November 8, 2009 11:34am by Team | 
We are back with another Reader Report – this time it’s Joe talking about his experiences with the Leaf Filter gutter system. Things didn’t go too well for Joe. Read his report:
Hello everyone. I had Leaf Filter installed on my gutters. My experience was completely horrible with Leaf Filter and I had to work with my local BBB to get the Leaf Filter manufacturer to compensate me for having their product uninstalled from my gutters.
Leaf Filter in Action
They would not give me a full reimbursement for their product, but I was able to get about 1/3 of what I paid. Every time I see the Leaf Filter being demoed at the home shows by a
certified installer, I approach them and tell them what a disappointing product it was for me. I have a metal roof and I live in the northwest. We get a lot of rain here and it is constantly moist. The mesh filter kept getting clogged with mildew and moss. I tried
to bleach the filter and scrub out the mesh – but I found out from other disappointed Leaf Filter owners that you have to also scrub out the underside of the mesh too. Which means, you have to uninstall the mesh entirely to clean it because it gets clogged from the outside in and the inside out.In addition, leaves would pile up on the gutter. Because of all of this, water would run right across Leaf Filter and never get into my gutters to being with. Not a good situation for me – especially because my house has a basement.
The Leaf Filter manufacturer told me that their product should NOT be installed on a house with a metal roof because the filter cannot keep up with the velocity of the water (I have a 6/12 roof pitch, which is not extreme). The installer told me that they never knew about this. The installer also told me that they have had so many complaints about Leaf Filter that they will no longer install it and have chosen not to be the regional Leaf Filter installer.
Maybe Leaf Filter is just not for folks that live in wet climates – so I guess your mileage may vary if you live in a drier climate, don’t have a metal roof, and have a roof pitch that is less aggressive than mine (6/12 is the standard where I live).
I would much, much rather clean my gutters twice a year rather than spend the extra money on gutter protection systems. I will never buy another gutter protection system… and when I get too old to clean out my gutters, then I will pay someone else to do it for me.
Is this just one person’s bad experience? If you use Leaf Filter, please let us know what you think. Leave a comment.
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Wow… I was considering Leaf Filter too. Thanks for the info. I hope that more current owners leave some comments.
I have a metal roof and i have no problems with LeafFilter..because of the metal roof the rep suggested that i go from a 5 inch gutter to a 6 inch gutter and i love it..no more ladders for me…
I have a metal roof and already had 6″ (brand new) gutters when LeafFilter was installed. It has only been 6 months and they are already clogged with debris (mainly oak tree buds) from the trees around my house and water is running over the debris and onto my deck and yard. Do you have any trees around?
I’ve had Leaf Filter on my house for over five years and have never had a problem. My wife and I live in the woods in Ohio and we have tons of pine trees in our yard. I’m wondering if maybe you just had a bad installer who didn’t know what they were doing. The dealer in my area is very reputable. I checked them out with the BBB before I bought. Sorry you had a bad experience but if anyone else reads this, I would recommend this system to anyone.
Chris, thanks very much for your comments!
I also had the Leaf Filter installed on my house in the winter of 09. I lve on 5 acres of pine trees. So I thought this would take care of the pine needles. IT DID NOT!. The pine needles do not blow away because it is too cold and wet all winter. I live in the Olympia Wa area. I call the company because the system did not work on my house. So the sent out someone to look at them. The day he arrived we had a cold spell and everything was frozen. So he took pictures. He said he would talk to his boss. I told him I wanted them taken off and I wanted a refund because the did not work. Never heard from them . So I call them. They told me that they only guarentee that the gutters will not clog. They do not clog , now they do not work at all . Now all the water just runs over them. So now I have to have them taken off so my gutters will work again.i am now thying to figure out what to use that might work better.
I also live in Ohio and I have a ton of pine trees and have never had a problem with the leaffilter..sure some of the pines piled up but the water just goes right through it and as soon as they are dry the wind just blows them off..sorry you had a bad install but i Love My LeafFilter..
