How to Fix Clogging Gutters With A Gutter Cover

Use solid gutter covers to stop leaves and debris from washing into gutters and clogging them.

by Brett Martin

From The Family Handyman

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Q  The small leaves from the locust trees near my house really clog the gutters. Do those newer (and more expensive) types of gutter protectors such as Gutter Pro and Gutter Helmet really work?
—Henry Johnson, via e-mail

A  Solid guards, which cover all of the gutter except for a narrow crack to let the water through, do work well. The lip on the guards relies on surface tension to draw the water down into the gutter, while the solid covering deflects leaves and other debris that would otherwise drop in.

Gutter Topper, Gutter Helmut and Gutter Pro are examples of companies that make solid guard covers. Any of these should keep you from having to clean your gutters again. The guards work on every type of gutter, except plastic “C” shapes. Since the guards fit over the gutter rather than inside, they’ll cover most standard-size gutters. They’re typically attached to the gutter with brackets, with the upper edge slid under the lower shingles.

As you noted, these systems are expensive. You can’t buy them at home centers. They’re usually professionally installed, which explains part of the higher cost. (Look under “Gutters” in the Yellow Pages.)

Screened gutter guards, which are much less expensive and available at home centers, don’t work as well. They’ll keep out most leaves, but you can expect smaller debris, such as seeds and pine needles, to get through. Screens also make gutter cleaning more difficult, because you have to move them aside to get at the debris. However, in some cases they may be all you need.