Last Updated on March 26, 2024 by Sharaj
Gutter guards and leaf guards are a popular home improvement project, with homeowners looking to avoid the hassle of cleaning their gutters.
But what’s the difference between these two types of guards?
And which is the best option for your home?
In this blog post, we’ll take a closer look at gutter guard vs. leaf guard and help you decide which is right for you.
A Close Look at Gutter Guards
Multiple brands manufacture and sell gutter guards. Each of them is a bit different from the rest.
But, all the gutter screens are built to keep your house gutter system free from leaves, twigs, and debris. Hence, they minimize your time, effort, and cost.
Let’s discuss more gutter guards, including their built materials, installation process, maintenance steps, warranty and more.
Construction
Gutter guards are available in a variety of styles and shapes. The five most common types are mentioned below.
Mesh guards: Made of metal sheets with many tiny holes, the mesh guards allow the water to pass. But they keep all the leaves and debris at bay.
Brush guards: Cylindrical, the brush guards keep all the debris out of your gutter system. These screens look similar to wire cleaning brushes.
Foam guards: As you can understand after reading its name, these guards are made of foam. A foam guard sits inside the gutter, but it’s not as efficient as the above options. Such guards trap lots of moisture that results in the development of bacteria and mould.
Screen rain guards: Most common category of gutter guards, these screens look similar to mesh guards. However, the holes are comparatively larger than the mesh guards. Hence, screen rain guards are not effective against tiny debris.
Reverse cutter gutter guards: One of the oldest types of gutter guards, the reverse cutters are efficient because they trap all the leaves and debris in their curved sections. These guards are visible from the ground and are tricky to clean.
Installation
Setting up a gutter guard is not a challenging task, especially if you have some experience. Most of the time, you only need a measuring tape, ladder, and robust snippers.
Secure the ladder, climb up to the gutters and measure them. Afterwards, cut the guards according to the length of your house gutter and slip them inside.
Brush and foam gutter guards do not need any installation. Other types seek some attachment to your roof’s shingles, which could also avoid the warranty of the roof. Some guards also require screws or clips to the opposite side of your house gutters.
So, check the installation type before you invest in gutter guards. Also, make sure you can handle the steps.
Some of the professionals can only be configured by professionals. The installation cost varies between £200 to £800 depending on the gutter length, guard type, height of your house, and other settings.
Efficiency
The performance of a gutter guard depends upon its category. Mesh guards are one of the most efficient guards because their tiny holes rarely allow anything apart from water to enter your house gutters.
However, these guards cannot perform well in case of heavy downpours. Hence, the water flows over instead of passing through the gutters.
Most of the gutter guards do what is needed, irrelevant to their type. But none of them blocks all the debris.
Furthermore, too much debris can cause mud at the bottom of your house gutters. So, keep in mind that the guards cannot take the last stand to maintain the gutters.
In other words, you have to clean the gutter system even if you invested in an efficient guard.
Maintenance
Cleaning gutter guards is pretty simple. Isn’t it obvious that you invest in a guard to minimise the efforts and time to maintain your house gutters?
Generally, you need only a few minutes of work once or twice every year. Use a ladder, gloves and drop cloth to accomplish this task. A garden hose or power washer is also useful, especially if you notice debris or dirt accumulations.
Secure the ladder carefully and climb on it to reach the gutters. Use your hands or a bristle brush to sweep the leaves from the top of your house gutter guards.
Place a drop cloth to collect all the debris to make the cleaning session easy and less time-taking.
Remove the guards if you know how to do it and take out all the mud accumulations. Use a garden hose or power washer to rinse clean the gutters and guards.
Reattach the guards before you climb down.
Warranty
The gutter guards come with variable warranty periods depending on their make and model. However, some of them are available with a lifetime warranty.
These screens are best because they add more peace to mind. But, a gutter guard with such a long warranty is also expensive.
If you want extensive coverage, then look for a guard with a warranty of at least 25 years.
However, all the gutter guards are not manufactured to last for your lifetime or even 25 years. Some of these systems only last for 3 to 4 years.
So, such products do not include a significant guarantee or warrantee. Brush and foam guards belong to this lot. Therefore, don’t expect coverage of over 1 year on these categories. Even a warranty of 90 days is acceptable.
Professionals take
Gutter installation experts have mixed reviews on particular brands. However, LeafGuard scores high on their list. The experts also recommend various other brands, including Gutter Glove, Gutter Shutter and LeafFilter.
You might be surprised to know, but some professionals don’t want to install other brands apart from the ones they find trustworthy. So, if you like a gutter guard, then make sure the experts can configure it on your roof.
Our Recommendation
If you want one of the best all-purpose gutter guards, then try LeafFilter. The manufacturer sends professionals to clean your house gutters before installing the guards. This step is important to add more life to the gutter system.
LeafFilter is one of the most durable gutter guards because it’s manufactured of stainless steel. Moreover, this screen comes with a transferable lifetime warranty. Hence, be assured that your home will be safe from all moisture-related damages.
A Close Look at LeafGuard
LeafGuard is a seamless gutter guard that never clogs as per its manufacturer. And if the screen blocks your gutter system, you will get a free cleanup. Let’s discuss more this product.
Construction
LeafGuard has a curved hood that lets water travel, but stops all the leaves and never allows them to enter your house gutters. Unlike other gutter screens, this one is built using a continuous aluminium piece. It has a width of 18 inches and the length is customizable according to your requirements.
