Before you buy leaf gutter guards for your gutter, you should be aware of the common complaints people that own them have. We often hear from people who come to us to buy their second gutter guard because the first one they chose didn’t work. We completely understand their level of frustration, this is not a purchase to be made twice!
Your choice can be an informed one if you’re aware of common gutter guard complaints. You’ll save yourself the hassle of buying a second system.
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Do Gutter Guards Work? Top 5 Complaints
1. The workmanship is shoddy. It’s a shame to mention this, but far too many complaints start with installation issues. Before you buy a gutter guard, find out what gutter guard system will be installed. Are you buying from a guy with a ladder and a pick-up truck? If so, he’s off to the local box store or supply house to pick up whatever is cheap and handy.
If you look into a better-known brand, have you been told how they train their installers? Is anyone manufacturer trained, or sitting down with manuals/videos or did your installer learn from the guy before him and pick up all his bad habits?
The gutter guard complaints often start with the installation crew and, by doing your homework, you can choose a reputable gutter guard company that will stand behind their work with a simple warranty guaranteeing this. Too often products fail because the installer did not install using manufacturer specifications.
Not sure if your system was installed right? See if the manufacturer has a guide for you to use as a checklist. You may also want to send them a photo or two if something just doesn’t seem to make sense to you.
Installation warranties are usually in place for a one to two year period. If you are having issues, check your contract and make sure you address the problems while you still have a warranty from the installation company.
2. They drip with icicles in the winter/They don’t take water in when the temperatures outside are freezing. Many homeowners call back once winter hits with problems like this. Few stop to think they just installed a cover over their gutters, which winds up making them as solid as your roof when there are snow or icy conditions.
Two things to consider. You install a gutter guard for your gutter to stop clogs, end gutter cleaning and keep out debris spring, summer and fall.
Your installation company has a responsibility to let you know guards for your gutter aren’t designed to work in the winter. Contractors may even have a clause in their contract that they get you to initial about this very issue because it’s just the reality of installing leaf guards.
Many manufacturers offer the option to heat their systems so you can avoid problem areas. The beauty of MasterShield is that you can heat retroactively, so you may not need to make a large investment in heating every gutter, but spot heating any trouble spots once you’ve lived through a winter with the product.
They Still Need to Be Cleaned
3. They still need cleaning. Systems with any sort of openings, slits, slots, will let in debris and do so in the rain when you expect them to work. Debris follows water around the curves of the most popular brands, into the gutter below. The volume of water isn’t enough to flush the system of debris, so now you’ve got a covered rain gutter that you can’t clean.
Curved systems also get dirty on their curves. Not the top, but the front and bottom. Once the curve is dirty, water will shoot over the cover and miss the rain gutter below. That curve will need to be cleaned every season to keep the system working properly.
Organisms like moss, lichen, and algae may be the reason why you’ve got to clean your gutter guards. This is where the Copper of MasterShield’s Copper Interlaced Technology can make the difference! Copper is a natural killer of the spores that grow in any shady, humid, and moist environment. By putting copper in our filter, we improve the filter’s ability to need less cleaning from the issues that these organisms can cause by clogging the filter.
4. They cause bees and birds to nest under them. If you’ve installed a curved system or anything with a solid gutter cover, you’ve just created a condo for wasps, hornets, and birds.
We just had one of our dealers contact us with these facts: he removed a curved system off a house with 342 feet of gutter. His installers found 42 bees nests and went through over 7 cans of bee spray.
That’s one bees nest for every 8.2 feet of gutters! Gutter guard complaints like this are very common and you shouldn’t add problems to your home like this.
Do They Work?
5. They don’t work. Some products are great on paper, but not in the field. Few systems take into consideration the effect of roof oils that leach from asphalt shingles. In fact, only products from MGP, the manufacturer of MasterShield, have ever gone public with the problem.
In fact, it was roof shingle oils that lead micro mesh industry innovator Alex Higginbotham to invent the self-cleaning technology in MasterShield in the first place.
When his first product failed from these oils he did further research to create the properties you’ll find in MasterShield. His designs are unique and has been awarded over 10 patents on his technology.
Avoid systems that let in debris, can’t self-clean of roof oils, and or are made from plastics. They cause problems that cause many gutter guard complaints that result in people removing their systems.
Patented Higginbotham technology has been the top choice of all recent independent tests. Before making an investment, why not find out more about MasterShield and how it can address many of the gutter guard complaints you’ll find with other systems.
Tired of Gutter Cleaning? Click for Free Estimate!
One caveat: gutters and guards exist in an imperfect world, one completely different from the home show display. They're exposed to real debris, real rainwater, and real roof conditions. Mother Nature will throw everything she has at them to boot. There will be homes, roofs, or situations even the best gutter guards can't handle. You can find out more gutter guard problems along with leafguard reviews here.
