Biggest problem with any gutter guard is sediment and debris building up inside the gutter over time.. No gutter guard can prevents this and by the time the downspout is clogged with mucky debris and sediment, the gutter is overflowing, you will have to remove the gutter guard and most likely clean out all the gutters.. A giant pain in the ass, better to clean the gutters out once or twice a year than to leave them unchecked for years.
@jrogers71 I've got news for you. You're wrong. There's no other home-improvement expert that's tested gutter guards to the extent I have. The micro-mesh gutter guards do NOT allow anything in the gutter except water and maybe a pollen particle that's invisible to the eye. I do agree with you that all the other guards DO allow stuff in that turns to muck.
So, my gutters are mounted such that I cant install the gutter guard to match the pitch of the roof. in fact, if I tuck the guard under the comp roof shingle, it would actually tilt back towards the roof. The only debris I get are pine needles and the little pine seeds - and I get a lot of it, all season long.
What are my best options for this type of situation for a DIY kind of guy? Lower the gutters (ugh), cut back the shingle? or go with an inferior solution (and what would that be)?
But I need to move something in order to match the pitch of the roof. I would think cutting the shingles back high enough in order to get the guards to flash under them would be easiest (but these are thick, 40 yr comp shingles).The shingles roll over the eves below the top edge of the gutter. My other choice is to lower the gutter. I assume that the gutter flashes under the shakes also, so that doesnt seem feasible. any suggestions? thanks,
The micro mesh is fine unless you live in a tropical setting like me. We have what would be called "gullywashers". Tropical storms drop huge amounts of rain in a short period of time. The water would rush off the gutter guards shown.
@kf4wto I've got great news for you. The MasterShield gutter guards I used in this video have technology that actually uses the surface tension in the water to PULL it through the gutter guard. You'd be astonished how much water the gutter guard can take We had torrential downpours at this location and never did water shoot across the guard.
Great video! You have the perfect house for performing this test. A canopy of trees and different pieces of eavestrough. Your right the angle of the leafgaurd makes a big difference.
@hunkster4501 Great question. The trees at the house where this video was taped usually created lots of pollen each spring. It would coat the roof. The rain would bring it to the gutter guards and it would pass right through. The pollen particles are much smaller than the holes in the mesh. Best example I can give would be shooting a BB gun through a chain-link fence. No problem!
Amazing how wind currents vary on each corner and angle of a roof slant. Some are positioned for airflow to clean, others are traps. Does look like installation is as important as the brand of gutter guard.
My gutters fell down under the last snowstorm. There was no guards. We also had huge icicles. I am still not sure whether or not to install the guards. Our roof is very steep so I can not get on the roof and I am the woman, and the yard is VERY woody. The Mastershield looks appealing but the notion that it's attached to the roof - how do I check if it is indeed free of debris? Maybe I should not do guards at all? Also, what if the leafs and needles get stuck along the mesh? Thanks!
If the Mastershield guards are installed correctly so their slope matches that of the roof, you'll not have to worry. Nothing will get stuck. You can still have icicles with gutter guards. I have icicles at my house in NH and it has NO gutters! When the super-chilled water makes it to the edge of the roof, and touches the cold edge, it simply freezes. Cold metal at the edge accelerates this process.
@TexasGardens Sure, what do you want to know? All the gutter guards I tested had issues with snow and ice. What's the big deal? You would have the same issues without gutter guards and even with no gutters. Just come to New Hampshire to see ice dams form without gutters. If you don't want *leaks* that are caused by ice dams, then install the special ice dam membranes I talk about extensively at my AsktheBuilder website. Or, starve the ice by raking the snow from your roof.
@AsktheBuilder Thanks to Gutter Glove they have now released the IceBreaker, which contains a heated cable that melts the snow on and in the gutter, which prevents icicles and even allows the melted water to be collected in your rainwater reservoir! Melted snow harvesting just amazing!
@lonewolf1369 I need you to do a video in the middle of January or February after days and weeks of melting. I want you to tape where that melt water refreezes into ice. I'm particularly interested in the thickness of the ice on the ground, the burst downspouts, etc. That meltwater is going to refreeze, we just want to see where and how much.
The gutter guards that can not be removed , ie , mesh screns are fine untill all the dust from your roof builds up into soil and can grow grass with all the seeds birds drop in them . It is just a simple fact that you need to maintain gutters . once the mesh systems are in place how will u remove them and clean your gutters from grass ,. Take the money it costs to install mesh screens, invest it , then take the proceeds from that investement and pay a professional to clean them out.
The black foam gutter guards will not freeze, its the only gutter guard my company has seen that wasnt frozen, im thinking because its not aluminum and its attracts heat being black. also thier are now heated gutter guards available.
