Best Leaf Guard For Fall Leaves
What is the Best Leaf Guard For Fall?
Fall is the season most of us start thinking about gutter guards. Each home owner might meet with different debris culprits. So whether your Fall involves lots of leaves, sticks, pine needles, pine cones, acorns or all of the above, you need a gutter guard that will resolve your guttering issues. The question is – Is there a leaf guard that can handle all Fall debris?
Let’s Explore The 4 Main Types of Leaf Guards & How They Perform In The Fall:
- Gutter Screens
- Leaf Filters
- Gutter Sponges
- Solid Leaf Guards
Four Types of Leaf Guards for Fall
1. Gutter Screens
Good News:
This design system has been around the longest. Most of us are familiar with the metal net that weaves over the top of the gutters. Familiarity is nice. This type of gutter guard is considered okay for the Fall because it keeps out pine cones and leaves.
Bad News:
While screens keep large fall leaves out of the gutter, dirt, seeds, pine needles and smaller leaves have no trouble getting in. So, while it might save you an intermittent clean, you still will need to clean your gutters – and your gutter screens a couple of times a year.
Fall Performance:
The first Fall with screens will be just fine as long as you don’t have pine needles or other small debris. However, possibly as early as Spring, depending on the number of trees in the yard, you could have little trees growing in the gutters. As the debris accumulates, the screens will need to be removed, gutters cleaned and then the screens replaced. This makes more work than just cleaning the gutters. Not a long term solution.
2. Leaf Filters
Good News:
A new model of screen has been developed to prevent this seedling debacle. It is a micro mesh system with perforations so small it is essentially a mesh filter. These filters not only keep fall leaves out – they also keep seeds and other debris out. It appears to be a very pragmatic design.
Bad News:
Unfortunately, these still have issues: The fine filter clogs with tree sap, dirt, and small debris, over time. It also traps debris like sticky oak tassles on top of the filter. Once clogged, the water can’t pour in through the mesh and is forced to run over the gutters and down to the foundation of your home – exactly what you’re trying to avoid. To keep gutter filters in shape, it is essential to give them a good scrub a couple of times a year. Not the time saver you’re looking for?
Fall Performance:
Like screens, the first Fall will be great. However, after a season or two, the leaf filter will need to be cleaned. Overall, not a long-term solution. If you are looking for more information on filters see our page on leaf filters vs Advantage Gutter Guard.
3. Gutter Sponges
Good News:
Sponges are what they sound like – large, sponge like material that fills up the top 3/4 of your gutter and prevents debris from entering your gutter system. No debris! Yay!
Bad News:
They fill up 3/4 of your gutters leaving only 25% water capacity. This will work for most light rains, but after a few months, dirt will continue to filter through the sponge, closing that 25% water capacity to 20%, then 15%, you get the picture.
The result: eventually there’s simply not enough space in the channel to process the thousands of gallons of water that rushes off your roof and into your gutters. This means the water that should be in your gutters is flowing past the gutters and down your siding, landing in your prized flower beds and weakening your home’s foundation. In addition, debris will trap on top of the sponge, blocking water entry. So basically, back to square one.
Fall Performance:
Again, these will work well at first – even in the face of Fall leaves. But after a year or two, they will clog and you’re back to cleaning out not only gutters, but removing a gunk filled, nasty sponge filter.
4. Solid Leaf Guards
Good News:
These are completely solid, so no debris large or small can enter – no clog gutters, guaranteed! Who-Hoo!
But wait a minute…if they’re completely solid, how does the water get in?
A well-designed solid gutter cover uses the water principle of surface tension to drive the flow of the water around the edge of the cover and into the gutter. This might be something you have to see to believe, but it is scientifically based and does actually work, even in heavy rains.
A high-quality solid gutter cover will work for your home in Kansas City and is the best gutter cover system available.
Bad News:
Some products that are considered solid covers don’t fully cover the gutter – they leave a small gap at the the edge of the gutter to allow water in. Such products will have the same struggles as a screen because dirt, seeds, pine-needles and small leaves can enter. Be sure when selecting a solid cover that the entire gutter is covered and surface tension is used to guide the water into the gutter.
Fall Performance:
Excellent. As long as the gutter guard is truly solid, with no holes on the top – it can face any Fall debris without clogging.
More Leaf Guard Researching Tips
So now you know the best leaf guard for Fall leaves is a solid leaf guard and you’re ready to find a company that provides the best solid leaf guard system in the area. It’s always a good idea to check the reviews of each company you’re considering. Check not just one source – but multiple – FaceBook, HomeAdvisor, Google, Angie’s List, BBB.
Companies can release fake reviews and bury less-flattering reviews. It’s important to check multiple sites, read with discernment, and dig a little – with a little research – the truth will reveal itself.
As you read, you will likely find that many people have tried multiple products until finding the right one. Listen to what they have to say – likely this research will save you much headache – and reaffirm your interest in solid gutter covers.
Which Leaf Guard Is Best For Fall?
A completely solid leaf guard from a well-established reputable company. Make sure they have a history of backing their warranty, trained installers, and a history of excellent customer service.
Advantage Gutter Guard ® is the best leaf guard for Fall. It ticks all the boxes:
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- No perforations or openings in the top
- Nose forward design to block debris
- Maximizes surface tension
- Backed by a reputable company
- Installed by professionals
- Highly recommended – see reviews
- No plastic parts
- Lifetime Guarantee that the gutters will never clog
“I got Gutter Cover 20 years ago. They have worked great and I haven’t ever cleaned them or anything. No water in the basement since then either.” – Andrea Wurm
Want Andrea’s Leaf Guard? Give us a call!
