Leaf "PROOF" Gutter Systems, is it real!

RMissyDog · Joined: 14 Oct 2006 Posts: 2 Location: Minnetonka, Mn

Does anyone have or know of working leaf proof gutters that work for leaves, snow, ice and anything else that mother nature can throw at them in the Minnesota winters. There are many cover type systems that claim to work great and come with a lifetime warranty for plugging. My bigger cerncern is with ice dams in the winter. There is a company that has a filter that fits into normal gutter and claims its the best. I would like to place a heat tape/rope with a thermestate in it for the winter to keep the ice off the driveway.

If anyone has the real workings of the systems it would be interesting.

handnhammer · Joined: 13 May 2006 Posts: 60 Location: Ann Arbor, MI

Personally, I would just clean them by hand. Most of the gutter guards that I have seen don't do the job. They either let small stuff through and you have to clean them anyway, or in heavy rains they water runs right over them and to the ground...the later would defeat the purpose of having gutters at all. If I were to pick a type of gutter guard, it would be one that was easily removed, invisible from the curb, and the "filter" type that screens out large debris. The gutter guards that rely on water adhesion, don't work well during heavy rain, or by roof hips/valleys. The one gutter guard that looks most promising to me is the GutterFilter.

With all this said, I don't this is what is causing your ice dams.

Here is a little snippet from a UMASS ARTICLE, it should answer some of your questions:

"Contrary to popular belief, gutters do not cause ice dams. However, gutters do help concentrate ice and water at a very vulnerable roof-eaves area. As gutters fill with ice, they often bend and rip away from the house bringing fascia, fasteners and downspouts in tow."

The ice dam is caused by variations in temperature over the roof surface, and the variation is usually between the edge of the roof (overhang) and the rest of the roof. Snow melts on the upper portion of the roof, runs down the roof, and refreezes near the overhang, building up causing an ice dam. Not only does this cause unsightly icicles and slippery walks/driveways, but dammed water can back up the roof, creep under shingles, and cause roof/home damage. Here is a great ARTICLE from the University of Minnesota on ice dams.

So...i think you may need to evaluate why your roof is allowing the snow to melt. It is probably heat escaping in the attic or truss space, and improper ventilation of that space. Insulate and Ventilate!!!

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