They will freeze if the temperature of the foam gets below 32 F. What's more, wait until they get clogged with organic debris. That gunk will freeze just like soil in the ground freezes.
Gutter guards have a serious down side, After snows, I have found that they cause ice dams! Snow melts on the roof, the water runs onto the guard and freezes on the gutterguard, It gradually builds up and causes an ice dam that can lead to water seeping under the shigles. 30 years without gutterguard and never an ice dam. Now I have them several inches thick and worried about how much damage they are going to cause!!
Not so fast. I'm about to write a column about this. As for why ice dams form, I have numerous columns at my AsktheBuider website about that. You can easily have ice dams form in regular gutters that don't have guards on them. It just takes more ice buildup to happen as the gutter chokes closed with ice. Gutter guards create a cold metallic surface for the super-chilled water to freeze quickly, so that's why they do create ice dams faster.
Yes, I realize ice dams form without guttergards, but gutters allow several inches of ice to build before it reaches shingle level. Gutterguards are at shingle level, so freezing water immediately forms a dam. The makers/installers of the guards should warn of this!
This is a slippery slope. Where do you stop with your reasoning? Should car manufacturers say on the window sticker you can die in the car? Should door manufacturers say on the label you can break your fingers when the door slams on them? I could go on and on. My position is that we consumers should do due diligence and research. You then can make an informed decisions. You can readily discover information that tells you about gutter guards and ice.
Great vid, I enjoy your enthusiasm and believe the test conditions were fair enough. But why do you not mention that mesh guards need to be detergent cleaned every couple weeks when you have alot of trees? Why was gutter helmet not reviewed because that one supposedly does not require cleaning ever? And I have seen all types of gutter guards direct water right over the gutter in heavy rain? My gutters need attention every other week from spring till fall and would greatly appriciate any info.
All of your questions are answered at my AsktheBuilder website. I've tested gutter guards for over ten years. The two in this test allowed no debris at all into the gutters. All others allowed debris in - even the one you mention. Go to my website and read all my gutter guard columns.
Does either Mastershield or GutterGlove work on slate roofs? And GutterGlove has some sort of heated gutter guard on their website to prevent ice buildup. What do you think of it?
You need to ask them yourself about slate. A very tiny percentage of roofs in the USA are slate. Heat systems melt snow. You need to ask yourself the more important question. What happens to all that meltwater? Where does it drip? Where does it turn to ice again? How thick does the ice get over a winter where you rarely get above freezing for months or the gutter is on the north side that doesn't get sun in the northern hemisphere. The meltwater can be an enormous issue.
Mastershield is the one that is clean. Gutter Glove is the one with debris on it. Note:Glove now installs at the pitch of the roof so you will get similar results between the 2 in retest. There are similar products non "brand names" that do the same job, but cost almost half of what shield, glove, LeafFilter, and Leaf Solution cost.
For those only comparing to gutter cleanings you miss the value of stopping the damge between cleanings-they can be costly.
hi im a full time gutter man i fit all new gutters on new builds and i fitted some gutter gaurds the other week and were getting called back already to how much they block up from leafs. not looking forward to winter wen the leafs really come down hard, b getting called back all the time!
Thanks for the time you took to illustrate the different results. I would be interested to know how the product you chose performed in the problem areas you showed. Your houses roofline seems involved, lots of steps, gab els, valleys and transitions. Then there is the natural direction the wind normally comes from. Sounds good never having to go up and clean, but stuff just piles up naturally, I'm thinking that's why archeologists have to dig.
The wind comes primarily from the south and west at this location. There are dead spots up on the upper roof in valleys above the gutters where leaves collect. You still have to go up on the roof and clean those, as the leaves never make it down to the gutter!
Sorry, but I get people who call me out to clean gutters. It has been my experience in the last 10 years that there is NO gutter system, Mastershield included, that stops debris. Now I see people all the time that go to Lowe's or Home Depot and get the cheapo little screens for the gutters and honestly, those are a complete waste of time and money. They are going to let debris in and it only makes it MORE difficult to clean the debris out.
I appreciate your comment, but I have to disagree with you. I actually did the tests. The micro mesh of both the MasterShield and the Gutter Glove product simply will not allow debris into the gutters. Will you occasionally have to brush debris from the top of both these gutter covers? Quite possibly. But debris in the gutter ever? No way. How about you do your own test of the two, start with clean gutters, and tape a video. Show us what you discover.
Are you telling me you called the MasterShield people and they told you it's illegal to ship product there because they don't have a Canadian patent? If that's the case, man I'll be doing prison time up there as I have sold my products to Canadians for years and have no patents at all.
