When fall arrives, you are excited, but your gutters aren’t because they become dirty and stuffed with leaves. And frankly, gutter cleaning isn’t the best chore as it can be dangerous and uncomfortable.
Fortunately, leaf guards and leaf filters were invented to not only make your job easier but also protect your gutters and allow them to last for a long time.
We will look at leaf filter vs leaf guard, which is the best, and various comparisons on these two materials. We will also discuss the price of this item and if they are worth it.
Leaf Filter vs Leaf Guard – Comparison and Differences
This segment will cover the features and maintenance, installation, warranty, and the pros and cons of leaf filter and leaf guard. In this process, we will compare both items and discuss their differences.
Leaf Filter
Leaf filter is a brand of gutter guards. You probably know that a leaf filter is a gutter accessory, but how exactly does it work?
A leaf filter contains a mesh that drains and redirects water through your gutter and down the roof. A leaf filter drains water and keeps leaves from getting into your gutter; that way, the leaves fall directly to the ground.
1. Features and Maintenance
A leaf filter has a micro-mesh guard made of stainless steel to drain away water. The stainless steel material of this leaf filter makes it resistant to rusting and corrosion even in the presence of air and moisture.
They are constructed with fitted weather-resistant PVC frames to make them more durable. You don’t have to worry about sunlight deteriorating your leaf filter with this feature.
The sturdy nature of this item is made possible by structural hangers that are placed on the fascia board, these hangers.
Utilizing the principle of adhesion as it has a curved aluminium sheet with holes to collect water and small debris during rainfall.
But even with this amazing function, the efficiency of this item is still questioned by many customers as it often fails to drain all the water during heavy rainfall.
For proper maintenance of leaf after, you can use a hose to wash its components or take out the components one after the other and clean them.
2. Installation
How easy it is to install a leaf filter matters a lot as it determines its use rate. Fortunately, this house accessory does not require you to tamper with your gutter for proper installation. It has been manufactured in a way that it can fit inside your gutter system.
A leaf filter is easy to install, and you don’t need additional money to make any adjustments to your roof. Moreover, the warranty of your roof is maintained.
3. Warranty
A leaf filter comes with a lifetime warranty, a feature most buyers appreciate. But of course, this warranty comes with a limit, and we will list some below.
- This warranty does not compensate for any damage done to the roof, fascia, and gutters during the installation of this leaf filter.
- This warranty does not apply to damages done by a plant or any other force of nature.
- It also doesn’t apply if any intentional adjustment was made to alter the normal working of the leaf filter to stop the flow of water through the gutter system.
Are Leaf Filters Worth It? (Pros and Cons)
We have discussed the features of a leaf filter and how it can assist you and make caring for your gutters easier. But we will also tell you the ups and downs of having a leaf filter. Is it worth it?
Pros
- Gives you the opportunity of customization.
- Requires less maintenance hence saving you a lot of money on repairs.
- A lot of users love the lifetime warranty feature despite its limit.
- Made of stainless steel for a long life span.
- Easy installation that takes less than a day
- Keeps debris away from your gutter
- Fits just right with every type of gutter
Cons
- Can’t work in heavy rainfall
- Leaves and other debris will clog the water drain
Leaf Guard
Leaf guard is a durable gutter protection system built to keep debris away from your gutter. Why is a leaf guard important?
Cleaning a gutter can be a difficult and dangerous chore as many people have been reported to have sustained ladder-related injuries.
Leaf guard creates a path and redirects the flow of water and debris away from the gutter, it is known for its durable construction and its cheap price compared to other gutter protector systems.
1. Features and Maintenance
A leaf guard is manufactured with a single piece of aluminium that is 20% thicker than the regular industry standards. This item not only protects your gutter but also helps to redirect water and debris away from your gutter.
A great fact about leaf guard is that it can handle a lot of rain, about 32nincjesbof rain can flow through a leaf guard without disturbing the gutter.
But just like a leaf filter, the efficiency of a leaf guard is also unreliable as debris still flows through the small drainage holes and into the gutter.
For proper maintenance of a leaf guard, you should remove the materials of the guard and clean them individually or remove the guard completely and clean it. Another alternative is to use a hose to clean out the guard.
2. Installation
Just like a leaf filter, a leaf guard is easy to install and doesn’t require you to make extra adjustments in your roof setting. This item is manufactured to protect a gutter and act as a gutter.
After purchasing a leaf guard, you get a free installation by license, but this depends on the manufactured item’s brand.
3. Warranty
Leaf guard offers a lifetime warranty, but it comes with a link. It is identical to the warranty limit of a leaf filter.
Are Leaf Guards Any Good? (Pros and cons)
Leaf guards are considered helpful in keeping your gutter clean and minimizing your chores, but it still has it’s advantages and disadvantages. Most of its drawbacks are associated with its inaccuracy to drain water and debris completely.
Pros
- No construction or adjustment to your roof is required as leaf guards can be installed on already existing gutters
- Stops leaves and other debris from blocking the gutter
- Drains water to prevent prospective leaking problems
- Makes frequent gutter cleaning unnecessary
- Increases the life span Of your gutter by protecting it.
Cons
- Your gutter will still need occasional cleaning
- The leaf guard cannot filter small litter like seeds and pines needles
- Regular usage of a ladder on a leaf guard can cause them to deteriorate and lose their usefulness
- Cause icicles, snow, and I’ve dams.
Generally, leaf filter and leaf guard have the same performance, and the choice on which to buy depends entirely on the buyer. You will have to take a lot of factors like climate and budget. But in terms of affordability, a leaf guard is preferred over a leaf filter.
Are Leaf Filters and Leaf Guards Worth The Price?
The average rating of the leaf filter on trust pilot is 4.4, and it has 57,000 reviews. While most of these reviews are positive, some negative reviews on the product centered on its inability to function as promised.
Leaf filter costs $17 to $50 per foot; this amount will sum up to $2000 to $7000 for a large home. Leaf filter can be worth the high price, especially if you are often preoccupied with other tasks to clean up your gutter, but then if it doesn’t work as expected, it can be a huge loss.
Leaf guard has an overall rating of 4.7 and a total of 40,000 reviews. It costs between $.5.9 to $12.5 per foot, which amounts to $2000 for a house.
This is relatively cheaper than a leaf filter and is worth the high price. With proper maintenance, your leaf guard should last for a long time.
Conclusion
In this article, we have looked at every detail about leaf filter and leaf guard to compare their differences and determine which is better. We looked at the features, maintenance, installation, warranty, and pros and cons of these two products.
Leaf filter gutter protection uses a mesh to drain water and keep leaves away from your gutter. They are also easy to install and offer a lifetime warranty.
The only problem with this gutter guard is that it cannot handle heavy rainfall. Leaf hard works using a drainage system that redirects water away from the gutter.
While gutter guards cannot filter small debris, they are easy to install and cost less for a whole house. This makes buying one of these gutter guards worth the money.
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We hope this article has helped you understand the difference and comparison of Leaf Filter Vs Leaf Guard. You may also want to bookmark our reviews on Leaf Solution – Price, Cost of Installation, Pros and Cons.
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