-
Want to remove ads? Register an account and login to see fewer ads, and become a Supporting Member to remove almost all ads.
Should I add gutter guards
- Thread starter jboy210
- Start date
I don’t mainly because needles and tiny cones from the evergreens would clog them. Instead, I put in a hole guard atop the lower gutters’ downspout and clean them out as needed; much easier going up the ladder at the end instead of the whole length. Higher up gutters don’t seem to get as clogged and usually get checked when painting the house.
Your mileage on full length guards may vary based on tree types. We have some very tall white pine.
Your mileage on full length guards may vary based on tree types. We have some very tall white pine.
I think it is a good idea to have gutter guard but it depends on the type of vegetation around you. My problem is mostly with pine needles and those little nuts or seeds so I have LeafBlaster Pro stainless steel mesh guard installed with the new gutters. It's working fine so far, but some needles may still sit on top of the mesh until you have rain or windy day to blow or wash them away. I cannot see the front of the house since it is close to 25 ft high but I can see the ones in back of the house from my rear deck, nothing gets inside the gutter just a few pine needles sitting on top of the mesh screen. If I cannot wait for the rain or wind I can use an extender pole with a brush to sweep them off the mesh screen. However, the installer told me that I still should have them service the gutter every 2 years, I shall see.
Attachments
We do have gutter guards with our solar roof - ended up installing the metal mesh style as that worked best with the roof (we had previously had the reverse curve style, but the way that mounts would not work with the solar roof we were told.) So far, no obvious issues, though we don't have as many nearby trees as we once did.
Also installed metal mesh gutter guards as I did not want to have third party gutter cleaner all of a sudden break some solar tiles from careless maneuvering. Lots of large trees on property...mostly pine varieties, cedar, redwood and oak. Just gently swipe away with broom the stuff that naturally not blown to the ground. Highly recommend.
Yeah gutter guards seem pretty good in California where there isn't routine snap freezing and moss/weird-growth-stuff clogging the screens is less prevalent.
Just avoid those weird gutters that rely on water tension to pull the water flow back into the gutter. I hear those things are absolute trash since debris (especially needles) can still get into the rather large opening; the water flow sometimes overcomes the water tension and just sheets off the side; and you can't easily remove them if you do actually need to access your gutter/downspouts.
Just avoid those weird gutters that rely on water tension to pull the water flow back into the gutter. I hear those things are absolute trash since debris (especially needles) can still get into the rather large opening; the water flow sometimes overcomes the water tension and just sheets off the side; and you can't easily remove them if you do actually need to access your gutter/downspouts.
Having previously had these, along with a 50-foot tall pine hanging over our roof (since removed due to age,) I had no issues with needles getting in, nor with water overflowing. But, removal is definitely an issue, and these types of gutters require more expertise to install properly (to get the angles/positioning correct so they work properly.)Yeah gutter guards seem pretty good in California where there isn't routine snap freezing and moss/weird-growth-stuff clogging the screens is less prevalent.
Just avoid those weird gutters that rely on water tension to pull the water flow back into the gutter. I hear those things are absolute trash since debris (especially needles) can still get into the rather large opening; the water flow sometimes overcomes the water tension and just sheets off the side; and you can't easily remove them if you do actually need to access your gutter/downspouts.
If I had a standard roof, I would consider installing that style again. However, as your image shows, the way they tend to be attached on the fascia is why they are not supported with the solar roof. And, with the solar roof seeming to shed water more quickly than asphalt or slate, the water tension issue might be a bigger one since the water hits the gutters at a higher velocity now.
I just went with my roofer. They installed for $4.5 per ft. I don't know what the gutter perimeter of your house is... but mine was only about 500 feet of gutter. This ended up being a few grand that we added onto the cost of a general roof tune up where I had to get new tiles, cleared valleys, flashing, vents, and some downspout elbows replaced anyway.
I dunno where you live (like do you live near South SF Bay? hehehe) but if are near Contra Costa County I can refer you.
Random rant; whoever owned this house before me did like zero maintenance. Like everything about this 30 year old house was original with almost no care at all during the life of the original homeowner being here. Like wtf why don't people maintain their friggin' houses man.