Have you ever tested the Leaffilter system? It doesn't go under the roof shigles however it still pitches away from the house within the gutter and has the same stainless micro-mesh. I have talked to many people that have had under roof shingle type gutter covers installed, and many of them said they have problems in winter with water/ice building up breaking roof shingles and water penetration into the house.
If it's the micromesh one where the mesh is in a vinyl structure the answer is No. I had all sorts of evidence that the vinyl and the mesh didn't play well together. Every gutter guard can accelerate the formation of ice. If you don't want leaks, then go read every column at my website about Ice Dams.
I think Tim does a fine job, his test may not be confined to laboratory perfection but you can see by the video that there was a bunch of crap in the test subject. If you install something to keep you from cleaning the gutters and they say just get up there and shake it out, I would bet it's easier just to clean the gutters. Very specific testing methods are sometimes second to real world testing. I'd love to have Tim test my products, good or bad.
Thanks for the great work. Having had both Mastershield and GutterGlove out and give me estimates, I was more impressed by GutterGlove in terms of the quality of the product and the sales pressure/pitch. I was just curious as to the GutterGlove install. I was confused as to why they installed the product on your house, flat and not with the pitch of the roof? When I met with the GutterGlove rep he told me that they would install it in my house with the slope of the roof pitch.
I think I can speak to that. I talked with the owner of Gutter Glove after I taped the video. At that time, I am quite sure, it was in their installation instructions to install it like they did at my house. Once he discovered how the Mastershield was installed, he said he would come back and reinstall his product so it was sloped to match my roof pitch. So my guess is that GG is playing catchup baseball and altering their methods to match what Masteshield had already been doing.
I can tell you that in my experience in all the years of my testing that most, if not all, cause a more rapid buildup of snow, ice and subsequently ice dams. No matter if you have gutter guards or not, you should absolutely have ice-dam membranes at the roof eaves to prevent the leaks that will happen. Remember, Mother Nature bats last.
Tim: You say that the two mesh guards are on opposite sides of the roof. This is not a fair comparison because the prevailing winds are going to hit one side of the roof differently than the other side. Perhaps the prevailing winds help clear one side better than the other.
Ah! Great point, but no cigar. Once again, if you read all the comments, you will discover the manufacturers approved the location of the install and the conditions. Furthermore, if you did put on one brand in one spot and then year after year you put a different brand on the same spot you would have a different set of variables. Perhaps not as much blossom production, not as many storms, not as much wind, etc. There is NO perfect test. If you feel there is, write the test specifications.
This argument does absolutely nothing to negate the possibility of various wind conditions affecting the different results, irrespective of manufacturer approval. In fact, the Gutter Guard was very clean over most of its length. It was only in a few spots that it had junk on it. It did what Gutter Guard said it would do: keep junk out of the gutter and keep them running. You're simply going to get a different top cleaning effect depending on the wind conditions.
You have a YouTube channel, although you are completely invisible there. Take all of this energy you have, get a camera, get the gutter guards, test them and show us your videos. You might also call the manufacturers of the products to verify their acceptance of my test. Finally, how about telling us the color and breed of the dog you have in this fight? Your passionate comments mean that you have a vested interest in this topic.
Tim: Was GutterGlove the one that didn't do as well as Mastershield because it doesn't carry on roof slope? Does that mean GutterGlove doesn't slide under the edge of the shingles like Mastershield? I've heard Mastershield isn't for us handy DIYers - meaning it is more expensive than self-installed GutterGlove. If so, I might have trouble justifying the pro-installed cost of MasterShield over Gutterglove - especially if their performance is at least somewhat comparable. Your thoughts?
From my comment just above or below this one, you can see that Gutter Glove was the other micro-mesh product tested. Both slide under the shingles. Both appear to be easy to install. I watch both installations. The video says it all. Both kept debris out of the gutter, but only one was debris free. I don't know what else to tell you. Why not buy one piece from each company and see what you think?
This test is not objective at all. You test three different systems under different conditions including installation angle, location where we cannot see the tree cover, straight gutter lengths for some and angled configurations for others. Hardly objective. You also proclaim one an utter failure in one breath and then state that water still flows through to the gutter? By definition that is not a failure. This subjective "test" should be done again in a way that keeps the conditions equal.
I completely disagree and have the proof I am right. How, you ask? I *didn't* do the installations of the gutter guards in the test! The manufacturers installed the products, except for the pipe-cleaner one. He said I could put it wherever I wanted and it would not fail. You have a YouTube account. Use it. Go get some of these products and show all of us how *you* feel the test should have been done. We all anxiously await your video results.