I have been in the gutter system business for years and the only product i found that delivers on its promise of no clogs and more importantly NO OVER SHOOT is Waterloov. it works on all styles of roofs flat mansard metal. I have removed and replaced many of the other systems with Waterloov it is amazing and in most cases 30 to 50 percent less cost than the other systems that spend a fortune on advertising
Hi Joe,
I am a leaffilter dealer/Installer leaffilter works perfect with a metal roof it is they best gutter guard on the market for a metal roof application. Main reason is that it mounts just to the gutter it does not need to be mounted to the roof under the shingle like most gutter guards. Leaffilter gutter guard is the only micro-filtration gutter guard that does not mount under the roof shingle. I install it all the time on gutters that handle water from a metal roof. It sounds like who installed the system has a lack of experience, One of two things can be done if you are having a problem with water over shooting the gutter guard from a metal roof or any roof, If one of the steps below are taken it will fix the problem. First you could install the service screen/valley screen witch is a more pouris filter that will handle they extra water flow, this 90% of the time will fix the problem. Second If the problem persists what will need to be done is you will need to have a six inch gutter installed, intern you will have more of a filter surface to handle the extra water flow If you have more questions on this give me a call at 877 573 2653.
If leaffilter is properly installed and the right steps are taken when a problem arrises it can be eradicated 100% of the time. I believe leaffilter is they best gutter guard on the market with over 700,000ft installed personally from our company we never had a call back we could not fix and we never had a single clogged gutter!!!!!!!!
First of all you Should have relised that 6 inch leaf filter is just a bigger frame Its the same screen as 5 inch
and if the product was so good why the bigger screen (valley screen) I’ll never understand that. and Leaf filter is not the only micro screen that does’nt go under the roof shingles Do a little homework
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Joe, I also live in the Northwest, Redmond to be exact. I got LeafFilter in 2007, and up to this year the dealer has sent someone out to pressure wash the mildew and growth off the screens so the water can get in the gutters. This year they wanted a “$120 Maintenance Fee”. I asked what good the product was if instead of maintaining/cleaning your gutters you need to maintain/clean the LeafFilter. My gutters look like crap now as the water that runs over causes streaks of stains on them. I wouldn’t recommend any of the add-ons to gutter systems, and none of the warranties are worth even a nickel. Don’t waste your money. Maybe “Jessey Jones” from King-5 News needs to know about this.
I am a gutter contractor in the northeast and have bin installing leaffilter since april 2005. I”ve had good success with it and my customers love it.I have to agree 100% with Jimmy.
I have had Leaf Filter on my home since March of ’09 and live on a heavily wooded lot in Falls Church Va. I have lots of pines and oaks all around my property. I used to have to go up on my roof at least 3 times a year to clean out the gutters. Since getting Leaf Filter put on my house I couldn’t be happier. All the water goes right through the screen every time, and the leaves come right off. Also, just a note, when my neighbors gutters came off during the winter, mine stayed on.
I have had Leaf Filter on my house 3 years and it still works great.
My husband and I had Leaf Filter installed on our 2 story house about 4 years ago. We live in North Bend, WA which gets heavy rainfall as well as lots of pine needles and leaves. Our problem is our composite roof grit. It washes down, makes a little dam and then the water cascades over it like a waterfall. I looked at our warantee and they said roof grit was included. When I called the company (3 times before somebody called me back) they said to call them every time it happens and they’ll send somebody out-really? That would be be weekly in the winter time. We arranged for somebody to come out today-they didn’t call first like they promised and nobody was home to meet them. We are now going to demand our money back in full and go with another company. Not happy with their service (or lack thereof) at all!!!!!
I had a LeafFilter gutter cover system installed on my home and it almost immediately clogged. Note, technically, it is not my gutters that clogged. The LeafFilter system became so covered with material, they clogged and my gutters no longer recieved any water. Almost three months of complains, Emails, phones and letters, along with the intervention of the Better Business Bureau resulted in the system being removed and my money refunded. For photos and details, please see: http://tgcarter.vacau.com/LeafFilter/index.html
I believe much of the disagreement has to do with the purpose of any gutter cover system. I believe any logical person would assume say that the purpose of a gutter cover system was allow your gutters to continue to redirect water away from the foundation of your home. If someone tells you the purpose of a gutter cover system is merely to keep the gutters from clogging, even it it means no water reaches the gutter, then I would point out that covering your gutters with a piece of metal would have the same effect.
Do mind if we feature your story on this site? We would like to post your photos and some or all of the text from your site as a featured reader review.
Yes, please feel free to use it as you best see fit, although it would appear that Laron Olson also has some documentation you might want to post.
Shame on me for not doing more research and due diligence before I paid to have LeafFilter installed on my home. I have the same issues that Tom (and many others) described. I’m in the process of working with the regional operations manager but fear that I might be headed to the BBB to get them uninstalled and to get a refund also. I’ll be back to this site as things progress.
