By Daniel Weadley
© DanielsRoof.com

It’s not very often that I feel the need to slate a product so badly, but this gutter guard has let me down – big time.

I first installed this about 2 years ago and all seemed fine, until the following spring when I got phone calls from my customers. Moss, seeds and grit from the roof had compacted on the top of the guard and prevented water from entering the guttering.

This meant that the water cascaded over the front edge of the guttering and onto the fascia boards and then down onto the walls and window sills. In my opinion this product is flawed and at the time was mis-sold. The only way to clear out the guard was to remove it and unblock it with a hose and then refit it.

My Review

Here is a review that I left on another website, it sums up my experience in more detail:

A couple of years ago I wrote a favourable review of the gutter guard foam, in hindsight I should have tested the product much more before doing so. During the last 12 months I have had several phone calls from customers who have had problems with the foam installation.

For those of you who are not aware of this product, it’s a section of foam that is inserted into the guttering and is designed to keep out leaves, pine needles and roof moss etc whilst allowing rainwater to enter the guttering. At first it seemed like a really good product, it was strong, not too expensive and easy to install.

The First Phonecall

The first phone call I received was in November 2010. I inspected the gutter guard foam and it was covered in bits of roof moss, dirt, pine needles and seedlings/acorns. I could clearly see that the foam was blocked, not just on the outside but also clogged up within the foam itself. It was obvious that the foam would not be able to handle a heavy downpour of rain, not while clogged up like this anyway.

Indeed, the customer took no time in pointing out the damp patch on the wall below. The rainwater wasn’t even entering the guttering. How could it, when the gutter foam was completely clogged up? Rather, the water was just overflowing onto the patio and splashing up onto the wall.

I scraped the muck from the top of the foam and then tried to flush the rest out with some water, it didn’t really work so I had to completely remove the foam and used a hose to clear it. I then re-installed it, knowing that it wouldn’t take long to clog up again.

Gutter foam clogged with layer of dirt and moss on surface

Not What I (or my customer) Expected

When I installed the product I expected it to keep out leaves and other debris so the gutter didn’t become blocked.  According to the website and manufacturer of the foam, leaves and other debris will sit on top of the guard and then “just blow away with the wind”

Yeah Right!

Based on my experience with this installation and several others, that is not the case. The foam is easily blocked and roof moss and other bits just clog up the surface. I have witnessed this after just one season (Autumn).

Since installing this product I have checked the manufacturers website and noticed they have now changed their policy. Instead of advertising this product as a “clog free” foam, they are advising customers that the foam may require “maintenance” every 6 months!

Apparently one should go up a ladder every 6 months with a garden hose and flush the foam with water.

As my customer lives in a three storey property with a large glass roofed conservatory beneath, I don’t think I will be passing on this advice to him!

My Advice

From now on I will be advising my customers to think twice before installing this gutter foam. There may be situations where this product works well, but if you have lots of moss on your roof or pine trees nearby, then in my opinion this is not the best gutter guard to choose from. Far from it.