One month into our test of some of the most popular micro mesh and solid gutter covers on the market, what has changed since we installed the gutter guards, and will these changes foretell the gutter guards’ future?
Admittedly, it’s been a slow first month. We installed the gutter guards in March 2020, well before trees had started to bud, blossom and bloom. We’ve had plenty of time to get to know the gutter guards in the first five episodes, and we’re waiting patiently for the onslaught of late-spring helicopters, oak tassels, and locust flowers to test the will and fortitude of the gutter guards.
In Episode 6 of the Ultimate Gutter Guard Challenge 2021, we begin to see early signs of flowers, blooms and debris falling off the trees and landing on the gutter guards.
We had an opportunity to look at all 12 gutter guards, up close, to give you a perspective of how the gutter guards are faring after some of the early spring flowers, leaves and buds are beginning to change in complexion of the gutter guards.
(By the way, if you live anywhere in Ohio and want your gutter guards or gutters installed right once and for all, we can help. Based in Dayton, we serve greater Columbus, Cincinnati, Cleveland, and beyond. Contact Gutter Guards Direct today for a fast quote and for a gutter system that finally works and protects your home all the way.)
MasterShield is in a tough spot
MasterShield is in the toughest position on both sides of the garage. In fairness, prior to the gutter guards being installed, all the gutters were full of leaves and debris, so the garage is a tough environment for gutters and guards, period, and despite some gutter guards being further away from overhanging trees, we feel that they’ll be treated by Mother Nature equally.
With that said, MasterShield sits closest to the trees at the rear of the property where there is an apple, redbud and a massive white pine tree overhanging the roof at the southwest end of the garage.
Despite this, there is little sign that MasterShield is going to buckle to the elements this early in the test. There are some white and red flowers, from the apple and redbud trees, loosely resting on the gutter guard screen, but it appears temporary as any decent wind or rain should shift those items from the gutter guard surface to the ground.
LeafFilter show its stuff, warts and all
In the second position on both the north and south side of the garage, LeafFilter is one of three gutter guards that has two chances to show its stuff. With a design that is virtually unchanged since its debut in 2001, LeafFilter is the granddaddy of micro mesh gutter guards’ universe.
As will become evident, LeafFilter sits relatively flat inside the gutter. When we say relatively flat, the gutter guard has a slope built-in to its frame. The rear of the gutter guard is taller than the front of the gutter guard. The rear sits on top of the gutter hangers or spikes that are holding the gutters in position, and this creates the angle.
For most modern-day gutters — installed within the past 20-plus years — it’s likely that the inside of the gutters contains what is known as a hidden hanger. When installed properly and with a clip that secures to the back edge of the gutter, the hangers sit consistently level inside the gutters. However, there are hangers that don’t have clips and old-style 9-inch nails, known as spikes and ferrules, that are literally hammered through the front and rear of the gutter. The odds of spikes being consistently level is 0%.
If LeafFilter is installed on gutters that have hangers without clips – this is what LeafFilter’s own installers use – or on top of nails, the gutter guards could be tilted forwards or backwards and are likely to appear wavy.
In our case, we used hidden hangers that are clipped to the rear edge of the gutter, so the installation is perfectly level. Despite this, LeafFilter has the least forward slope of any gutter guard since it is the only gutter guard system in our test that does not slide under the shingles.
The net result is that we’re beginning to see the accumulation of buds and flowers and pine needles on LeafFilter’s micro mesh screen surface on both sides of the garage.
GutterGlove Pro looks good
GutterGlove Pro appears unphased so far in the test. A little debris here and there, the worst that is showing on this micro mesh gutter guard at this point is a small stick, shingle granules and organic matter. From a debris perspective, GutterGlove Pro is cruising along without any worries.
GutterLove is looking for love in all the right places
As one of the two medium grade micro mesh systems in the test, GutterLove, aka LeafLock, is doing just fine. Having a slightly looser woven screen, it’s more susceptible to small debris passing through the screen and into the gutter. The biggest worry in this test so far is the towering white pine tree that sits just behind the garage. This tree drops pine needles 24/7/365, so if it’s going to make its presence known, GutterLove is going to hear all about it.
At this point in the test, on the south side of the garage, there’s a single pine needle lying flat on the screen and few more pine needles that passed through the screen and into the gutter. On the north side, there are is another pine needle that has lodged itself in the screen, small flowers, debris and a small twig sitting on top of the screen.
Is HomeCraft / HydroShield a diamond in the rough?
I’m not sure I once referred to HydroShield by its proper name. Also sold by HomeCraft, pretty much known as “Diamond Mesh” in the videos, this unique looking micro mesh gutter guard is easily identifiable by its diamond embossed stainless steel screen (we verified it is stainless steel).
The theory behind the screen is that the embossing will create a better water flow experience and it will prevent leaves and debris from sticking to the screen. What we’re seeing, at this point in the test, is that the recessed channels are actually capturing and holding debris. The same is true with the gap that has been created where the multi-level screen intersects with the metal band at the front of the gutter guard.
