When deciding to purchase a gutter guard, it is important to look at all aspects of what the guard should do.

• It should keep the leaves and pests out of your gutters
• It should ensure the water is captured in your gutters
• It should increase the chance of leaves coming off

Some systems have holes that are too big or don’t cover the valleys. Leaves don’t come off and you can just move the problem from one place to another.

Some systems use inserts into the gutter and leave a flat surface once installed. The leaves clump on top of the gutter guard and you still have to clean them off your roof.

Some systems have tiny holes. They keep the leaves out and the leaves fall off your roof. However, they also keep the water out in heavy rain and the water simply sheets off your roof, cascading over the edge of the gutter.

Inexpensive do-it-yourself products where you place a piece of plastic mesh into a gutter rarely last a season. By then, the company selling the product has made it’s money and knows you won’t be back for a refund. Also remember that leaves are persistent and can creep into the smallest of openings or crevasses. If the system you choose can leave a gap or space anywhere between the gutter guard and the tile or metal roof, a leaf will get stuck and call their mates to the party.

Does it effectively cover the valley gutters?

For many consumers, valleys are an afterthought. We focus so much on the gutters that we forget the point where the roof meets in the corner. Leaves will reach the valley and clump at the bottom of the gutter.

You need to protect your valleys. That eliminates most gutter guard systems on the market. Look for a system that will take care of the whole project, not just a part of it.

Aluminium is the best product for gutter guards.

When choosing a metal product, make sure the company selling you the gutter guard understands the technical aspects of corrosion and material compatibility to ensure the gutter guard does not damage your roof or gutters.

A good long lasting metal is aluminium which is suitable for many applications and is very compatible with Colorbond® steel which is the most widely used steel product in Australia and is supplied by Bluescope®.

Whether a product is made locally or comes from overseas, the guarantee is only as good as the company that stands behind it.

Find out how long the owners have been in business and whether they have happy customers who keep coming back.

We have seen people unable to claim on their warranties for poor quality products because the company no longer exists.

A guarantee is important, but it’s only one consideration and only as good as the company that backs it.

Why do leading architects and builders keep choosing Leaf Stopper? We offer the leading product and they know we stand behind it.

Avoid the myths that are used as sales tricks…

Myth 1:

A thicker and heavier product will be more effective in keeping leaves out.

It won’t.

Leaf Stopper has been designed to avoid damage to your roof and to last.

It offers the right balance of flexibility and strength to get the best result for your roof.
Remember we test it against the key objectives of a gutter guard.

Myth 2:

You will never have to clean or access your gutters again.

This is not true.

All gutters require some maintenance from time to time.

The right gutter guard will make maintenance much easier and mean you need to do it much less often.

But remember, there can be all sorts of reasons you may need to access your gutters again in the future.

If your gutter guard gives you no access to your gutters, you will have difficulties down the track.

If you glue your system, how are you going to access your gutters without damaging the product?

It’s normal for a salesperson to try and win your business by pointing out the strengths of their products and highlighting a competitor’s weaknesses.

For instance:

Small fine holes are a great idea for keeping leaves out of gutters, but on the flip side, they can also keep the water out because of the ‘sheeting’ effect.

Sunlight does not dry the gutter as quickly allowing a breeding ground for insects and reducing the life of the gutter.

The tiny holes can even get blocked and eventually if unattended, moss can grow.

It is also difficult to maintain if silt and dust eventually form on the base of the gutter.

Plastic gutter inserts are cheaper, but leaves accumulate on them and they are unsuitable for valleys.

In the end, you just shift the problem rather than solving it.

Therefore, do your homework.

Ask to view sites or projects where the product is installed.

Better still, speak to the homeowner.

Remain open-minded and do your research carefully.

I’ve heard of salespeople who take a gutter guard mesh product and tear it, thereby ‘proving’ it’s weak.

This is like tearing a sheet of paper and saying that it’s useless for making books.

Absurd!

A gutter guard is there to keep leaves and pests out and to allow water in.

It needs to have the right flexibility to mold properly to your roof and to avoid damage to the roof or gutter.

So if it does that, and lasts well, then you’ve got a system that works.

Don’t get sidetracked by cunning misrepresentations.

Leaf Stopper has been carefully researched over many years to ensure the right balance is found between the different requirements of the product.

It’s important not to get sidetracked by one element when that can actually compromise other aspects of its function.

Do some research on the company and try to find out if they’ve had any warranty claims recently.

Chances are, they won’t give you this information but there’s no harm in trying.

The more questions you ask about where the company comes from, where the product comes from, how long they’ve been in business, if they sell Australia-wide etc, the more chance you have of getting a better picture of who you’re dealing with.

Remember the warranty of your product is only as good as the company that stands behind it.