The Difference Between Leaf Filters and Solid Gutter Covers

Gutter guards are becoming essential for maintaining your home’s exterior and interior (believe it or not). They keep the inside of your house dry by directing water away from your exterior walls, which could eventually seep through to the inside of your house or apartment.

However, with so many different kinds of gutter protection systems on the market, you might be confused about which one to choose. Don’t worry—we’ve got you covered.

This article discusses why gutter covers are important, the difference between the two main types of gutter covers- leaf filters and solid gutter guards and which one you should pick. So let’s have a closer look at the differences between these two gutter guard options and perhaps help you decide which one is best for you – and your home.

Why Is Gutter Protection Important?

One of the most important reasons for investing in gutter guards is that they reduce the maintenance needed on your home. The guards are designed to prevent clog-creating debris from entering your gutters, which can block up the gutters and underground drains.

All gutter protection requires some degree of maintenance. But if you choose correctly for your home, it will be dramatically less than maintaining gutters without protection.

Gutter protection saves you time. They prevent overflowing gutters, which protects your home. And, when chosen correctly, they keep pests, mice, birds, and insect infestations out of your gutters.

Additionally, if rainwater collects in your gutters, mosquitoes and other insects can multiply. Gutter guards prevent these pests from breeding by keeping them clean, allowing the water to move through, instead of staying in, your gutters. In short, they minimize the amount of stagnant water in your gutter.

Leaf Filters and Solid Gutter Covers

Leaf filters and solid gutter covers are protection systems that prevent leaves, debris, and other materials from clogging gutters.

Below are the detailed descriptions of the two and how they differ.

About Gutter Covers

1. Function and Installation Process

Solid gutter covers are made of panels that typically cover the gutter completely while keeping a gap that water passes through using surface tension. They let water flow into the gutters while keeping leaves and other debris out of the gutter system.

Solid gutter covers are typically installed by fitting them over the gutter and securing them firmly.

2. Design and Material

They can be made of aluminum, copper, galvalume, as well as plastics and vinyl. We discourage plastic and vinyl. They are less durable and, even more importantly, water does not cling to plastic and vinyl as well as it does to aluminum, copper or galvalume. That is critically important, seeming the entire system hinges on that.

Using the physics principle of surface tension in a reverse curve shape, the gutter guard channels rainwater around its angled nose and into your gutter system. When properly installed, this will work during the heaviest downpours.

3. Maintenance

The amount and type of maintenance for a solid gutter cover depends on various factors. Some of them are the amount and type of debris from the surrounding trees and environment, the installation quality, the product material and quality, whether it’s nose-forward, the roof design, and local weather conditions.

Generally, expect to spray the system off with a hose 1-4 times a year on average.

It’s hard to overstate the importance of a knowledgeable installation for lower maintenance. For example, our company, Gutter Cover Kansas City, has been in the gutter protection industry without interruption since 2001. We have seen some good products that should have worked well be installed incorrectly by other companies or homeowners, and they do more damage than good. Our product, the Advantage Gutter Guard®️, is a solid surface nose forward design gutter cover. As you would expect, we’re proud of it! But if it was installed by those who didn’t know what they were doing, even the best product in the marketplace wouldn’t work right.

Pros and Cons of Solid Gutter Filters

Pros

● Very effective at preventing clogs.

● When it fits the above criteria, minimal maintenance is required.

● When chosen well, it can enhance the aesthetics of the gutter system and home.

Cons

● For the quality of design, materials, and installation you NEED for this design to work as advertised, it will be an investment.

● If not properly installed or maintained, there is a chance for water overflow during heavy rainfall. Make sure to do your research for the specific company and product.

About Leaf Filters

1. Function and Installation Process

Leaf filters have a mesh-like design or screen typically installed over the top of gutters. They allow water to flow through the filter while blocking leaves and other forms of debris.

The micro-mesh filter in this design successfully prevents even the smallest debris, such as leaves, twigs, seeds, pine needles, and maple seeds, from entering the gutter.

2. Design and Materials

Leaf filters are gravity-fed gutter protection. Water comes off the roof and goes through the filter or screen or mesh down into the gutters, assuming there are no organic materials on top of the gutter protection.

Leaf filters are made of various materials. The filter itself can be made of plastic, vinyl, aluminum, stainless steel, and even surgical steel. Most have an uPVC material for their frame.

The leaf filter gutter guard system can be supported by hidden hangers, similar to conventional gutter hangers that can be connected to the gutter. Or they can be attached with a clip to the front and back of the gutter, depending on the design.

3. Maintenance

The maintenance of a leaf filter depends, to a considerable degree, on the trees and tree debris near your home.

Leaf filters require regular maintenance. Evidence of that is in the name. All filters require cleaning (think central air filters, vacuum filters, kitchen filters, etc.) This is no different. Organic debris and inorganic roofing material will clog the holes on the top of the filter, regardless of the specific product. If not cleaned off as needed, this will not allow the water to flow into the gutters, resulting in the water flowing over the gutters entirely in hard rain.

To get the most out of this design and avoid gutter overflow, visual inspections and cleaning should be done regularly. Schedule maintenance accordingly.

Pros and Cons of Leaf Filters

Pros

● Keeps the inside of the gutter clear of debris.

● The cheap DIY versions usually work as well or nearly as well as the very expensive ones. There aren’t enough true differences in design to considerably impact performance. This can make it a cost-effective option.

Cons

● Requires regular maintenance. In practice, this often means scrubbing the top by hand or with a brush tool of some kind.

● If not maintained, serious water overflow issues can result.

● Vinyl does not hold up in extreme cold or heat. This is true in any gutter protection system.

Comparing the Two – Leaf Filters vs. Solid Gutter Covers

1. Performance

Both types of gutter protection systems have their pros and cons.

Leaf filters effectively block leaves, twigs, and other clog-causing debris from entering the gutter system. However, regular maintenance must be performed or the consequences can be serious for the home.

Solid gutter covers also effectively block leaves, twigs, and other clog-causing debris from entering the gutter system. However, specifics of design and installation are critical for this design it to work as advertised. Ignoring this can lead to serious consequences for the home.

2. Cost

The specific designs of leaf filters are negligible in terms of actual performance, so cheap is often a better investment than expensive.

In terms of solid surface, cheap and DIY usually backfire, so don’t go that route. Go for quality, or stay away from this design.

3. Durability

As a general rule, anything made of PVC will not last as long in outside weather conditions, regardless of quality or promises otherwise. This is as true of gutter protection as it is of any exterior home improvement project, such as vinyl versus steel siding.

Don’t let an overzealous salesperson convince you otherwise.

Conclusion

That’s all folks! We hope this article was informative and helpful for you in understanding the difference between solid gutter guards and leaf filter covers. We wish you the best in your decision.