Trying to decide between Leaf Blaster Pro vs RainDrop gutter guards?
The average homeowner pays over $300 per gutter repair project! Debris, corrosion, and other problems can lead to bent or broken gutters, water damage in your home, and more! You need gutter protection right now to save yourself the hassle of doing major repairs down the road.
Installing a gutter guard system won’t save you from all potential issues, but it will help with blockages and other drainage issues in your gutters. Keep reading to learn why having a gutter guard is important to preserving the long-term integrity of your gutters, as well as to see a breakdown of the pros and cons of both the LeafBlaster Pro and RainDrop gutter guards.
What Is a Gutter Guard?
A gutter guard is a protective covering that you put over your gutters. When installed properly, it keeps debris from going into your gutter while still letting rainwater through.
Are Gutter Guards Worth It?
In short: it depends. If you’re looking for a way to avoid ever cleaning out your gutters again, gutter guards won’t be able to help. However, if you want to protect your gutters from the most egregious damage and reduce the number of times you have to clean your gutters, a quality gutter guard system might be suited for you.
How Do Gutters Get Damaged?
You might encounter a variety of issues with your gutters, such as:
- Leaking
- Pooling water
- Lack of drainage
- Warping
- Corrosion
- Physical damage
Without proper installation, rainwater can drip over the sides of your gutters rather than flow through the system as it should. This can also happen if you install the wrong gutter size for your home and roof style.
Work with a professional roofing company to help determine the proper size and style of gutters for your home. Talk with them about the style of gutters and the number of downspouts you need for your property size.
A professional contractor will also ensure your gutters are securely attached to your roof and siding and that the joints between the pieces of your gutters have a tight enough seal to do their job.
- Rust or corrosion can occur if your gutters are installed incorrectly or with the wrong materials. While most gutters are made from a material that resists warping or rusting, using the wrong fasteners or screwing them in too tightly can damage the surface of your gutters, leading to the development of rust in the long run. Scratching or scraping during installation can also result in defective parts, allowing room for rusting year after year.
- Ice dams occur in the winter when higher portions of your roof’s surface are below freezing while the lower parts of the surface of your roof remain above freezing temperatures. Snow and ice will melt at the roof’s peak and flow downward, then refreeze when it reaches the part of your roof that is below freezing. This ice builds up over time, trapping the melted water above it. This water can then seep between the layers of your roof and leak into your attic and the rest of your home. It’s important to note that gutters and gutter guards do not promote or aid in the formation of ice dams. Ice dams primarily form from improper ventilation and/or insulation, plus the right weather conditions.
- Finally, if you are experiencing poor drainage or notice water pooling inside your gutters, you’re probably dealing with a blockage. Over time, even the smallest debris can build up in your gutters and downspouts. Leaves, pine needles, and other plant matter can stick to the bottoms of your gutters and in your downspouts, keeping your water flow from being as efficient as it should be.
Over time, this debris attracts mice, birds, and other pests who want to make a home in your gutters, leaving you with an even bigger problem. If soil and silt build up in the bottom of your gutters, you might even find that some of these plant seeds start sprouting!
While this issue can be taken care of with routine cleaning, it can be a difficult task to complete. Pulling out your ladder and climbing up to your roof to clean out the gutters is a big job and one that you don’t always have time or energy to complete when you need to.
Gutter guards won’t entirely eliminate your need to clean out your gutters, but they will keep the most significant debris from going straight into the gutter, cutting down on the number of times you need to complete this household chore.
Protecting Your Gutter System: LeafBlaster Pro vs. RainDrop
LeafBlaster Pro and RainDrop are two of the most popular gutter guard systems on the market. Each system has its own pros and cons. Read on to figure out which one is best for you.
✅ Pros: LeafBlaster Pro
One of the major benefits of the LeafBlaster Pro gutter guard is its advanced trough technology. This front trough acts as a motivator for water to flow into your gutter while still keeping leaves and other debris out. Its Z bend technology and design encourage this debris to then blow away in the wind. I would like to say something about, For pine needles, this is the guard we recommend, for maple trees and larger debris, we recommend the Rain Drop. We install both on a regular basis.
❌ Cons: LeafBlaster Pro
The stainless steel micro mesh of LeafBlaster Pro gutter guards keeps even the smallest debris from going into your gutters. Why is this listed under cons and not pros? Well, there can be such a thing as doing a job too well.