We had Leaf Filter installed on our Monroe, WA home and were completely disappointed as well – both with the product and with the many promised fixes. After many promises, attempts to shift the blame to the installer (who ironically was responsive because he was not being paid and tried his best to effect what “fixes” he could), we finally became perturbed enough to contact our credit card company who reversed the payment. That got the owner’s attention. He promised if we sent a “good faith” payment of $3,000 in the form of a check, he would make us so happy we would be a “poster child” for the product. We immediately sent the check – he was a compelling “talker”. Nothing! I took a number of videos and photos of water pouring over our gutters, and still nothing. I probably should have involved the Better Business Bureau but by this time, I was just tired of the whole thing. I went up and tore off all the screens and we lived with that for the next two winters – the gutters were installed correctly and handled the water well. We called Leaf Guard the following summer and they came right out, tore off the old gutters, hauled them away and we are now “poster children” for them – totally satisfied. DO NOT BELIEVE THE CLAIMS OF LEAF FILTER. We have plenty of ugly video and images of the green “slime” mold and masses of leaves and needles that never blew off if any one would like to see reality rather than nice little studio produced commercials.
i would love to see them
September issue of Consumer Reports rates Leaffilter #1. Period. Nothing more needs to be said
This is so strange – to see “It’s terrible” and “It’s great”, side by side.
I can only speak from my own experience but I installed Leaf Filter two years ago, by myself, under a brand new composite roof (lots of grit), over a 2400 square foot house, surrounded by Doug fir and tan oak.
It’s worked perfectly for the last two winters and the first storm of this season. I hadn’t been on the roof in a year, went up after the 2.5-inch rainfall, and there was virtually NOTHING left on the surface of the Leaf Filter.
If an amateur like myself can make this product work well, why can’t professional installers? I have no explanation but Leaf Filter has worked every bit as well as I expected.
We’re about to get a free estimate from the Leaf Filter people. We live in Annapolis, MD with mature maple and oak trees in our backyard. My main concern about this product is the mesh where leaves and sticks can get stuck and would not easily blow away. We get a fair amount of rain year round here in the Mid-Atlantic region. I want to make sure it’s worth the money to invest in this system. Can somebody tell how much was a typical installation?
Thanks for the comments–both positive and negative.
I first off would like to say thanks to everyone who has left a comment on this web site. I think that everyone needs to have a place to put their experiences in dealing with any product. It not only helps people make an educated decision, but also gives the company a chance to make changes to better deal with complaints. I have installed many types of gutter protection and have found good and bad with all of them. Unfortunately most of these systems are at the mercy of the crews who install them. Leaffilter is no acception to this rule. But in my experience Leaffilter is by far the best product I have ever installed and had the pleasure of servicing(extremely little service). Every company I have ever worked for (gutter helmet, hallet, clearwater, leafguard, etc) has had so many complaints and services that they had to hire a service tech( myself) to keep up with them. I am not saying that Leaffilter doesn’t get service. But when we do,we take care of them promptly. As for complaints dealing with a charge for service. Perhaps we as consumers need to do our homework on the laws dealing with contracts before we make blanket statements about companys taking advantage of people when charging service fee’s. I don’t know about all states laws, but where I live companys only have to service their work for 1 year before they have a right to charge a modest fee for services rendered.
First, thanks, Tom, for maintaining this website; it is a real public service. And thanks Joe (and everyone who has taken time to relate their own exepriences with the Leaf Filter system), for your comments both pro and con. I, too, live in the Seattle area, and was prepared to buy the Leaf Filter system at a cost of more than $5,000; but after reading all the posts here, and at a couple of other similar sites, I’m cancelling the work order and will probably, like Joe above, just have my roof blown off, gutters cleaned, and moss retardant applied to my composition roof as needed.
I had leaf filter installed a little less than a year ago (for what I consider a hefty price)after the sales person sold me on it. While they were installing it I saw them cutting pieces of ordinary insect screen in addition to the microscreen that keeps the small grit out. He expalined they put it at only the corners to deal with heavy water flow. OK, fair enough though a little slippery of the sales guy who took over an hour of my time demonstrating the stuff not to mention this limitation. Upon departing the installer remarks “don’t worry if it runs over – it takes awhile for the oil from the mfr to wear off the microscreen”. Hmmm…sure enough at the corners where the water flows heaviest it shoots out like a waterfalls – a year later! I have 6″ gutters. This product is simply flawed and misrepresented by sales staff. Don’t believe what they say.
We just signed a contract for LeafFilter and he reduced the price if we could have them do the work quickly. Then I got to wondering “why the hurry”. So I got on the internet to see what I could find. What is the going rate (per foot) for LeafFilter-anybody know?