Proper installation is to blame for Mastershield winning? Why not put the other two sections in the same spot you put the giant bottle brush one? Testing the products myself would do nothing to help negate the completely subjective test you ran because it would not be under the same conditions in the same area. Plus, I am not the trusted home improvement professional. You are. Do the test again Tim and make sure the conditions are standardized. Thank you very much for the favor of your reply.
Did you not read my other reply? Gutter Glove installed their product. They *knew* I was testing another one on the other side under the same tree. Mastershield came and approved their side. Why are you having trouble with this concept? Why won't you do the test yourself as you apparently are a testing expert? That is most certainly how you are positioning yourself to the world with your comments. Remember, actions speak louder than words. We all want to see the action videos of your test.
I am not having any trouble with the concepts you lay out. They actually help make my case for the need of a new round of testing with the same conditions and variables for all the products you test. Is it not your responsibility as the trusted expert to assure the installation of the product is perfect? For the record, I am an expert in research methods and yours are deeply flawed. Your cliche of actions speaking volumes is apt. What does your unwillingness to run an objective test say Tim?
If you feel there is a need for another round of testing, then go for it. You have a YouTube channel, so do the test. The products were installed correctly by the manufacturers, not me. Since you are a research expert, please start doing your research and post in on your channel. We can't wait to comment on *your* videos. My test was objective and approved by the manufacturers of the products. If you have a beef, call them. Tell them how to conduct the test.
As you approach the house, be sure you do so from the front. As you look down the sides of the house, you will see a white sign with red lettering. All I can tell you is that if you disobey the wording on the signs, you will suffer great pain and anguish. :->
Indeed I am not.... I am more careful now than I used to be, but as said above, that roof looks steeper on video than it is being up there. More videos are just around the corner now that we are settling in. I am actually building an interior studio so we can tape all winter.
Oh, there are more videos coming. I just completed two months of agony moving from Ohio to New Hampshire. I thought water would flow over it in a heavy rain, but it doesn't. In fact, the capillary attraction actually *pulls*water into and through the mesh!
That ultra fine mesh for the first one, have there ever been cases of the water spilling over? Don't get me wrong, that looks like the most effective one I have ever seen, but it just seems so "closed up" let's say.
On a side note, your shingles are still looking good! ;)
Uh no, I believe I said in the video that the one that lays flatter has debris still on it. The green one - the first one shown in the video - was the winner of my test.
Biggest problem with any gutter guard is sediment and debris building up inside the gutter over time.. No gutter guard can prevents this and by the time the downspout is clogged with mucky debris and sediment, the gutter is overflowing, you will have to remove the gutter guard and most likely clean out all the gutters.. A giant pain in the ass, better to clean the gutters out once or twice a year than to leave them unchecked for years.
jrogers71 2 months ago
@jrogers71 I've got news for you. You're wrong. There's no other home-improvement expert that's tested gutter guards to the extent I have. The micro-mesh gutter guards do NOT allow anything in the gutter except water and maybe a pollen particle that's invisible to the eye. I do agree with you that all the other guards DO allow stuff in that turns to muck.
AsktheBuilder 2 months ago
So, my gutters are mounted such that I cant install the gutter guard to match the pitch of the roof. in fact, if I tuck the guard under the comp roof shingle, it would actually tilt back towards the roof. The only debris I get are pine needles and the little pine seeds - and I get a lot of it, all season long.
What are my best options for this type of situation for a DIY kind of guy? Lower the gutters (ugh), cut back the shingle? or go with an inferior solution (and what would that be)?
MarkHLowe 4 months ago
@MarkHLowe Install them the correct way I show in the video. You'll never regret it.
AsktheBuilder 4 months ago
But I need to move something in order to match the pitch of the roof. I would think cutting the shingles back high enough in order to get the guards to flash under them would be easiest (but these are thick, 40 yr comp shingles).The shingles roll over the eves below the top edge of the gutter. My other choice is to lower the gutter. I assume that the gutter flashes under the shakes also, so that doesnt seem feasible. any suggestions? thanks,
MarkHLowe 4 months ago
The micro mesh is fine unless you live in a tropical setting like me. We have what would be called "gullywashers". Tropical storms drop huge amounts of rain in a short period of time. The water would rush off the gutter guards shown.
kf4wto 7 months ago
@kf4wto I've got great news for you. The MasterShield gutter guards I used in this video have technology that actually uses the surface tension in the water to PULL it through the gutter guard. You'd be astonished how much water the gutter guard can take We had torrential downpours at this location and never did water shoot across the guard.
