Review of The Best Gutter GuardsHere we will run through the different types of gutter guards available for UK homes guttering systems, the advantages/disadvantages of each type of gutter guard, things to do before fitting the gutter guards and how to fit / maintain your new guards. When searching for gutter guards you will more than likely come across many american sites which have completely different gutters to us here in the UK so there guards simply would not fit/work So lets get to it.... Before even thinking about gutter guards it would be advised to make sure your homes guttering is up to its job. Step 1. Gutter Cleaning, clear all debris from your homes gutters. Check our review/guide on the best gutter cleaning tools Step 2. Water test, to carry out a water test on your guttering system simply get a hose pipe and fill the guttering with water. This will then ensure that the guttering is flowing correctly down the downpipe and into the drains also will show if any leaks are present. If you do notice a leak ensure to get this repaired before fitting any type of gutter guard as repairing the guttering with guards fitted will be more awkward. Step 3. Choosing the best gutter guards for your home. In the below guide we will go through all the different types of gutter guards available for UK home owners along with the pro's/con's of each. Hopefully this will help determine the best gutter guards for your home. Do Gutter Leaf Guards Really Work? The short answer is yes Gutter guards, or gutter covers depending what you like to call them are surprisingly effective at keeping gutters and downspouts free and clear of moss leaves and general debris. However, some are better than others, and none of them will work forever so unfortunately your gutters will still need clearing/maintaining from time to time. Top 3 Most Popular Gutter Leaf Guards For UK Homes1. The Gutter Hedgehog GuardThe gutter hedgehog is one of the first and most popular easy to install gutter guards available in the UK. The Hedgehog Gutter Brush is designed to help prevent leaves clogging gutters and drains, and subsequent water overflow. The gutter brush is comprised of stainless steel wire core and bristles with a UV resistant coating to safeguard against extreme temperatures. The result? A long lasting Hedgehog brush that's simple to use and effective in all kinds of guttering, roofing and other household tasks. Features: Adapts automatically to the shape of any gutter Can be cleaned easily Can be used in pathway drains No more leaves or twigs etc Will fit most types of gutters Virtually indestructible Easy to fit – does not require special installation expertise Long lasting Maintenance free 10 year manufacturer’s guarantee Length: 4m Diametre: 100mm Gutter Cleaning is one of those jobs nobody likes doing there is much better thing we can think of doing on our weekend of than handling the brown slimy mulch of fallen leaves and twigs that blocks your gutters and causes so many water induced repair and maintenance jobs. The Hedgehog Gutter Brush can put an end to all those problems; it is so easy to fit; maintenance free and lasts for years. An ingenious invention that sits within the gutter, preventing an accumulation of leaves and twigs, but allows water to flow freely through the gutters into the drains below. The 100mm diameter, 4m long Hedgehog Brush will fit the most common size of gutter (100 to 116mm). It automatically adapts to most shapes of gutter including square, round, classic, ogee and deep flow. 
As we stated the gutter hedgehog guards are one of the easiest gutter guards to install as they are simply placed into the guttering. Sometimes clips are need to secure the gutter brush into the gutter ensuring heavy winds do not blow them out of the guttering, here is a little guide showing you whether or not you will need clips to secure these into your gutters or not.  If clips are needed you can find these on amazon  2. Gutter Grid GuardsThe gutter grid style gutter guard is a much more rigid and firm gutter guard and simply clips together then placed in the gutter as shown in the video below - As shown on the video this gutter guard is relatively easy to install, although not as easy as the gutter hedgehog, also these may need to be cut as aren't able to fit directly around bends. They are still suitable for home owners to fit themselves if they are confident enough using gutter ladders, although if you have a portable scaffold tower this would make life a lot easier also making it much safer. If using ladders when fitting this type of gutter guard it can becomes really difficult when leaning the ladders up against the gutters you would be better of using a ladder stand off as this then takes the pressure and weight of you and the ladder off the guttering. 
