Which Gutter Cover is the Best?

Tired of GUNK in your gutters, but can’t decide on gutter screens or helmets…?

We recently had a customer that was VERY concerned over which type of gutter cover to use on her home. We’ll call her Pam. Pam was understandably confused about how to solve her problem… how to keep GUNK out of her gutters.

She had thoroughly researched the various types and manufacturers of gutter cover products. With a wealth of information from the manufacturers and roofing and gutter companies, as well as feedback from about ten or twelve other homeowners, she still couldn’t make up her mind. There was no product available that would satisfy both of her primary concerns, which were the following:

It would be a dangerous task for her and her husband to get on a ladder to remove tree debris that was cluttering up their gutter, and so they needed a product that would stay clean of debris.
Water would often run over the gutter, rather than in it, during the frequent heavy rains that we get in the Louisville, KY area. So they needed a product that properly directed water flow to within the gutters.

Like many homeowners before her, Pam encountered the debate over what is the best system for keeping leaves and other debris out of gutters, and for keeping the water going in. This debate is discussed frequently, and there is NO clear-cut answer. Every manufacturer of gutter covers has their own reasoning behind why their product is the best, and why their competitor’s products just don’t add up.

If you have time to research them yourself, you will see the difference between the two main types of covers, solid vs. screens, and it is easy to understand how Pam’s two concerns are not solved completely by either type. However, here at Roof It Right, we believe the best gutter cover is the micro-mesh screen, and in our years of experience in trying to resolve these problems for our customers we have been able to develop a list of reasons why;

Micro-mesh screens do the best at allowing water into the gutter and keeping debris out (even very small, hence the name micro-mesh).
Almost all solid gutter covers do a good job of keeping large debris out of the gutter, but smaller debris in light rainstorms can wash over the edge of the solid cover and into the gutter, collecting over time. Homeowners will discover that after years of accumulation, they must remove the cover and clean out their gutters. In contrast, debris that accumulates on screens tends to get washed or blown away.
During heavy rains, solid covers tend to allow water to flow over, but screens do not.
Micro-mesh screens do not tie into the roofline. They sit inside the gutter and are easy to install and remove. This can save you time and money in the future.
Micro-mesh screens are cheaper up front than most other products.

There is no absolute product that will prevent any future maintenance needs with your gutter system. What Roof It Right, LLC recommends is based on what we believe to have worked best for our customers, although we realize that micro-mesh screens still need inspection and cleaning. To help our customers with this and other roofing related issues, we offer an affordable annual maintenance plan to inspect, clean, and make minor repairs. If you are in the Louisville, KY area, we would be glad to offer the same service to you, but if not, we’re sure you can find a trusted company to do the same.

Thanks for following Roof It Right, LLC! We believe in doing the job right at Roof It Right!

-James Hannon, assistant general manager, Roof It Right, LLC