Black Gutter Guard (Hedgehog)

[NoName]

Scottish...run to the hills -  these are the worst type in my experience, the 'hedgehog' style is much more effective, the grids a ' mare to fit (under the lip of each gutter clip, round corners) and remove - you need to move the ladder every .5-1m or so (hedgehogs you can use you WFP to 'push' them into gutter.  The grids are flat, so offer an ideal 'ledge' for debris to land on and accumulate as well as decay and fall thru the grids.(more than the hogs) I hate working with this style all in all avoid if you can and go for the hogs... that all said my area is literally a Forest so we get a lot of debris, maybe in towns they may be ok (but doubt it ?)

 

[scottish cleaning service]

I've come across this stuff on a few occasions and came to the same conclusion as with the hedgehog. Most of the leaves will blow off the top with strong breezes. But, the problem is that some of the leaves will break down and fall through to the inside of the gutter, as will dirt from the roof and plant seeds carried in the air. This will then grow grass and weeds and slow or block the water flow. Only remedy I've found is to remove the gutter guard. This usually means having to place the ladder at about 4 feet spacings.

After having to do that, I don't put it back.

Many folk don't understand that tiles are made from sand and cement. Acid rain hits the tiles and slowly wears them away and that's why the gutters are full of sand. A perfect growing medium for grass, weeds and anything else that drops in. I think the best plan is to get your gutters cleared out every year like an mot on a vehicle.

 

[NoName]

The trouble with leaving the gutter's bare they're veritable 'open mouths' waiting for heavy downpours to rush moss & leaves into them and into the downpipe neck which are smaller diameters - creating a high risk of blocking. This can happen just after you've clean the gutters...as moss comes down bit by bit and not all leaves fall at once or at the same time of year. (different trees shed them at different times, pines/firs can often steadily drop them all year - or at least it feels that way)

Guards prevent a lot and crucially slowdown the process of debris getting into the gutter and hence into the downpipe neck - which normally means it shouldn't block between scheduled cleans. Based on my experience, other will no doubt have different opinions. But for a homeowner/custy they are beneficial

 

[Pjj]

I have 2 customers that i clean there leaf blocker from the downpipe each month. They are surrounded by 100 foot trees. I get the gutter clear every year or sometimes every 6 months. Just heard today about Gutter Guard that clips onto top of gutter, not sure how good they are.

https://www.screwfix.com/p/floplast-gutter-guards-100mm-black-10-pack/12515?tc=TB3&ds_kid=92700020972857483&gclsrc=aw.ds&ds_rl=1241687&ds_rl=1245250&ds_rl=1249404&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIlqaYhJLF5wIVybHtCh2SHQXhEAYYASABEgIPDfD_BwE

I have found them to be worse than hedgehog horrible things seeds get trapped on the top send roots Down through the holes into the gutters to get water a right mess removing them to again waist of time and money .

It's a one way trip when I get involved with it. I'll remove it but I won't replace the rubbish. Only exception is that I will sometimes plug a short length down into the top of downpipes as a very effective leaf stopper.

Infact I now carry leaf stoppers in the van and put them into downpipes that are prone to blocking, especially if I'm likely to be clearing the gutters again in future. Makes future jobs quicker and safer and they only cost £1.65 from Screwfix. I don't bother passing the tiny cost on to the customer. ?

I have found the problem with theses is one reasonable size leave like a maple can lay over them causing a total blockage of the down pipe , I don’t think there is an answer to this issue to be honest ,if you don’t put anything there and it’s going straight into a soak away it can block the pipe if you put something in the top of the pipe it will block there it’s a no win situation ????  

 

[scottish cleaning service]

Its a good money making racket for the suppliers. Folk buy them when they see the advert on a nice windy sunny day in the summer. Leaf falls on them and the wind blows it off onto the ground but reality is very different. ?

 

[Part Timer]

I have 2 customers that i clean there leaf blocker from the downpipe each month. They are surrounded by 100 foot trees. I get the gutter clear every year or sometimes every 6 months. Just heard today about Gutter Guard that clips onto top of gutter, not sure how good they are.

https://www.screwfix.com/p/floplast-gutter-guards-100mm-black-10-pack/12515?tc=TB3&ds_kid=92700020972857483&gclsrc=aw.ds&ds_rl=1241687&ds_rl=1245250&ds_rl=1249404&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIlqaYhJLF5wIVybHtCh2SHQXhEAYYASABEgIPDfD_BwE

These are as bad as hedgehogs, just had one of my 6 monthly clear jobs remove them from the guttering where they were installed 2 years ago. They slow the flow rate down and cause blockages in the corners. 

 

[scottish cleaning service]

I have come to realise that gutters should be left open and cleared every year.

 

[scottish cleaning service]

I have found them to be worse than hedgehog horrible things seeds get trapped on the top send roots Down through the holes into the gutters to get water a right mess removing them to again waist of time and money .

I have found the problem with theses is one reasonable size leave like a maple can lay over them causing a total blockage of the down pipe , I don’t think there is an answer to this issue to be honest ,if you don’t put anything there and it’s going straight into a soak away it can block the pipe if you put something in the top of the pipe it will block there it’s a no win situation ????  

I have 2 customers that have these round things on top of their running outlet. When I do their windows, I also clear around them because I trad their windows and its only ten feet high. I charge them a tenner each every month and they are very happy with it.

 

[Dale Harries]

I find they get bunged up with moss and tile silt over time. They're also a bugger to clean and I avoid customers who have them.