Leaf or gutter guards prevent rain gutter and downspouts from clogging
- dovetailrain
- Mar 31, 2025
- 3 min read
Updated: Apr 3
Fall season, brings to mind cool sunny days, piles of leaves and the hope of one last harvest from the garden. Fall is also the time we should be on a ladder cleaning our raingutters. No matter the season, wind, rain and snow cause leaves to fall on the roof and then wash into the rain gutter.
How often do you want to be on the ladder swiping out the mess of rotted leaves? Besides allowing water to overflow in a heavy rain, there are many problems that can be caused by blocked gutters, including flooded basements and cracked foundations.
Scott Wuebber, owner of Dovetail Raingutter in Bozeman, Montana, says it’s important to keep your rain gutters free of leaves. They offer cleaning and inspection services once or twice a year or can install a leaf guard to help keep things clear.
The return on investing in a gutter guard can vary, so it’s a good idea to get a quote and compare it to your yearly cleaning costs. In many cases, you’ll make back your investment quickly.
What Kinds of Leaf Guards for Rain Gutter are there?
There are several different types of gutter leaf guards on the market, they each have their own way of preventing leaves, pine needles, and other debris from clogging up your gutters.
Mesh Leaf Guard
This type of leaf guard is made from metal, wire, or plastic. These feature a diamond mesh design that lets rainwater flow through while blocking leaves and other debris. They’re the most affordable option, and available at many home centers for the DIY homeowner.
They're a bit tricky to install perfectly and still let a lot of debris into the rain gutter. You’ll need to remove them occasionally to clean the gutter.
Rounded Nose Surface Tension Leaf Guards
The rounded nose, which works by combining surface adhesion and gravity. Rainwater sticks to the front of the nose and flows around the outside of the nose into the gutter. The downside is that these can clog easily, defeating their purpose.
Installing them requires lifting roof shingles, which can cause damage, void your roof warranty & let water seep underneath, leading to drips behind the gutter.
When they need to be removed to clean the gutter, you'll probably damage some roof shingles. They’re also highly visible from the ground and come with a steep installation cost.
Foam leaf guards
These work by filling the gutter with a water-permeable foam insert that blocks leaves, seeds, and other debris while letting water flow through. It’s best to choose ones treated with mold resistance, and even a fire retardant. However, they may not be ideal for freezing climates, as they can clog with dirt, mold, and rotting leaves, leading to overflowing gutters. When this happens, removal and disposal are needed to restore proper water flow.
Here at Dovetail Rain Gutter, we often find these completely clogged, causing the rain gutter to overflow.
Alurex Leaf Guards
Scott Wuebber at Dovetail Raingutter in Belgrade, Montana suggests you take a look at Alurex Leaf guards. "We've been installing Alurex (formerly marketed as Leaf Relief) here in Southwest Montana for close to 25 years and have had no complaints. Alurex functions well in our snow and ice filled winters." This is one of our most popular brands, known for its great warranty. Alurex attaches to the rain gutter without the need to lift or nail through roof shingles. Depending on the type of trees around the home and whether the gutter is new or existing, Alurex offers four types of leaf guards. We’ll recommend the best option when we provide your free leaf guard estimate. These can be installed on new gutters and many existing ones, depending on the original installation and drip edge style, with a moderate installation cost.
Alurex Leaf Guard
So, are leaf guards worthwhile?
Yes, when properly selected and installed, gutter guards will keep the leaves out of the rain gutter. You might need to occasionally remove leaves that don't fall off on their own.
At Dovetail, we believe that if your roof is low, you have a ladder that can safely reach the edge, and you’re comfortable using it, cleaning and inspecting your gutters can be a great DIY project for homeowners.
For those who'd rather avoid climbing a ladder to scoop out wet, rotting leaves, installing a quality leaf guard in your rain gutter is a smart move—it’ll keep you safely on the ground!
Leaf guards can be a bargain when you consider the cost of any emergency room visits necessitated when adding your own personal spin on the season known as “Fall.”
Please contact us for a free estimate 406-585-2979
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