
- Gutter guards are never perfect, but sometimes it’s about picking the least annoying option for your setup.
On older gutters, I’d add: check for loose fasteners too. Sometimes leaks are more about sagging than seams.
That’s spot on. I’ve been called out to look at “leaky” gutters more times than I can count, and half the time it’s just that the hangers have pulled loose over the years. Especially after a rough winter or a big storm, those fasteners can work themselves out and suddenly you’ve got water pouring over the edge instead of down the spout.
One thing I’ve noticed with foam inserts—if you’re in an area with a lot of pine needles or those tiny maple seeds, they can get clogged up pretty quick. I had a client last fall who thought foam would be low-maintenance, but after one season it was basically a compost pile up there. Mesh worked better for them, but like you said, it’s not perfect either.
If you’re dealing with older gutters, I’d also check the slope while you’re up there. Sometimes they settle unevenly and water just pools in the middle. A cheap level from the hardware store can save you a lot of headaches down the line.
