I love autumn. It’s festive, colorful and the start of the holidays. I look outside and see cool crisp days and then the explosion of color. The red, yellows and browns against a blue sky or even a grey sky are beautiful. There’s something about fall that makes it my favorite season of the year, especially when sitting around the outdoor fireplace.
If you live in Wisconsin you’re used to this look and if you live where there are trees on your property you are double blessed until you look at your gutters and see the beauty of fall is creating a lot of work for you.
However, not any longer. If you won the lottery then you can pay a service to come out and clean the gutters but if you’re like me then a gutter guard system is the way to go.
Gutters protect your home a great deal more then you think. They catch water and carry it away. Frank Lloyd Wright would be proud.
A gutter guard is any piece that attaches to the gutter and prevents unwanted materials from entering. Usually, those unwanted materials are leaves, branches, and other outdoor debris. A lot of gutter protection devices will do the job to some degree but there’s one company in particular that stands tall above the rest. Leaf Guard is the best for one single reason. It’s a one-piece system that works on the scientific principle of water adhesion.
What is Water Adhesion?
Good question because I had to ask myself. Water adhesion is the scientific principle that allows water to adhere to the surface of a material until the weight of the water can no longer support itself when that happens water then falls away from the surface. Leaf Guard has rolled drip edge hood which allows the water to adhere to the surface until it curls under the hood and drops into the gutter. Simple right? It works every time and you can’t beat science because it happens everytime it rains, without fail.
The hood is a crucial part of a seamless gutter system, supported by custom-fit professional installation and a lifetime warranty.
The goal of the gutter guard is simple: protect and fortify the home against nature’s assailants.
But, what other brands are out there that don’t require an entirely new gutter system and are not as expensive.
Surface Tension styles $3-$6 per foot.
Any surface tension style is a good alternative to leaf guard as the principle is almost the same as it has a rolled over hood but it’s not a continuous piece. There also a little more noticeable from the street and sometimes in heavy downpours water tends to run over the top of them. They also come in sections so there’s the chance of a little maintenance down the road. But not bad.
Withstands branches, snow, ice, and strong winds.
Keeps out the big stuff.
More colors available.
Needs little or no maintenance if installed correctly.
Long-lasting.
Screens or fine mesh $2-$3 per foot.
Fine-mesh guards function like screens, but they block all but the smallest debris and particles. The tiny spaces in the mesh won’t clog with seeds and needles, but they can fill with small particles like shingle grit. Fine-mesh gutter guards 
still need an occasional cleaning, but unlike screens, fine mesh is easy to blow or brush clean.
Keeps everything out of the gutter.
Higher-quality versions hold up to branches, snow, ice, and strong winds.
Easy to install.
Can work with various roof types: shingles, shakes, steel, slate, tile, etc.
Can use with old, brittle shingles.
Can add strength to the gutter if installed flat.
Easy to clean.
So now you can enjoy the autumn weather knowing you have options for protecting your gutters from those beautiful leaves.