leafguard -- do they really clean your gutter?

[peter]

I'm thinking of installing leafguard on my house, which is surrounded by several douglas fir trees that is dropping pine needles.

I have used google group to read about leafguard in this newsgroup. Basically, some people said it works (the ones who have it installed) and some people say it won't work (sounds like they don't have it installed).

So, has anyone installed leafguard and found that it doesn't work? If so, in what way? If it is clogged with debries, does leafguard actually give you free gutter cleaning? If the water overshoot the gutter, do they come and dry your basement?

[c_kubie]

Yes, they birds that built a nest under then are completely protected from leaves. (sarcasm)

[Art]

I am one of the installed and it works people if you are talking about Leafguard brand gutters and not just generic guards. In the absolute worse storms you can expect some overshoot in the most difficult corners where a ton of rain comes down but even then it acts like a ski lift and the rain falls far from the foundation. The only thing negative is the price. THey are expensive. Also mine were installed with oversized downspouts which is recommended. Some installers give cheaper prices by using the smaller downspouts.

[peter]

If a ton of pine needles or seeds magically make their way into the gutter, would they eventually clog the storm drain pipe or is there a screen/filter somewhere in the gutter system?

Why are they so expensive? No viable competitors?

[Edwin Pawlowski]

Plenty of viable competitors, but they all keep their prices up. I guess they are all doing well enough that they don't have to go cut-throat to keep busy.

[John_B]

I put flexible plastic drain line stuff with holes designed to let water OUT into my gutters so that rain would get INTO the drain line and run out even if rotted leaves surrounded the drain line. This worked for a few years but plants started growing in the decomposed leaves so I put a cover over it because I did not like the look of plants growing in my gutters. This was an aesthetic point, not a functional point.

[Art]

No filter and when I've looked into my gutter they are absolutely clean. Previously without leafguard brand gutters they were clogged in a few months. One reason they recommend the oversized downspouts is just in case something magically gets in but I don't see how it can.

[Art]

Why are they expensive? I talked to the regional franchise here is that they price them about 3 times regular gutter price. Other areas have competing franchises and give better prices but not where I live.

[Art]

Also they are expensive because corners are done by hand.

[Phisherman]