AsktheBuilder 7 months ago
Great video! You have the perfect house for performing this test. A canopy of trees and different pieces of eavestrough. Your right the angle of the leafgaurd makes a big difference.
torontoeavestrough 1 year ago
what about pollen from trees, doesn't that fill up the holes in the micro mesh screen? And, when it does, where does the water go?
hunkster4501 1 year ago
@hunkster4501 Great question. The trees at the house where this video was taped usually created lots of pollen each spring. It would coat the roof. The rain would bring it to the gutter guards and it would pass right through. The pollen particles are much smaller than the holes in the mesh. Best example I can give would be shooting a BB gun through a chain-link fence. No problem!
AsktheBuilder 1 year ago
Amazing how wind currents vary on each corner and angle of a roof slant. Some are positioned for airflow to clean, others are traps. Does look like installation is as important as the brand of gutter guard.
z978ady 1 year ago
Tim,
My gutters fell down under the last snowstorm. There was no guards. We also had huge icicles. I am still not sure whether or not to install the guards. Our roof is very steep so I can not get on the roof and I am the woman, and the yard is VERY woody. The Mastershield looks appealing but the notion that it's attached to the roof - how do I check if it is indeed free of debris? Maybe I should not do guards at all? Also, what if the leafs and needles get stuck along the mesh? Thanks!
myshsamsiri 1 year ago
If the Mastershield guards are installed correctly so their slope matches that of the roof, you'll not have to worry. Nothing will get stuck. You can still have icicles with gutter guards. I have icicles at my house in NH and it has NO gutters! When the super-chilled water makes it to the edge of the roof, and touches the cold edge, it simply freezes. Cold metal at the edge accelerates this process.
AsktheBuilder 1 year ago
@AsktheBuilder
What about the issues identified by several people with drips and ice. The comments are on this page.
judysbook. com /cities/cincinnati-oh/Uncategorized/26783029/Mastershield_Gutter_Protection
TexasGardens 1 year ago
@TexasGardens Sure, what do you want to know? All the gutter guards I tested had issues with snow and ice. What's the big deal? You would have the same issues without gutter guards and even with no gutters. Just come to New Hampshire to see ice dams form without gutters. If you don't want *leaks* that are caused by ice dams, then install the special ice dam membranes I talk about extensively at my AsktheBuilder website. Or, starve the ice by raking the snow from your roof.
AsktheBuilder 1 year ago
@AsktheBuilder Thanks to Gutter Glove they have now released the IceBreaker, which contains a heated cable that melts the snow on and in the gutter, which prevents icicles and even allows the melted water to be collected in your rainwater reservoir! Melted snow harvesting just amazing!
lonewolf1369 1 year ago
@lonewolf1369 I need you to do a video in the middle of January or February after days and weeks of melting. I want you to tape where that melt water refreezes into ice. I'm particularly interested in the thickness of the ice on the ground, the burst downspouts, etc. That meltwater is going to refreeze, we just want to see where and how much.
AsktheBuilder 1 year ago 2
The gutter guards that can not be removed , ie , mesh screns are fine untill all the dust from your roof builds up into soil and can grow grass with all the seeds birds drop in them . It is just a simple fact that you need to maintain gutters . once the mesh systems are in place how will u remove them and clean your gutters from grass ,. Take the money it costs to install mesh screens, invest it , then take the proceeds from that investement and pay a professional to clean them out.
markosllo 1 year ago
The black foam gutter guards will not freeze, its the only gutter guard my company has seen that wasnt frozen, im thinking because its not aluminum and its attracts heat being black. also thier are now heated gutter guards available.
Gutterman33 2 years ago
They will freeze if the temperature of the foam gets below 32 F. What's more, wait until they get clogged with organic debris. That gunk will freeze just like soil in the ground freezes.
AsktheBuilder 2 years ago
Gutter guards have a serious down side, After snows, I have found that they cause ice dams! Snow melts on the roof, the water runs onto the guard and freezes on the gutterguard, It gradually builds up and causes an ice dam that can lead to water seeping under the shigles. 30 years without gutterguard and never an ice dam. Now I have them several inches thick and worried about how much damage they are going to cause!!
xqurty 2 years ago
Not so fast. I'm about to write a column about this. As for why ice dams form, I have numerous columns at my AsktheBuider website about that. You can easily have ice dams form in regular gutters that don't have guards on them. It just takes more ice buildup to happen as the gutter chokes closed with ice. Gutter guards create a cold metallic surface for the super-chilled water to freeze quickly, so that's why they do create ice dams faster.
