Keeping leaves from gutters

[Daffy D]

A simple DIY to keep leaves from clogging up your gutters;-

Buy some of that plastic netting that's sold in rolls. The roll is usually 1mt wide, cut off strips depending on the size of your gutters, I have 8in gutters so I cut 1/2 mt. strips. Fold the strips into a roll and fix with cable ties.

Then bung the rolls you made into your gutters . As each length is about 1mt it's easy enough to remove a section should you need to for any reason.

Make sure the plastic netting you use is stiff enough to stay roughly in shape when in the gutter.

[weegee]

Yes it works ok, until real heavy rain....

Then the leaves once wet through block the water passing through the netting....The result is the water cascades over the lot, like not having a gutter.

I have pulled out mine and just make the effort to get up and clean them when i know good rain is coming....

[Crossy]

Our problem isn't leaves, it's birds nesting, when it rains the nests get washed into the downspouts and cause blockages.

I'll have a look if the mesh idea can fit our gutters without being visible, cheers for the idea.

[xen]

You are better off sliding one edge under the roof metal or tiles and leaving the other side dangling over the gutter edge. It may not look as tidy but if it is flat it will not allow the leaves to accumalate and when it rains the leaves will be washed over the gutter onto the ground where it is easy to clean up. If there is no accumulation of leaves then the water will go into the gutter as intended.

Edited December 28, 2015 by xen

[patekatek]

Our problem isn't leaves, it's birds nesting, when it rains the nests get washed into the downspouts and cause blockages.

I'll have a look if the mesh idea can fit our gutters without being visible, cheers for the idea.

I used the black colored mesh to put in my gutters to keep pigeons from building nests (as well as other birds) and it's been very successful. I found that once the mesh is in place you forget it's there. I think the black color helps keep it from being so noticeable.

[Daffy D]

Everybody has their own favorite leaves in the gutter solution - this is just an idea that may be helpful to some.

The guttering in the picture is raised on the outer edge, higher than the end of the roof so have had to fit the netting accordingly. It is higher than the roof edge and does catch the leaves but have not had a problem with heavy rain washing over it.

I think a lot of problems with waters cascading over guttering is due to the way gutters are normally fitted, that is flat and level just below the roof edge and so the water just shoots off the end of the roof missing the gutter completely.

As "XEN' pointed out another way is to slip one edge of the netting under the roof edge and have it dangling over the gutter. That is fine if your roof edge/gutter is set up so you can do that. I have that set up round the back on another roof extension.

The diameter of the lengths of roll you put in the gutter can be whatever suits your particular situation. A smaller diameter that is just below the top of the gutter would not be visible from the ground and may suit "Crossy" with his bird problem.

"patekatek" When I was looking for suitable mesh the only color I could find that was stiff enough to stay in shape happened to be green. Anyway it cannot be seen from the ground and lets me feel eco-friendly.

[GavinK]

+1 on how to keep the pigeons from nesting in the gutters. PVC coated mesh lasts longer.

[topt]

Everybody has their own favorite leaves in the gutter solution - this is just an idea that may be helpful to some.

The guttering in the picture is raised on the outer edge, higher than the end of the roof so have had to fit the netting accordingly. It is higher than the roof edge and does catch the leaves but have not had a problem with heavy rain washing over it.

I think a lot of problems with waters cascading over guttering is due to the way gutters are normally fitted, that is flat and level just below the roof edge and so the water just shoots off the end of the roof missing the gutter completely.

As "XEN' pointed out another way is to slip one edge of the netting under the roof edge and have it dangling over the gutter. That is fine if your roof edge/gutter is set up so you can do that. I have that set up round the back on another roof extension.

The diameter of the lengths of roll you put in the gutter can be whatever suits your particular situation. A smaller diameter that is just below the top of the gutter would not be visible from the ground and may suit "Crossy" with his bird problem.

"patekatek" When I was looking for suitable mesh the only color I could find that was stiff enough to stay in shape happened to be green. Anyway it cannot be seen from the ground and lets me feel eco-friendly.

If it is just resting in the gutter how do you stop it from getting blown off in heavy wind if it is up high and you cannot slip one end under the roof edge?

Sorry to hijack the thread but anybody know a tradesman who can fix a leak in stainless steel joined gutter/downpipe - and not with silicone? And works around Pattaya...........

[Daffy D]

"topt" @

Don't see how it could work if you can't slip the mesh under the roof edge. To get the mesh resting in the gutter it has to go under the roof edge, if for some reason you cannot get it in under the roof edge just jam it in the gutter against the edge of the roof and that will hold it in place.

The mesh is more holes than mesh so very little for the wind to get to blow on. Guess you could always cable tie the sections together and have one long length that might be more stable in high wind conditions.

Another option is to use nylon fishing line (almost invisible) across the top of the mesh at the bracket points along the guttering to hold the mesh down.

A simple way to fix leaks in metal guttering is to use heavy duty sticky silver tape:- Almost invisible from the ground.

This tape is not strong enough to join sections together, they still have to be soldered of bolted/riveted but it does stop those annoying leaks.

[cooked]

I had experience with this plastic meshing in guttering. It was expensive and I decided it was rubbish. You still have to go up there every year to remove the debris that has fallen between the mesh and the gutter, or on top of the mesh, and when you lift out the mesh all the rotted and disgusting gunk goes down the plug 'ole anyway. At one point I refused to clean a client's guttering one more time, I just went up there to clean twice a year instead of once.

Synopsis: it doesn't bloody well work.

Here we take the power cleaner up there twice a year, now that does a good job.

[bankruatsteve]

Cleaning out the gutter is the guy job, the honey-do, the home project to procrastinate. But, dammit - it's our job. Don't come up with a solution to prevent. (and which won't work anyway).

[Chuckles78]

Our problem isn't leaves, it's birds nesting, when it rains the nests get washed into the downspouts and cause blockages.

I'll have a look if the mesh idea can fit our gutters without being visible, cheers for the idea.

We had a similar problem. Our roof guy pulled some dead birds out of our gutters along with nests.