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I live in an old established neighborhood and tried several different types of guards to no avail. I recently saw a product called FlipClean gutter system. It has hinges so that you can flip the gutter over and then just hose it out. looks like the best solution to date cost $9 a foot installed, plus down spouts. This was a Virginia contractor.
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I saw these demo'd on This Old House...While Steve
was talking to the dealer, leaves and debris floated
right into the gutter! Kinda makes sense, as the same
surface tension thats claimed to make the device work, also supports leaves...Don't waste your money!
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If I were so inclined, it's the warranty that would make me spend the money -- provided i was convinced the company would be around to clean the gutters for me.
Certainly some covers are better than others. No magic bullet yet.
*My problems are maple leaves, pine needles and grit from old shingles. I used 1/2" squares chicken wire. It keeps the maple leaves out but I still have to clean things twice a year.When the roof gets done I'm going to put up new gutters and go with the 3X4 downspouts instead of the old 2x3.
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Our 50 year old house is in need of exterior improvements; specifically, the gutters need to be replaced. We live in an established neighborhood with many tall trees that drop needs, seedpods, leaves, and that pollen fluff. Does anyone have experience with either Gutter Topper, Gutter Guard, or Leaf guard gutter systems? Are they relatively easy to install? How much do they cost? Have you found them worth the extra money?
*Hey, another Greek on the board! About time...E., I'm not a contractor - I'm sure one of the guys will be along to talk "shop" regarding the gutters soon. I'm a pastry chef from the Cooks Talk board who occasionally lurks around over here to get ideas for my 80+ year old house.Speaking from experience, the guards keep leaves and other large debris out very well. What they don't do is keep dirt out. This is a pain, because you have to still get up at there and get it all out or you have a blockage. I thought the gutter guards would be great, but I find that while we didn't have to clean them out quite as often, we did have to go up and scoop out a couple of inches of mud 3 or 4 times a year. So we got rid of ours and let the leaves accumulate. It seems easier to scrape out a leaf/dirt combination then straight mud.
*CLS, where is your house? I wonder how all that dirt gets up there, unless you live where lots of blowing sand exists or something.I ask this because I too am very keen to use some kind of guard and am waiting to find out the best kind before proceeding. If you live in the forest and still getting all that dirt then I'd think that those are decayed leaves...
*If you search the archives, you will find EXTENDED discussion of gutters and their ailments. Most gutter guards do not work well and can even make things worse, unless you think cleaning the gutters several times a year is acceptable. Screens are bottom of the barrel. I've had decent experience with WaterFall (I think it's call), but it's vinyl and does, as mentioned, let fine stuff through. But at about $1/ft the price appeals, using my own labor. Unfortunately, the enclosure also appealed to a nesting squirrel...A salesman friend sells Gutter Topper now, says it runs $8-12 a foot installed ... so like $1-2k for an average house! But they warrant performance, meaning they will come clean the gutters if they clog, and I believe the warranty is transferable on sale of the home. Some (greedy) contractors quote prices like this to install cheaper products. Gutter Helmet is another one in this class of all-metal enclosed pricey guttering.I would consider this option where gutter maintenance would be very hazardous or impractical, or where the homneowner just has lots of money. Their best clients are people who've just spect thousands repairing the sometimes extensive rot damage caused by lack of gutter maintenance.If by chance you are in the Washimore area, I can refer you re Topper (sounds like Hamburger Helper, eh?).
*I live in a small suburb of Cleveland, the Forrest City (we have more trees than any other major city in the U.S., ya know!). My house has several large trees around it, but also we live less than 1/2 mile from Lake Erie, so we get great winds coming in off the lake. The guards kept the leaves out, just not any dirt, and mud is much harder to get out of the gutters than leaf/dirt combo, in my experience.I only posted my experience because I know most people believe the guards keep everything but water out of your gutters, and that the little bits of dirt that do get in get washed down the down spout. That's not true, and mud is much harder to remove. We found it better to remove the guards altogether and just clean the gutters manually a couple of times a year. What a waste of money, for us...
*I live in an old established neighborhood and tried several different types of guards to no avail. I recently saw a product called FlipClean gutter system. It has hinges so that you can flip the gutter over and then just hose it out. looks like the best solution to date cost $9 a foot installed, plus down spouts. This was a Virginia contractor.