What’s more? The metal used to construct LeafGuard is 20% thicker when compared to other guards available in the same class. So, the LeafGuards are more durable and heavy than its competitors like Gutter Topper and Gutter Helmet.
Installation
LeafGuard installation is done by professionals unless you are an expert in using power tools while standing on a ladder. But contacting the experts is better because they offer some extended warranty. The total investment to purchase and install LeafGuard depends upon the length and ease of access to your gutter system.
Efficiency
LeafGuard is very proud of its innovative screening system. It has a debris-shedding design that overshadows the protection ability of other gutter guards. The curved hood lets the rainwater pass, but keeps the debris away from your house gutters.
Some corrosion-resistant hangers support the hood. All these hangers are fixed to the fascia board through the rear side of the gutters. They use high-grade screws instead of nails so that the gutter guards can stay firm for many more years to come. Moreover, LeafGuard has a larger bottom that can effectively handle heavy downpours.
Maintenance
Do you know the biggest benefit of investing in a LeafGuard? It seeks a minimal amount of maintenance when compared to other gutter guards. This screening system keeps all the debris out of your house gutters. So, they don’t have to deal with anything apart from rainwater. Hence, try the LeafGuard if you don’t want to spend lots of time on gutter cleaning and maintenance.
Price
What’s the most expensive home improvement? It’s the one you pay twice for the same task. Most of the low-quality gutter guards are not capable to protect your house from moisture-related damages because they cannot handle significant water flow and block. Also, the cheap protectors cannot bear the weight of water and leaves. So, they destroy your roof.
On the other hand, high-end gutter protectors like LeafGuard are durable and efficient. Hence, they are comparatively expensive.
Water management
Before bringing LeafGuard to your consideration, we verified it can handle over 30 inches of water every hour. This gutter guard is significantly wide and has liberal downspout dimensions. Hence, it can efficiently deal with heavy rainfalls.
But the situation changes if you invest in a cheap or entry level gutter guard. Such protectors cannot keep up according to the amount of rainfall and your house has to bear the consequences.
Warranty
LeafGuard comes with an impressive warranty of a lifetime. So, you will get the support as long as you own the house which has the LeafGuard installed. It’s the best deal if we talk about manufacturer support and coverage.
Professionals take on LeafGuard
LeafGuard has an enormous fan base of professionals. Most probably because it works well, keeps the building safe, and comes with a lifetime warranty. The professionals recommended this gutter guard because it takes more for installation and only a skilled individual can accomplish this task. Hence, they can charge more from the homeowners in comparison to a foam or brush guard. These are the reasons why most professionals are positive about LeafGuard.
Advantages & Disadvantages of LeafGuard and Generic Gutter Guards
Advantages
All the gutter protection systems, including LeafGuard, keep your house gutters free from debris. Hence, the rainwater flows with no blocks. These products also reduce the time and money you invest in getter maintenance.
However, LeafGuard overshadows regular gutter protective systems because of multiple reasons. First, the product is long-lasting because of its thick-metal construction. Second, this gutter guard is marginally wider than its competitors. Above all, LeafGuard has an innovative design that allows nothing to act as a barrier to the rainwater flow. Hence, you don’t have to perform regular maintenance in the gutters.
Disadvantages
Generic guards allow mud formation and the development of moss at the base of your house gutters, especially if they are not installed or cleaned properly. It applies to all the protectors, irrelevant to their type. In other words, you not only have to invest time and money initially, but every year afterwards.
Gutters need cleaning and inspection once or twice annually. So, you have to find some time and tools to get it done. Or you can also consult a professional and pay more.
LeafGuard is marginally expensive, and it’s the only disadvantage. Apart from that, there’s nothing to complain about as far as you don’t have any problem with its appearance. So, what would you like? A blocked gutter system that frequently overflows or a bulky protector like LeafGuard that never asks you for a cleanup?
FAQs
Do all homes need gutter guards?
Yes, all the homes need gutter guards. So, whether you prefer generic protectors or LeafGuard, you have to invest in one. Consider this addition, especially if you have a lot of trees around your residence. It ensures you don’t have to deal with moisture damages or repeated cleanups.
But the scenario is different if your home does not have a significant tree cover. You don’t have to worry about gutter protectors in this case because the gutters will not deal with anything falling from the sky apart from water.
Do gutter guards work well in heavy rainfall?
All the gutter guards cannot deal with the enormous amount of water during heavy rains. The situation becomes worse if your house has a metal, slate or steep shingled roof. Sometimes, the cascade effect created by significant rainwater causes pooling and flooding near the foundation. However, high-quality protectors like LeafGuard can deal with heavy rainfall without any hassles.
What is the difference between Gutter Helmet and LeafGuard?
LeafGuard replaces the existing gutters, irrelevant to their conditions. It installs as a one-piece gutter and protector. On the other hand, Gutter Helmet covers your house gutters like a hood. It’s the major difference between these two gutter protectors.
Are LeafGuard protectors worth the investment?
LeafGuards are efficient in keeping leaves and twigs from entering your house gutter system. Hence, you don’t have to call professionals to clean it. So, this protector could be worth your investment if you want to save money on home maintenance. In addition, you remain free from the tedious and time taking gutter cleaning sessions.
Gutter guard vs. LeafGuard; which one should you try?
LeafGuard is a winning concept and they provide features that no other gutter protector has. Their system limits you to choosing from single type of guard, but it’s well-made with lifetime warranty plus standing test time!
