Anyone have experience with no-clog gutters?

[Mixolydian]

Discovered during recent rains this week that several of my gutters are clogged. Now I'm thinking about replacing them with no-clog gutters, the kind that look like this:

Does anyone have these kind of gutters? What have been your experiences with them? Do they work? Any issues or caveats?

 

[mshan]

Be careful about having any of these leaf guard systems professionally installed, because they are supposed to use very high pressure sales tactics and cost a lot too.

The really cheap systems like you can find at Home Depot or Lowes probably will clog up and just let rain pour over the gutter, rather than into it.

I did some research a few years ago and I think stainless steel micromesh is supposed to be current gold standard (at least it was a few years ago)

I bought a small amount of this install yourself kit and put it in strategic spots of my parents house: http://www.gutterglove.com/GutterGuards/LeafBlaster.aspx (you can buy the kits themselves off of eBay or do google search and just install yourself).

Seems to work pretty well, but I still think you need to go up and clear out whatever debris gets hung up on filter a few times a year (e. g. portable leaf blower to dislodge whatever bits of debris have lodged in micromesh; I cut one end and folded down mesh into gutter to leafs don't get stuck in downspout itself).

Or just hire some handyman (who is insured against falls) to clean out gutters a few times a year.

 

[Murloc]

looks like bs to me, I've never seen anything like that, it looks horrible too.
Also the water might just go down instead of in when it rains hard.

Also how would leaves get on the roof? Trees are rarely that close to houses and that tall.

Before doing anything compare costs.

 

[Mixolydian]

looks like bs to me, I've never seen anything like that, it looks horrible too.
Also the water might just go down instead of in when it rains hard.

Yeah that's what I was wondering about.

Also how would leaves get on the roof? Trees are rarely that close to houses and that tall.

Not sure if serious...:hmm:

 

[PsiStar]

A prior owner put them on the house I am in ... the ones in OP's link. Although I am not sure why as trees around here are not close enough except at one corner. So, I have never cleaned them. But to the point, water does not over flow and most goes into the gutter. I have rain barrels on the down spouts which fill quickly as some evidence.

There are many homes in this area that have tall enough trees near their homes to have leaves on the roof and in gutters. It all depends on what is around. I used to clean out the gutters (2 story home) where I lived before and it is not an option. Twice a year also. If handy men are not available in your area, then a 20 foot or 30 foot extension ladder is your friend. If you have freezing temperatures with full gutters, there is little that is more startling than to be awakened from sound sleep to the crashing of gutters falling off your house. It has happened to some of my friends.

 

[Markbnj]

Also how would leaves get on the roof? Trees are rarely that close to houses and that tall.

I see that you do not live in a wooded area. I have an acre, half woods and half "lawn" and we get an asston of leaves in the gutters in fall. Having them cleaned out once per year, in December, is pretty much all I have to do. The guys charge around $150 and they do a good job. Rarely, after a hard storm, I will get a clog, but typically that once per year cleanout is sufficient.

The gutters pictured appear to rely on water sheeting down the roof and into the slots on either side. They might very well work, but I expect the slot nearest the roof will get clogged.

 

[Kaido]

My buddy works in gutter cleaning. I asked him about the no-clog stuff and his response was simply, "everything clogs". I'd say stick with an open gutter and get a Looj: (Roomba robot for gutter cleaning)

http://store.irobot.com/product/index.jsp?productId=13081876

 

[lxskllr]

Heavy rain overshoots the slots. I haven't found anything yet that works well, so I dig the stuff out by hand every so often. The micromesh sounds interesting. Try making some test pieces from old screen, and see if it's worth doing.

 

[richardycc]

I got guttermaxx installed few yrs ago, I don't need a handy man to come clean my gutter anymore. to be honest, I just don't pay that much attention to my gutter anymore even since I have them install, maybe they are all clogged, I will have to take a look. They are not cheap thou, ~$30/ft, I was shock to heard the installed price for these no clog gutter system, but after I got some quotes from a few companies, they were all about the same price range, it made it easier to get over the sticker shock. I did get them to knock off $900, so I think I paid about $22/ft, which is still too much, if you look at it, what I really got was a few pound of painted aluminum, and aluminum is like less than a buck a pound.

 

[phucheneh]

The picture in the OP seems like a terrible piece of advertising. You can see the the soggy leaves flattening out and getting ready to get lodged in the opening. Also, said opening is so small that a decent downpour around here would make it look like you just didn't have any gutters.

I would have to imagine there are better systems, though. Why not just have gutters with a sloped steel mesh over them? Seems like an infinitely better idea.

 

[lxskllr]

I would have to imagine there are better systems, though. Why not just have gutters with a sloped steel mesh over them? Seems like an infinitely better idea.

i have diamond mesh(not sure what it's really called) on part of my house. They get clogged with sticks, and especially helicopter type seeds. They don't require cleaning as often, but the cleaning is more difficult since it's almost a one at a time proposition. That's why I think something like window screen might work. There could be unforeseen problems, and like like to see it in action.

 

[richardycc]

forgot to mention that they can't install the guttermaxx system for my sunroom due to the integrated gutter system, so I got those rainfilter thingy like this that you can now get from home depot:
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Rain-Fil...4-foot-Pieces-50TMG015/203009078#.UaEEfIDD-70

they do work (you basically stuffed the gutter with this filter already, so there is no room for other things), but I have to clean the pine needles off of top of it once in a while.