AsktheBuilder 2 years ago
Yes, I realize ice dams form without guttergards, but gutters allow several inches of ice to build before it reaches shingle level. Gutterguards are at shingle level, so freezing water immediately forms a dam. The makers/installers of the guards should warn of this!
xqurty 2 years ago
This is a slippery slope. Where do you stop with your reasoning? Should car manufacturers say on the window sticker you can die in the car? Should door manufacturers say on the label you can break your fingers when the door slams on them? I could go on and on. My position is that we consumers should do due diligence and research. You then can make an informed decisions. You can readily discover information that tells you about gutter guards and ice.
AsktheBuilder 2 years ago
Great vid, I enjoy your enthusiasm and believe the test conditions were fair enough. But why do you not mention that mesh guards need to be detergent cleaned every couple weeks when you have alot of trees? Why was gutter helmet not reviewed because that one supposedly does not require cleaning ever? And I have seen all types of gutter guards direct water right over the gutter in heavy rain? My gutters need attention every other week from spring till fall and would greatly appriciate any info.
Bitrunner1 2 years ago
All of your questions are answered at my AsktheBuilder website. I've tested gutter guards for over ten years. The two in this test allowed no debris at all into the gutters. All others allowed debris in - even the one you mention. Go to my website and read all my gutter guard columns.
AsktheBuilder 2 years ago
Will do, thanks for your reply
Bitrunner1 2 years ago
Good Video! Thanks for information.
mrberkut 2 years ago
nice home :)
wwwy2000 2 years ago
Thanks. It'll be for sale in the spring of 2010.
AsktheBuilder 2 years ago
foreclosure?
wwwy2000 2 years ago
Oh no! Moving to NH.
AsktheBuilder 2 years ago
oh ok,sorry
wwwy2000 2 years ago
Does either Mastershield or GutterGlove work on slate roofs? And GutterGlove has some sort of heated gutter guard on their website to prevent ice buildup. What do you think of it?
jpgab93 2 years ago
You need to ask them yourself about slate. A very tiny percentage of roofs in the USA are slate. Heat systems melt snow. You need to ask yourself the more important question. What happens to all that meltwater? Where does it drip? Where does it turn to ice again? How thick does the ice get over a winter where you rarely get above freezing for months or the gutter is on the north side that doesn't get sun in the northern hemisphere. The meltwater can be an enormous issue.
AsktheBuilder 2 years ago
Mastershield is the one that is clean. Gutter Glove is the one with debris on it. Note:Glove now installs at the pitch of the roof so you will get similar results between the 2 in retest. There are similar products non "brand names" that do the same job, but cost almost half of what shield, glove, LeafFilter, and Leaf Solution cost.
For those only comparing to gutter cleanings you miss the value of stopping the damge between cleanings-they can be costly.
GutterWizard 2 years ago
hi im a full time gutter man i fit all new gutters on new builds and i fitted some gutter gaurds the other week and were getting called back already to how much they block up from leafs. not looking forward to winter wen the leafs really come down hard, b getting called back all the time!
willywild111 2 years ago
Thanks for the time you took to illustrate the different results. I would be interested to know how the product you chose performed in the problem areas you showed. Your houses roofline seems involved, lots of steps, gab els, valleys and transitions. Then there is the natural direction the wind normally comes from. Sounds good never having to go up and clean, but stuff just piles up naturally, I'm thinking that's why archeologists have to dig.
NCCAJAX 3 years ago
The wind comes primarily from the south and west at this location. There are dead spots up on the upper roof in valleys above the gutters where leaves collect. You still have to go up on the roof and clean those, as the leaves never make it down to the gutter!
AsktheBuilder 3 years ago
Sorry, but I get people who call me out to clean gutters. It has been my experience in the last 10 years that there is NO gutter system, Mastershield included, that stops debris. Now I see people all the time that go to Lowe's or Home Depot and get the cheapo little screens for the gutters and honestly, those are a complete waste of time and money. They are going to let debris in and it only makes it MORE difficult to clean the debris out.
corey4671 3 years ago 2
I appreciate your comment, but I have to disagree with you. I actually did the tests. The micro mesh of both the MasterShield and the Gutter Glove product simply will not allow debris into the gutters. Will you occasionally have to brush debris from the top of both these gutter covers? Quite possibly. But debris in the gutter ever? No way. How about you do your own test of the two, start with clean gutters, and tape a video. Show us what you discover.
AsktheBuilder 3 years ago
Hi Tim:
Mastershield can't install their product in Canada where I live,as they are still in the process of getting their Canadian patent.
Gutterglove,however,has offered to sell to me for self installation.
If you were in my shoes,would it be advisable to buy and install Gutterglove now,or want till Mastershield comes to Canada?
Thanks
Newbeak 3 years ago
Are you telling me you called the MasterShield people and they told you it's illegal to ship product there because they don't have a Canadian patent? If that's the case, man I'll be doing prison time up there as I have sold my products to Canadians for years and have no patents at all.
