Best Gutter Guard Protection - Reviews of Gutter Products

I originally wrote this article in 2010 and while much of the content is still relevant, I've updated a few sections as I'm much more knowledgeable about this subject than I was seven years ago.

Gutter guards do help at keeping the rainwater system clear of blockages but for the best results they should be used after clearing the roof of moss and trimming any overhanging tree branches.

Gutters often become blocked with debris such as leaves, roof moss, pine needles and even loose mortar from the roof above.

Roof gutters are designed to handle a significant amount of rainwater but some blockages can be catastrophic as they allow water to cascade over the edge of the gutter and onto external walls, window frames, fascia boards and sils. Turning a blind eye to a blocked gutter can cost a fortune in future repair bills.

Installing a gutter protection product can prevent these blockages thus saving your home from potential damp and rot problems and the money some people spend on gutter cleaning tools. Unfortunately some products are a complete waste of money while others are overpriced. On this page you will find my top three gutter protection products of 2017

If you are based in the United Kingdom then this page has information about gutter products specific to your region. Here you can find a hub article about water butts for storage of rainwater.

I am really a fan of this product as it is sooo easy to install, no need to make any changes to the gutter and no expensive tools required. This CAN be installed by a competent DIYer.

As with all gutter guard products I strongly recommend removing the roof moss and cutting back any overhanging branches. The more you can do to reduce the amount of debris these guards have to filter out the better they will perform.

Here is my favourite bits about this product:

• Not as expensive as some professionally installed guards
• Easy for DIYer to install
• Comes in a variety of sizes so suitable for most gutters
• Is strong and sturdy - will not collapse into the gutter when leaves sit on the top
• Any excessive build up of leaves/moss can scraped off the surface of the guard, no need to take the guard out
• Does not significantly reduce flow of water
  

It's been seven years since I first wrote this review of the gutter foam product and my initial excitement has been replaced by disappointment.

After installing this foam into several of my customer's guttering, I received phone calls from them - the product has become blocked and needed attention.

The photo below shows what happened.

Roof moss, leaves and other organic material had compacted on the surface of the foam and moss starting growing.

This acted as a barrier that stopped the rainwater from entering the gutter system.

The end result?

Rainwater poured over the front edge of the gutter and onto the window sils and patio below.

The gutter brush or "hedgehog" is another new product that is proving popular in both the U.K and the States. Made from durable plastic bristles around a metal core this product is simply placed into the gutter, again no specialist tools required, that's great news for DIYer's or those on a budget!

This product does work well at keeping out leaves and large clumps of moss but didn't perform so well with pine needles. While these small needles managed to penetrate the guard they didn't actually cause a blockage and it was very easy to remove the brush and give a shake before placing it back into the gutter.

When choosing a gutter protection product it is important to remember that all guards will allow some debris to enter the gutter and eventually the guard will need to be cleaned out, so choosing a product that is easy to remove and re install is the best option and the brush certainly is easy to work with.

I've installed the gutter brush (aka Hedgehog) to a few dozen homes and haven't received any negative feedback.

I'm now recommending this product as I feel it's the best product out there for this price range.

The third product I feel is worth purchasing is an aluminium downpipe "strainer". They are available from Amazon and are really cheap - just a few dollars. These products work best when used in conjunction with a gutter guard that can be removed easily.

They work by preventing debris from entering the downpipe and therefore reducing the risk of a blockage in the pipe or even worse in the underground pipe which can cost a fortune to clear.

These filters/strainers do have a habit of becoming clogged so as I wrote earlier it's best to reduce the load on your gutter protection products by removing any excessive roof moss and considering a gutter guard too.