When it comes to gutter guards, there are numerous places you can turn for opinions on which one is right for you. In addition to the product sites themselves, there are advertisements, magazine articles, and input from “experts.”
But sometimes, the best place to get information about whether gutter guards work is from regular people like yourself. After all, they rarely have an agenda, and are most likely to give you the unvarnished truth about a given product.
With that in mind, here are six different gutter guards — ranked in reverse order — based on what ordinary homeowners have said about them.
6. WaterFall. This particular gutter guard gets low marks from a customer who had maple and fir trees in her yard. She tells us that even with WaterFall, she had to have her gutters cleaned two or three times per year because the maple seeds and fir needles kept becoming lodged in the holes of the gutter guards. She adds, “I think that if [Consumer Reports] had tested them in our yard, they would have ranked considerably lower.”
5. Leaf Relief. Made by Alcoa, this gutter guard boasts a ten-year warranty and a “never clog, never overflow” claim. These gutter guards are also reportedly easy to remove and replace. But the big issue with Leaf Relief is that the repelled debris tends to stay on top of the guard instead of falling to the ground. One commenter notes, “it would have to be a pretty big breeze that will carry the debris off the surface of the LeafRelief guard.”
4. Leaf Filter. The noteworthy aspect of this gutter guard is a nylon filter that is supposed to be sturdy enough so that you can “grind mud” into it without it breaking. However, Leaf Filter is reportedly pretty expensive, even though it carries a 20-year warranty. And at least one dealer writes that his company discontinued Leaf Filter because, “we had a problem with their nylon filter deteriorating after about a year.”
3. Amerimax Snap-in Gutter Guards. This product is designed to appeal to the do-it-yourselfer, since it can be purchased at Home Depot and other major home improvement retailers. And these gutter guards do get some positive reviews from consumers. However, they’re not designed to last for very long, and they do tend to clog up with debris.
2. LeafGuard. This is unique in that it is a “one-piece” gutter system, in which the gutter guard and gutters are manufactured as a single unit. Many people who installed them gave them high marks. But one woman admitted that she saw “some water ’over the edge’” during periods of heavy rain. And another complained that “The rain runs behind them, leaking down through the porch ceiling.”
1. GutterHelmet. With a guarantee that states that you’ll “never clean your gutter again,” GutterHelmet is the winner in the consumer feedback sweepstakes. The reverse curve design lets water adhere to the surface while repelling leaves and other debris. One man calls it a “one-time investment,” while another homeowner says it gives her “peace of mind.” And another man even noticed that, “the harder it rains, the better it works.” Gutter Helmet® is clearly the #1 Gutter protection system!
