Gutter Hedgehog Review

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© DanielsRoof.com

The Gutter Hedgehog is a brush filter that sits inside the guttering and aims to keep out most of the leaves, moss and twigs etc that usually cause expensive blockages. It is manufactured with a wire core interwoven with UV resistant plastic bristles. In theory, large items of debris such as broad leaves are kept out of the rainwater system and simply blow away with the wind.

This product is really easy to install, you just need a ladder, some snips to cut the cable and something to tie to the guttering, like a long cable tie. I know that recently the manufacturer started to sell specialist clips to secure it tightly in the gutter.

It doesn’t clog up as easily as some other guards I have previously tested such as the foam inserts or flimsy mesh but is sometimes visible from ground level and certainly from any overlooking windows. Overall I like this product, but like all guards it doesn’t keep out everything,  for example pine needles will get caught in the brush and just block the flow of water into the guttering.

Pros

This product has many advantages over traditional gutter mesh, such as:

  • Doesn’t collapse into the gutter like flimsy mesh often does
  • Really really easy to fit, you just need a ladder, some cutters and a bit of plastic coated wire to tie around the gutter to keep it in place
  • Easy to remove should you ever need to
  • Cost effective and cheaper than some gutter foam inserts and other complicated systems

Cons

Like all gutter filters there are some things to be aware of:

  • Might be visible from ground level
  • Won’t offer 100% protection against small particles like pine needles or fine roof moss
  • Won’t fit larger high capacity gutters, this product is suited to semi-round guttering or Squareline.

Summary

All gutter guards require some form of maintenance and should only ever be seen as a product to reduce, not eliminate that maintenance.

When installing a filter it is essential that the product can be easy removed and re-fitted. A product that requires lots of tools and parts (bolts, screws etc) will result in higher maintenance and repair costs in the future should the gutter ever need a clear out.

Stick to simple, easy to install and maintain products.

The Hedgehog is still a fairly new product here in the U.K so time will tell if it’s to be a long term success. It has been sold in the United States for a longer period of time buy they have different gutter systems so a direct comparison isn’t possible.

I suspect that this Gutter Hedgehog will work very well if the homeowner first removes any moss from the roof, treats it with a moss killer to prevent early regrowth, trims back overhanging tree branches and uses the guard on a house that is not close to pine trees or other trees that produce small seeds or leaves.

Buy the Gutter Hedgehog

You can purchase the Gutter Hedgehog from here.


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