This is one of those subjects where expectation and reality are far apart. People buy a gutter grille so they never have to go into the gutter again, and two years later discover that there is definitely something in it.
That does not mean they do not work. It means you need to know what they do.
What a gutter grille does
It stops large leaves. With a lime tree, an oak or a plane tree, that is by far most of the debris. That is where a grille pays off the most.
It prevents birds' nests. A gutter with a grille is no longer an attractive nesting spot. That is a real advantage.
It lets needles through. With a pine or a conifer, needles simply pass through the mesh and pile up under the grille, where you can reach them less easily than before. This is the situation in which a grille can work against you.
It lets fine sludge through. Moss from your roof, sand and roof gravel also get through. That sludge is exactly what stays on the bottom of a zinc gutter. See
maintaining zinc work.
“A grille is not a solution, it halves the problem. That is fine, as long as you do not count on it doing more.”
Fouad, owner of Astrodak Service
What a leaf guard does
A leaf guard is the little basket or grille that sits in the outlet to the downpipe. It does not protect the gutter but the downpipe, and that is exactly where a blockage does the most damage. A gutter with some leaves in it still drains; a blocked downpipe makes the gutter fill up completely.
At a few euros each, this is the most cost-effective measure you can take on a gutter. On one condition: you have to empty it, because a full basket is itself the blockage. See
a blocked downpipe.
Have it checked before it becomes a job
Most of the damage I repair was still a small fix a year earlier. Have your roof checked with no obligation and you will know exactly where you stand.
Which types there are
Flat grille or mesh. Affordable and simple, it sits on the gutter. Works with coarse leaves. Downside: leaves stay on top and sometimes still have to be removed.
Gutter brush. A cylindrical brush that lies in the gutter and keeps leaves on top. Easy to fit, but gets dirty itself and has to come out periodically.
Curved or hooded systems. More expensive systems that guide the water inwards over a curved edge and let leaves slide off. These usually work best, and the price is a good deal higher.
Leaf guard in the outlet. Not a good replacement for a grille, but the cheapest way to protect the most important part.
When I do not recommend a grille
With pines or conifers close by, for the reason above. And with an old zinc gutter that already has thin spots: then you actually want to be able to get at it to see what is happening, and a grille makes inspection harder.
Also not with a box gutter that takes a lot of water, where the grille can hamper the flow in a heavy downpour. Then periodic cleaning is the better route.
What pays off the most
To be honest: a regular round in the autumn. That is not a product and so not an attractive answer, but it is what works. Add a leaf guard in every outlet, and a grille where there are coarse leaves, and maintenance takes half an hour instead of an afternoon.
What a grille does to inspection
A point that is rarely considered: with a grille over the gutter you can no longer see what is happening inside it. With a zinc gutter of twenty years or older that is a drawback, because then you actually want to see whether there are thin spots or the zinc is starting to wear through.
With a new gutter that matters less and the convenience of fewer leaves counts for more. With an old gutter I would rather choose a leaf guard in the outlet plus a regular round, so you can keep an eye on what is happening underneath.
Frequently asked questions about gutter protection
