Eavestrough leaf guards

[blake]

My house gutters get plugged with at least a garbage bag worth of leaves and pine needles every year! 2 story house so not a fun job to de-clog.

Lots of "gutter guard" / eavestrough leaf blockers on the market. The 2 products that were rated the best in independent review was Gutterdome and Gutterguard - both unavailable in Edmonton, and mostly only US dealers.

Any suggestions on the best product available locally? Some of the cheaper ones get their holes clogged, break down etc and cause more problems than they solve.

[edmonton daily photo]

use the black foam...

http://gutterstuff.com/guttering/

[Replacement]

^
I can tell in an instant that if leaves and detritus accumulate and mat at all on top of that foam that it won't help at all except act to in effect fill the gutter while the junk that settles on top causes rainwater to wash over the gutter. Exactly the problem you want to avoid.

It isn't really that hard to clean out eaves a couple times of year and most of the time its accumulation right by the spouts.

[edmonton daily photo]

^actually The foam is VERY effective and comes highly highly highly recommended by someone in my industry out of Vancouver/Calgary who investigates losses on Multi million dollar homes.

Go for the foam.. you won't be sorry.

[Replacement]

Originally Posted by edmonton daily photo

^actually The foam is VERY effective and comes highly highly highly recommended by someone in my industry out of Vancouver/Calgary who investigates losses on Multi million dollar homes.

Go for the foam.. you won't be sorry.

I have no doubt the foam itself would be very porous and allow the water through. But thats talking about the foam on its own. This is the quintessential product that works great in testing but not so well in real world application.

I'll note a few problems. Leaves will provide an upper membrane barrier that start to prevent water from seeping through the foam, thereby causing water to spill over eavestrough and especially in heavy rain.

Dirt, dust, roofing granules from shingles always end up getting in the Eavestrough. I wonder if this settling over the foam over a period of time impact how porous the foam is. I could see it sealing the foam a bit over time and making it less absorbent. Or compressing it and allowing the detritus to settle on top easier.

Next, how would the foam do in freeze/melt conditions where it starts to get logged with ice? I just see this as a quicker way for ice to form in the eavestrough. It is good that its a black material as this will help absorb heat from sun but you don't always get a lot of that and it won't help in any shaded application.

Hopefully it works but I doubt it would for very long.

[azzey]

Yeah..I find it's just easier to do an annual cleaning and be done with it. My roof and eaves are old and I like to inspect/repair as needed anyway.

On a somewhat related note--does anybody know where I could find a spout for my rain barrel? I'm re-using an old oil barrel and I'd like to have a tap about 6" from the bottom so I can hook up a garden hose. I know I've heard of kits to install that, but I can't seem to find one.

[jbubble]

Originally Posted by azzey

Yeah..I find it's just easier to do an annual cleaning and be done with it. My roof and eaves are old and I like to inspect/repair as needed anyway.

On a somewhat related note--does anybody know where I could find a spout for my rain barrel? I'm re-using an old oil barrel and I'd like to have a tap about 6" from the bottom so I can hook up a garden hose. I know I've heard of kits to install that, but I can't seem to find one.

Try Lee Valley.

Also hope the barrel has been steamed to remove all the oil, would not want to water my plants with oily water.

[moahunter]

Originally Posted by azzey

Yeah..I find it's just easier to do an annual cleaning and be done with it. My roof and eaves are old and I like to inspect/repair as needed anyway.

I used to think that until I fell off my roof (landed feet first on concrete, rolled and ended up fine, but lucky was bungalow). I have heard of a few contractors even having died working on roofs.

I'd rather pay a few bucks now for someone else to risk life, but leaf guards do have an appeal I think (if they work).

[edmonton daily photo]

Originally Posted by Replacement

I have no doubt the foam itself would be very porous and allow the water through. But thats talking about the foam on its own. This is the quintessential product that works great in testing but not so well in real world application.

I'll note a few problems. Leaves will provide an upper membrane barrier that start to prevent water from seeping through the foam, thereby causing water to spill over eavestrough and especially in heavy rain.

Dirt, dust, roofing granules from shingles always end up getting in the Eavestrough. I wonder if this settling over the foam over a period of time impact how porous the foam is. I could see it sealing the foam a bit over time and making it less absorbent. Or compressing it and allowing the detritus to settle on top easier.

Next, how would the foam do in freeze/melt conditions where it starts to get logged with ice? I just see this as a quicker way for ice to form in the eavestrough. It is good that its a black material as this will help absorb heat from sun but you don't always get a lot of that and it won't help in any shaded application.

Hopefully it works but I doubt it would for very long.

Um how much more REAL world do you want than someone who specializes in Correcting and preventing losses on multi million dollar homes sheesh.

Anyways we have leaf guard on our condo. It's 3-4 years old now and it's fantastic. None of the issues replacement has outlined. I expect in another 2 years or so we will have to lift it and do a quick clean. (thats one cleaning every 6 years) as opposed to the 2 cleanings a year we had to do prior.

Fantastic investment and worth every penny.

I would still go with the foam in hindsight.

[Blueline]

azzey:
http://www.leevalley.com/en/garden/p...t=2,2280,33160

[azzey]

^ Thanks!