It’s not just gutters that fall victim to the masses of leaves, but also downpipes: these are vertically installed pipes that are used to direct rainwater away from the roof. In both cases, the water can no longer drain away properly and often finds another path – usually along the facade – downwards. The clogged pipes promote moisture damage to the home. To prevent this, you can install special leaf protection on your gutters and downpipes. Below we will introduce you to different variants for home use.
For older zinc gutters, this leaf guard made of high-quality polypropylene is recommended. According to the manufacturer, it is stable yet flexible, so it can easily be clamped into the gutter and secured with special clips. Alternatively, you can also use leaf protection elements made of thermoplastic: The curved grille should be robust and dimensionally stable, unbreakable and weatherproof. It can also be tailored individually. Both variants are available in different sizes.
For gutters made of plastic or metal (size NW 100 to NW 150, also for box-shaped ones), leaf catcher strips made of polyethylene can be used as an alternative for protection. These are attached to the gutter bead using an integrated clip system and keep small branches and large leaves away. This model is available in three different colors: black, brown and gray. Each element is one meter long, so you should measure in advance how many leaf trap strips you need for your gutters.
Another variant is the leaf protection net, also known as the leaf protection mat depending on the manufacturer. It is usually made of weather-resistant plastic (polyethylene) and is attached to the gutter with special clamping rods. The net is significantly more flexible than leaf protection grids or strips, meaning the mesh can carry less load. The advantage here is that you receive a whole roll that you can cut (and trim) individually. However, pay attention to the width of the nets.
Not only gutters, but also downpipes can become blocked by too many leaves and coarse dirt. To prevent this, there is a special pipe protector: This is a kind of plastic leaf sieve that is simply clamped into the downpipe opening. This is intended to ensure rain drainage even in autumn. It is important for you to know that downpipe protection is available in different sizes and designs. Please pay attention to the dimensions stated by the respective manufacturer.
In contrast to the first four variants, the so-called “gutter caterpillar” is not stretched over the gutter, but is placed directly into it. This is to prevent leaves and dirt from being flushed into the pipes and clogging them. In addition, the brush-like structure is intended to prevent birds from building their nests in the gutter. This UV-resistant gutter brush, for example, is made from black polyprop fibers. It is only available in one length but with different diameters.
Before you decide on leaf protection for your gutter, you should keep the following three criteria in mind:
The width of your gutter should be measured first before ordering a leaf guard. The width of the pipes is particularly important for optimal protection against leaves and other organic waste. For a gutter brush, however, the diameter of a gutter is by far the most important factor.
The materialAs mentioned at the beginning, leaf protection is usually made of plastic – or metal (e.g. zinc, stainless steel, copper). In this case, it may well happen that certain metals do not “get along”. In other words, unfavorable combinations of different metals can promote contact corrosion.
The mesh sizeEvery leaf protection has a certain mesh size. These can be larger and sometimes smaller. For this reason, you should think carefully in advance about what type of leaves you will be dealing with in autumn – more precisely: which leaves should the protective grille ideally keep from the gutter?
This article contains so-called affiliate links. Further information are available here.