 

[phucheneh]

i have diamond mesh(not sure what it's really called) on part of my house. They get clogged with sticks, and especially helicopter type seeds. They don't require cleaning as often, but the cleaning is more difficult since it's almost a one at a time proposition. That's why I think something like window screen might work. There could be unforeseen problems, and like like to see it in action.

Yeah, I was thinking fine mesh like said window screens. Nothing would stick in it, dirt would go through, and if you designed it with a proper shape, sticks and leaves wouldn't be prone to clinging to it.

If no one makes that, I should patent it and sell it Vince Offer style.

SEE THIS GUTTER? THIS GUTTER SUCKS MY DICK. USE MY GUTTER SYSTEM, YOU DUMB SHITS!

...ALSO YOU'RE GONNA LOVE MY NUTS.

 

[ImpulsE69]

looks like bs to me, I've never seen anything like that, it looks horrible too.
Also the water might just go down instead of in when it rains hard.

Also how would leaves get on the roof? Trees are rarely that close to houses and that tall.

Before doing anything compare costs.

Do you live in the desert?

 

[mshan]

Cant' find Leafblaster on eBay, but Amazon search produced something that looks just like what I installed on my parents home:

http://www.amazon.com/LeafsOut-24-In...9510103&sr=1-4

I just bought a small kit like that and put pieces over where the down spouts are, then cut the end to fit into gutter so leaves can't enter down spout. Don't necessarily have to screw them into gutter, either. Most difficult thing was finding some heavy duty tin snips to cut the piece of aluminum that runs along edge of micromesh.

 

[sdifox]

My brother installed gutter guard on my house and it was like a dollar a foot when you buy it from the supplier. Just attach it with screws to your gutter and that is that.

That house was under tree canopy, like 4 different giant trees. so lots of leaves and the gutter is two story up, so not easy to clean either. No problems whatsoever after the guards are put on. They look like regular drain, as in a piece of metal with holes on them.

 

[JTsyo]

Seen these in Costco. Been tempted but never noticed my gutters clogging.

 

[waggy]

we have them. i hate them.

dirt and leaves still get caught on it. i still have to climb on and clear it off .

 

[boomerang]

I've had these on my house for over a decade. Had to clean out the gutters every year before having these installed. I have not had to clean them once since.

http://www.gutterhelmet.com/

We're surrounded by a ton of Black Locust trees that in the fall shed small leaves that shrivel up, then seed pods and finally the "stringers" that held the leaves. These trees flower in the spring when we get enough rain and the flowers don't clog them either. These things are one of the best investments I've ever made.

Notice that the leading edge is forward of the gutter. Surface tension carries the water into the gutter and anything else would have to defy gravity to go in.

 

[BUTCH1]

Just did my gutters today, it does suck. I tried the cheap-o plastic mesh but the pine needles simply collected on it and held water on the edge of the roof, bad idea, I took 'em down. Luckily my house is only one story so cleaning isn't the nightmare you double-deckers face..

 

[phucheneh]

Notice that the leading edge is forward of the gutter. Surface tension carries the water into the gutter and anything else would have to defy gravity to go in.

I don't think this word means what you think it means.

My area has rainstorms that would easily reinforce that gravity, is, in fact, still in control. The turbulence created by the sky shitting massive quantities of water (plus wind) would essentially make it like your gutters were nonexistent.

Which may well not be a problem for some. But if you have a good gutter system in place to keep water away from the house (to avoid foundational issues, a flooding basement, ect), it's really a waste to install those kinds of caps.

 

[Red Squirrel]

The issue is they get clogged up with pine needles and/or leaves and water will just go over them. Best to leave them open and just clean them every year. I'm due to clean mine, noticed they had lot of crap in them when I went up to take down the Christmas lights.

I also have a few spots that are leaky in my gutters, I'd have to go and seal it better. I heard you can actually use a torch and solder. Not sure if it's the preferred way though.

Oh, and sometimes crows will help you clean them. They'll dig stuff out looking for food and throw it on the ground. It's actually pretty fun to watch them go at it.

 

[Mixolydian]

The issue is they get clogged up with pine needles and/or leaves and water will just go over them. Best to leave them open and just clean them every year. I'm due to clean mine, noticed they had lot of crap in them when I went up to take down the Christmas lights.

I also have a few spots that are leaky in my gutters, I'd have to go and seal it better. I heard you can actually use a torch and solder. Not sure if it's the preferred way though.

Oh, and sometimes crows will help you clean them. They'll dig stuff out looking for food and throw it on the ground. It's actually pretty fun to watch them go at it.

where do i get these crows?

 

[phucheneh]

I dunno about solder sticking to aluminum. Brazing would probably work.

I'd just use silicone or something, though. Epoxy putty would probably also be easy and effective.

 

[bradley]

Wish I knew what brand gutter guards my roofer installed -- after Hurricane Sandy played cards with my roof. So far, they have been absolutely awesome under some pretty adverse and torrential conditions. The drain pipes are also larger than the traditional ones. I would definitely recommend them.