AsktheBuilder 3 years ago
Tim,
Have you ever tested the Leaffilter system? It doesn't go under the roof shigles however it still pitches away from the house within the gutter and has the same stainless micro-mesh. I have talked to many people that have had under roof shingle type gutter covers installed, and many of them said they have problems in winter with water/ice building up breaking roof shingles and water penetration into the house.
MuveeDirector 3 years ago
If it's the micromesh one where the mesh is in a vinyl structure the answer is No. I had all sorts of evidence that the vinyl and the mesh didn't play well together. Every gutter guard can accelerate the formation of ice. If you don't want leaks, then go read every column at my website about Ice Dams.
AsktheBuilder 3 years ago
I think Tim does a fine job, his test may not be confined to laboratory perfection but you can see by the video that there was a bunch of crap in the test subject. If you install something to keep you from cleaning the gutters and they say just get up there and shake it out, I would bet it's easier just to clean the gutters. Very specific testing methods are sometimes second to real world testing. I'd love to have Tim test my products, good or bad.
RunLessWire 3 years ago
Hey Tim,
Thanks for the great work. Having had both Mastershield and GutterGlove out and give me estimates, I was more impressed by GutterGlove in terms of the quality of the product and the sales pressure/pitch. I was just curious as to the GutterGlove install. I was confused as to why they installed the product on your house, flat and not with the pitch of the roof? When I met with the GutterGlove rep he told me that they would install it in my house with the slope of the roof pitch.
manatthetop1 3 years ago
I think I can speak to that. I talked with the owner of Gutter Glove after I taped the video. At that time, I am quite sure, it was in their installation instructions to install it like they did at my house. Once he discovered how the Mastershield was installed, he said he would come back and reinstall his product so it was sloped to match my roof pitch. So my guess is that GG is playing catchup baseball and altering their methods to match what Masteshield had already been doing.
AsktheBuilder 3 years ago
I wonder how this choice gutter guard behaves with freezing snow and ice?
michalo2 3 years ago
I can tell you that in my experience in all the years of my testing that most, if not all, cause a more rapid buildup of snow, ice and subsequently ice dams. No matter if you have gutter guards or not, you should absolutely have ice-dam membranes at the roof eaves to prevent the leaks that will happen. Remember, Mother Nature bats last.
AsktheBuilder 3 years ago
Tim: You say that the two mesh guards are on opposite sides of the roof. This is not a fair comparison because the prevailing winds are going to hit one side of the roof differently than the other side. Perhaps the prevailing winds help clear one side better than the other.
pooge1954 3 years ago
Ah! Great point, but no cigar. Once again, if you read all the comments, you will discover the manufacturers approved the location of the install and the conditions. Furthermore, if you did put on one brand in one spot and then year after year you put a different brand on the same spot you would have a different set of variables. Perhaps not as much blossom production, not as many storms, not as much wind, etc. There is NO perfect test. If you feel there is, write the test specifications.
AsktheBuilder 3 years ago
This argument does absolutely nothing to negate the possibility of various wind conditions affecting the different results, irrespective of manufacturer approval. In fact, the Gutter Guard was very clean over most of its length. It was only in a few spots that it had junk on it. It did what Gutter Guard said it would do: keep junk out of the gutter and keep them running. You're simply going to get a different top cleaning effect depending on the wind conditions.
pooge1954 3 years ago
You have a YouTube channel, although you are completely invisible there. Take all of this energy you have, get a camera, get the gutter guards, test them and show us your videos. You might also call the manufacturers of the products to verify their acceptance of my test. Finally, how about telling us the color and breed of the dog you have in this fight? Your passionate comments mean that you have a vested interest in this topic.
AsktheBuilder 3 years ago
Tim: Was GutterGlove the one that didn't do as well as Mastershield because it doesn't carry on roof slope? Does that mean GutterGlove doesn't slide under the edge of the shingles like Mastershield? I've heard Mastershield isn't for us handy DIYers - meaning it is more expensive than self-installed GutterGlove. If so, I might have trouble justifying the pro-installed cost of MasterShield over Gutterglove - especially if their performance is at least somewhat comparable. Your thoughts?
edbreyer 3 years ago
From my comment just above or below this one, you can see that Gutter Glove was the other micro-mesh product tested. Both slide under the shingles. Both appear to be easy to install. I watch both installations. The video says it all. Both kept debris out of the gutter, but only one was debris free. I don't know what else to tell you. Why not buy one piece from each company and see what you think?