Beyond that, the amount and type of debris on the screen is a non-issue at this point.
LeaFree is the only solid contender in this test
As the only solid gutter cover in this test, there is a lot on the line for LeaFree and its reverse curve cousins. Popularized in the 1980s, solid gutter covers, which work on the principle of surface adhesion, ruled the roost and rooftops of millions of homes across the globe. Virtually all higher-end, professionally installed gutter guards had a similar design. Meant to represent the segment of the industry on its own, pitted against 8 other micro mesh gutter guards, anyone who sells or has a solid gutter cover installed on a home will want to pay attention to LeaFree’s performance in this test.
Because LeaFree has a smooth, solid surface, there is very little friction to slow the transition of leaves and debris from the gutter guard’s surface to the ground below. On a dry day, there is no reason that any debris would land inside the gutter. Most of it should simply bounce or blow off the solid surface.
However, it may be a different story on a rainy day. In this case, debris that adheres to the water can be carried by the water into the opening across the front edge of the gutter guard. At this point in the test, LeaFree’s surface is free of any debris and there is only one sign of a flower bud, from the Redbud tree, that is stuck to the interior side of open channel into the gutter.
Is LeafSolution a good solution?
You know, when I first saw LeafSolution, back in 2009, I wasn’t sold on the whole downward dip concept. For obvious reasons, it seems like a bad idea, at least from a debris standpoint. Who wants to install a gutter guard that is virtually guaranteed to capture shingle granules, pine needles and other small debris inside those exposed channels?
In time, I learned that it wasn’t such a big deal. Ideal? No. A major problem? No.
But here we are, testing LeafSolution alongside 7 other micro mesh gutter guards. And with one of the tests being how well the gutter guards shed leaves and debris, candidly, LeafSolution is at a competitive disadvantage due to its unconventional design.
So here we are in early spring, and the exposed channels on LeafSolution are filling up with small leaves, seed pods, and debris. There is also a small stick off the pine tree that has been sitting on top of the gutter guard screen for a week or two.
While the channels are filling up, and this has the second most debris sitting on top of the gutter guard screen – just ahead of its next-door neighbor, LeafFilter — the presence of debris isn’t as big a deal as the stick, which actually caused additional water to drip off the edge of the gutter guard, as seen in the Episode 5.
GutterGlove Easy-on is rollin’ on
This California native is adjusting pretty well to its new Midwest surrounds. Featured on the north side of the garage, GutterGlove Easy-on is taking the addition of small leaves, shingle granules and debris in stride.
Of note on this gutter guard is the slight rise of the screen just on the inside of the front edge of the gutter guard. This hump, if you will, is designed to slow the flow of water as it reaches the front edge of the gutter guard. As you can see, it also catches small debris such as organic matter and shingle granules off the roof.
At this point in the test, it’s too early to tell if this “feature” will be a good or bad thing. On the good side, if it truly slows that water down and prevents it from spilling over the front edge of the gutter guard, that’s a good thing. But, if it catches enough debris, will that cause more of the debris to stay firmly planted on the screen surface or will it be able to shed the surface and ride the wave to the shore – err, I mean ground below?
You be the judge if Clean Mesh is, well, clean
Clean Mesh sits up under the first course of shingles, so like all the other micro mesh gutter guards, except LeafFilter, it has a nice built-in slope, thanks to the garage roof’s 45-degree angle.
Clean Mesh is farthest away from any trees on the back side of the garage because it sits on the northeast corner. There is a redbud tree near Clean Mesh, but the tree sits to the east of the garage, so it doesn’t have much impact on any of the gutter guard systems.
As you can see, Clean Mesh has a fair number of shingle granules and some small flowers that are lingering on top of the screen’s surface. Clean Mesh has a horizontal run of weep holes that sit between the screen and the aluminum front edge of the panel. Due to the way the screen terminates into the aluminum strip, quite a few shingle granules have wedged in that channel, potentially clogging or impeding the flow of water into the weep holes.
If the weep holes were more visible – they should be – then some of the shingle granules would have entered the holes and dropped into the gutter. But since the channel is somewhat closed, due to poor manufacturing oversight, the granules and other small debris have gathered and lodged in this channel, potentially causing an overflow problem when it rains.
Ultimate Gutter Guards Challenge Winner – Episode 6
Judging from the amount and location of debris on the gutter guards, here are this week’s winners and losers:
- LeaFree – 1st Place
- GutterGlove Pro – 2nd Place
- GutterLove aka LeafLock (south side) – 3rd Place
- MasterShield (south side) – 4th Place
- GutterGlove Easy-on – 5th Place
- LeafFilter (south side) – 6th Place
- MasterShield (north side) – 7th Place
- GutterLove aka LeafLock (north side) – 8th Place
- HydroShield aka Diamond Mesh – 9th Place
- Clean Mesh – 10th Place
- LeafSolution – 11th Place
- LeafFilter (north side) – 12th Place
Agree or disagree with our findings? Do you own one of these gutter guards on your home? Leave your comments below and we’ll be happy to respond.