If all of these particles sit on top of your gutter, you might get too much debris buildup on top of your gutters. Over time, this can clog your gutter and cause the water to run off the sides of your gutter rather than flowing through your gutter system. This means that you may have to clean out your gutters just as often as you would if you hadn’t installed any gutter guards in the first place.
Additionally, to get appropriate gutter protection, you’ll need to know the exact size of your gutters. RainDrop gutter guard comes in 5″ and 6″ varieties, so if you accidentally purchase the wrong size, you won’t be able to use them for your home. ***Aren’t we talking about LeafBlaster here? Also, We do
💰 Cost and Materials: LeafBlaster Pro
LeafBlaster Pro gutter guards are made out of stainless steel micro mesh and aluminum rails to provide extra durability to the mesh. The design and materials help the gutter guard to resist warping or rusting year after year.
This gutter guard comes in 4-foot sections. The 5″ and 6″ varieties have slightly different prices but expect to pay anywhere from $10 to $20 per foot of material of gutter you wanted protected.
⏰ Life Expectancy: LeafBlaster Pro
The LeafBlaster Pro gutter guard has a fairly long life expectancy. The warranty lasts up to 40 years, so even if you experience issues early on, you can contact the company for repair or replacement.
Now, we’ll take a closer look at the same categories for RainDrop gutter guards.
✅ Pros: RainDrop
The RainDrop gutter guard uses a different design than the LeafDrop Pro. What’s Leafdrop pro? LeafBlaster Pro? This gutter guard keeps out large organic material while still allowing shingle granules and other roof grit through. This small debris is easily washed away with regular water drainage when the larger clog-causing materials are kept out of the way.
Installation of a RainDrop gutter guard won’t impact your roof’s warranty because the pieces don’t need nails or screws to be installed properly. They can either be laid under the first layer of shingles on your roof (without nails or screws), or set right into the gutter, and then fastened to the front edge of your gutter.
RainDrop gutters work with any roof style and any width of gutter. Built to be used with 5″-6″ gutters, but with modification will work with 4″ gutters all the way up to 10″ gutters. Very versatile!
Finally, the black color of its materials absorbs heat from the sun in the winter; this melts ice near your gutters and prevents ice dams from forming. Helps Ice from forming on the guard.
❌ Cons: RainDrop
The design of this type of gutter guard can let some debris through. For example, if you have a lot of pine needles surrounding your home, you might still get some that fall into your gutters. However, the quantity of debris in your gutters will be minimal with a RainDrop gutter guard, drastically reducing the number of clogs that happen in your gutters.
If you’re still concerned, you can also install Wide Mouth Outlets for your downspouts drain spouts to allow more room for pine needles to flow through your gutter system. Additionally, adding oversized 6” downspouts to 5” gutters can also assist to getting debris out.
💰 Cost and Materials: RainDrop
The RainDrop gutter guard is made from a specific polypropylene blend with additional UV stabilizers. These industry-leading materials enable the gutter guard to hold up against storms, strong winds and rain, and impact from outdoor debris. This helps them to avoid warping, even in areas that experience extreme seasonal changes throughout the year.
The RainDrop gutter guard comes in 3-foot pieces. Depending on where you purchase them and how much material you purchase at once, the price can range from about $10 to about $20 15 per unit. I would like to talk about installation price, not purchase price on your own. Which is what the $10-$20/foot price is, fully installed by a professional
⏰ Life Expectancy: RainDrop
RainDrop gutter guards were first installed on private residences in 2000, and customers say that their gutter guards are still providing superior performance today, more than two decades later. In 2014, the company increased its warranty from 10 years to 20 because of its confidence in the long-lasting durability of the product.
Give Your Gutters the Protection They Deserve
While both kinds of gutter guards have their merits, it’s not difficult to see the advantages of the RainDrop gutter guard. With a design that improves water flow in your gutters without making extra cleanup work for you, plus the guarantee of a long lifespan, this gutter guard provides gutter protection without detracting from the appearance of your home.
Are you ready to achieve a virtually clog-free future for your gutters? Contact us today to see how a RainDrop gutter guard can be a vital asset in supporting the long-term performance of your home’s gutter system.