AsktheBuilder 3 years ago
This test is not objective at all. You test three different systems under different conditions including installation angle, location where we cannot see the tree cover, straight gutter lengths for some and angled configurations for others. Hardly objective. You also proclaim one an utter failure in one breath and then state that water still flows through to the gutter? By definition that is not a failure. This subjective "test" should be done again in a way that keeps the conditions equal.
houserepairpro 3 years ago 4
I completely disagree and have the proof I am right. How, you ask? I *didn't* do the installations of the gutter guards in the test! The manufacturers installed the products, except for the pipe-cleaner one. He said I could put it wherever I wanted and it would not fail. You have a YouTube account. Use it. Go get some of these products and show all of us how *you* feel the test should have been done. We all anxiously await your video results.
AsktheBuilder 3 years ago
Proper installation is to blame for Mastershield winning? Why not put the other two sections in the same spot you put the giant bottle brush one? Testing the products myself would do nothing to help negate the completely subjective test you ran because it would not be under the same conditions in the same area. Plus, I am not the trusted home improvement professional. You are. Do the test again Tim and make sure the conditions are standardized. Thank you very much for the favor of your reply.
houserepairpro 3 years ago 3
Did you not read my other reply? Gutter Glove installed their product. They *knew* I was testing another one on the other side under the same tree. Mastershield came and approved their side. Why are you having trouble with this concept? Why won't you do the test yourself as you apparently are a testing expert? That is most certainly how you are positioning yourself to the world with your comments. Remember, actions speak louder than words. We all want to see the action videos of your test.
AsktheBuilder 3 years ago
I am not having any trouble with the concepts you lay out. They actually help make my case for the need of a new round of testing with the same conditions and variables for all the products you test. Is it not your responsibility as the trusted expert to assure the installation of the product is perfect? For the record, I am an expert in research methods and yours are deeply flawed. Your cliche of actions speaking volumes is apt. What does your unwillingness to run an objective test say Tim?
houserepairpro 3 years ago 4
If you feel there is a need for another round of testing, then go for it. You have a YouTube channel, so do the test. The products were installed correctly by the manufacturers, not me. Since you are a research expert, please start doing your research and post in on your channel. We can't wait to comment on *your* videos. My test was objective and approved by the manufacturers of the products. If you have a beef, call them. Tell them how to conduct the test.
AsktheBuilder 3 years ago
your good
jonoaa 3 years ago
good, now i know the layout of you house so i can break in..... Just kidding.
Ive got a friend who washes windows, and powerwashes gutters. If somebody creates an automatic window washer he'll be SOL.
mortson978 3 years ago
As you approach the house, be sure you do so from the front. As you look down the sides of the house, you will see a white sign with red lettering. All I can tell you is that if you disobey the wording on the signs, you will suffer great pain and anguish. :->
AsktheBuilder 3 years ago
i am not familiar with home security, as i live out here in the sticks. Electric fence? Attack dogs?, or will you make me read the da vinci code?
mortson978 3 years ago
Tim plz be carefull zipping all over the roof like that ,your not 21 any more :)
nice vid btw ,great to see your back and the move went well 5/5
xXsnitchyXx 3 years ago
Indeed I am not.... I am more careful now than I used to be, but as said above, that roof looks steeper on video than it is being up there. More videos are just around the corner now that we are settling in. I am actually building an interior studio so we can tape all winter.
AsktheBuilder 3 years ago
You are much more confident on that roof than I would be. lol
jefferyb304 3 years ago
It is only a 6/12 pitch roof so no big deal. Wear good athletic shoes with a gripping rubber sole and you are like Spiderman. :->
AsktheBuilder 3 years ago
Oh, there are more videos coming. I just completed two months of agony moving from Ohio to New Hampshire. I thought water would flow over it in a heavy rain, but it doesn't. In fact, the capillary attraction actually *pulls*water into and through the mesh!
AsktheBuilder 3 years ago
Nice to see a new video Tim! :)
That ultra fine mesh for the first one, have there ever been cases of the water spilling over? Don't get me wrong, that looks like the most effective one I have ever seen, but it just seems so "closed up" let's say.
On a side note, your shingles are still looking good! ;)
Sharkie626 3 years ago
Tim! That was great information! I have been waiting patiently for this follow up video. I can't tell you how much I hate cleaning my rain gutters.
Thanks!
ChefTips 3 years ago
No worries. I have lost count of the ones I have tested. The one I decided to go with is a fantastic product. It will work on your house.
AsktheBuilder 3 years ago
so basically the best one is the flat gutter guard? i dont have any idea about this just want to learn some stuff
cadodo 3 years ago
Uh no, I believe I said in the video that the one that lays flatter has debris still on it. The green one - the first one shown in the video - was the winner of my test.
AsktheBuilder 3 years ago