A Covered Gutter System Keeps Out Leaves and Debris

One inch of rain falling on an average size house produces about a thousand gallons of water to be collected by gutters and channeled into downspouts and drains. If those gutters are clogged with leaves, twigs and other debris, water spills over the edge and falls to the ground near foundation and basement walls, causing leaks, possible settling and cracks.

Stopped gutters can also divert water into soffits and behind walls, resulting in serious structural damage. One way to avoid this kind of damage is to manually remove debris from gutters regularly. However, this task can be time-consuming and often involves working from a tall ladder.

Now what if you could avoid ever having to clean your gutters again and never have to worry about them clogging or overflowing? Well, you can. This is a closed gutter system that incorporates a curved hood that prevents leaves from collecting inside, while allowing water to travel around the top and into the gutter below.

The covered gutter works on the scientific principle of liquid adhesion - the same principle that causes water to adhere to, and flow around this drinking glass. At the same time the hood deflects water-borne leaves, twigs and other debris.

The gutter we're about to install is a one-piece design by Englert LeafGuard. The gutters are available in a variety of colors allowing them to blend in with almost any style home.  The scratch-guard finish won’t chip, peel or crack and, in fact, carries a limited lifetime warranty.  The system is being put in by DiGeorgi Roofing and Siding, an authorized LeafGuard dealer in Connecticut. The installers for this project are Justin Lapke, Tom Coonan and Troy Dobbins.

The first step is to take down the old gutters by removing the gutter spikes that secure the gutters to the fascia board. Because the gutter is seamless, it's fabricated on location. This mobile factory of sorts converts a roll of heavy-duty sheet metal into an intricately-shaped one-piece profile that can be as long as needed.

Once the desired dimension is reached, the section is cut to length and the next piece is formed.

Next, internal mounting brackets are inserted into each gutter section and mounting is created and put in place.

Finally, silicone adhesive is applied to the end caps which are set in position and secured with rust-resistant screws.

One-piece seamless gutters like these are quite strong and resistant to bending or sagging.

The gutter is placed up against the fascia board and slipped under the drip cap on the edge of the roof. The gutter is set on a slight pitch or angle, so that the water flowing into it will run to the end where the downspout opening is located.

Then the mounting screws are driven securely into the fascia board. This mounting system requires no external braces or brackets and is completely invisible. The existing roofing material is left undisturbed and no nails or screws are driven through it.

Seamless gutters like these have no joints or connecting brackets which can often be the source of leaks. The downspouts for the LeafGuard system are 30 percent larger than most, ensuring a good water flow even in the heaviest rains.

Downspout sections are fitted together, secured with screws, attached to the exterior wall with standoff brackets, then connected to existing drainage systems or set up to discharge water directly onto the ground and away from the foundation.

So if you're looking for a maintenance-free gutter system that never has to be cleaned, then the LeafGuard system you've just seen would be a solid choice.