3. Gutter Mesh GuardsGutter mesh guards are a cost effective way of keeping leaves and unwanted debris from entering your guttering. These are about as easy to install as the gutter grid guards and you could get away with fitting these with just a ladder and a pair of scissors, although a portable scaffold tower would make the job a lot easier and safer.  As you can see from the photos above the plastic brackets simply clip onto the edge of the guttering, once the brackets are installed the mesh then simply fits onto the bracket by pushing the bracket knobs through the holes on the gutter mesh. What we did find difficult about fitting the style gutter guard was the mesh comes in a role of 10m but if gut to the desired length it kept curling up and was hard to work with so we found it best to leave it on the role and cut it once you get to the end of the guttering run. Also it doesn't fit uniform around corners but with a few cuts you are able to get it very close. Also what we found was as there is no support in between each bracket heavier debris collapsed the mesh into the guttering so the more clips the better when fitting this style gutter guard. 
SummaryAfter using and seeing the three most popular gutter guards available for UK home if i had to choose one it would defiantly without fail be the gutter hedgehog guard. The reasoning behind this is due to it seems a lot more robust than the other guards available, a lot easier to fit and remove once its time to cleaning the guttering, Its fits brilliant around corners and overall the quality of the product feels miles better the rest. The gutter hedgehog is the more expensive gutter guard but in this case i guess the old saying is true "you get what you pay for." Other AlternartivesIf you feel gutter guards aren't really appealing to you or you don't feel you would be able to fit the guards and don't fancy paying a professional there are cheaper and easier to fit alternatives. The downside to these alternatives is they only really stop your gutter outlets/downpipes from becoming blocked and do not stop leaves and debris from filling your gutters. Top 3 Gutter Outlet Guards Below we will go through the top 3 gutter outlet guards to prevent your downpipes from blockages. 1. Gutter Pipe Leaf Wire BalloonGalvanised  Stainless Steel Wire - Suitable for all systems inc Alu & Copper Fitted in seconds & stops leafs and debris blocking down pipes forever Strong design & securely fits on 63-75 mm diameter down pipes GUARANTEED to fit both round or square down pipes Easy Push fit application  2. Gutter Ballon Outlet Guard This type of gutter outlet guard is a cheaper alternative to the wire version. It's still up to the job and we have installed these on many home's guttering. Key Features- Prevents leaves blocking downpipe. Fits into downpipe outlets. Suitable for either 65mm square or 68mm half round downpipe. Easy Installation  3. Gutter Mesh Outlet Guard  These are great as they can be squeezed in to any shape to fit any style of guttering and under namy roof tiles that overhang low into the gutter Key futures- VERSATILE – Will fit most common downpipe sizes – very easy to fit – completely flexible – no professional assistance required – just squeeze it into place with your fingers GUTTER GUARD AND TRAP – Sieves out leaves, moss and all sorts of other muck, debris and nasties – stops your downpipe and gutters from getting all clogged up TOUGH AND DURABLE – Very long-lasting – made from metal – designed to withstand harsh weather – snow, hail, intense sunlight and freezing cold spells ERADICATES HARD LABOUR – No more need to spend ages clearing out whole gutters and downpipes – minimal effort required to keep everything clear and tidy JUST ONE BOX IS ENOUGH FOR MOST HOMES – includes 4 gutter guards – usually enough to fit with all your home’s guttering requirements  SummaryHaving used all three of the above gutter outlet guards my personal favourite has to be number 1.
My 3 main reasons for this are - 1. It is a lot more robust than the other guards 2. The gaps on the guard its self aren't to small to constantly be getting blocked but also are not to big to let bigger pieces of debris through. 3. Fully adjustable legs so you can insure it has a great fit in the downpipe which will ensure what ever the weather it will not get blown out of the outlet. I hope you found our guide/reviews helpfully when looking into gutter guards or gutter outlet guards.
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