The salesman said “no complaints” but I see several here. Any other advice. Thanks. Carolyn
We just signed a contract for LeafFilter and he reduced the price if we could have them do the work quickly. Then I got to wondering “why the hurry”. So I got on the internet to see what I could find. What is the going rate (per foot) for LeafFilter-anybody know?
The salesman said “no complaints” but I see several here. Any other advice. Thanks. Carolyn
..
I met the LEAFILTER folks at a Home Show. The Salesperson came out and we signed the contract. I was especially pleased due to the ‘LIFETIME WARRANTY’. The crew came out and installed the Leafilter system. After the winter I noticed some of the panels had sunk. I contacted Leafilter and after several calls a representative called to say the original installers left the business and they would not make any repairs. After I persisted and reminded them of the LIFETIME WARRANTY – they sent a rep out. He said the covers were installed incorrectly and he wanted $300 to make adjustments. Also the LEAFILTER screens have to be cleaned several times in the spring to remove all of the tree debris that gets matted on top of the gutters. I would not purchase this product for my next home.
First, I left a post a in April 2011 explaining my bad experience with my Leaf Filter install – deceptive sales pitch, untruths spoken by the installer, still pours over the gutters one year later as if the gutters are not even there. Strange the post is not here anymore. Stranger yet I got a call from a somewhat perturbed dealer telling me to chill out and they would contact me soon. 2 weeks later I have not heard a word and am sitting on my front porch during a shower enjoying the waterfalls eroding my landscaping. Thank you leaf filter for wasting $2200 of my money.
All these comments have been very helpful. I tend to think that every product, under certain conditions has the potential for problems. What concerns me the most is that not one of the people who encountered a problem seemed to get a timely response from the Leafguard Company. When they finally did, it took months and involved the BBB or credit card company to get the company’s attention. Most people don’t have that kind of time or energy to expend.(Is that what Leafguard is counting on?} I think I will look into the Waterloov system. Thank you to everyone for taking time to comment.
I had leaf filter installed in July, 2010 and in December,2010
we had a snow storm with the snow piling up on the gutter covers. When the sun came out the snow on top of the leaf filter
covers froze not allowing the melting snow to go into my gutters
but insted to overflow onto my steps and drive causing a huge
ice problem and a dangerous situation for any one attempting to
walk on my drive or enter my home. I called leaf filter and
complained but got no satisfaction and the installation manager
would not even come and take a look at the problem. I was told
by him to get a roof rake or install heat coils in my gutters.
I told him I am a 74 year old female and I am not going to stand
out there and rake snow off my roof and if I install heat coils,
that is an added expense I would not have had if it were not for
their gutter filter because I have lived in my home for 38 years
and have never had a major ice problem as I experiences this
year. It would have been cheaper for me to hire someone to
clean my gutters twice a year. I am extremely sorry I purchased
these gutter filters and I would not advise anyone to get them.
I am sure the salesman knew about this possible ice problem when
he gave me his sales speach otherwise they would not have been
so quick to tell me that they have installed the gutter filters
in our snow belt area here in OH and the people in that area get
the roof rake or heat coils but not a word was mentioned by him.
However, he did not hesitate to inform me of problem that were
common with other gutter protection companies.
I just had Leaf Filter installed yesterday. Already not happy with the install. I can see gaps from below where the cut runs do not butt up to each other. I see a 3″ section with a 1/4″ gap along each side. I was told I needed rain diverters at 3 corners. What an ugly idea. Had to have them removed over front door. They were just white alumin. pieces with a bent edge and stood upright and vertical about 6″ above the roof shingle. (Don’t think this was the proper way to install.) Since I have a brown roof, there is no blending here — very ugly and unsightly. They were taken down, but now I have sealant and screw holes left in my shingles and on my roof where water will probably penetrate. I wish I read these reviews before I contracted for the job. I am retired & live on social security and this was a waste of good money (I really can’t afford to lose) based on what I am reading.
Sorry but I have to agree with the other posters who are dissatisfied. These guards do not function as advertised. Mine were installed back in May but from the getgo they did not allow the water to flow into the gutters. It simply flows over the screen an onto my deck, plantings, whatever. So, yes, your gutters will not clog but they will not function either! WTF?
I have complained to LeafFilter and they sent out a rep who said they were not installed correctly. Two months later I was finally contacted and they will correct the childish installation (one piece up, the next piece down, looks like sh!t).
I have a low slope roof (2.5 in 12) and in the valleys the water shoots past the guards and onto the ground, deck, whatever. This is extremely annoying.
My gutters glogged before installing these but at least they worked. Now they do not work and I have to clean the screens off every week so they work. This is not what I spent 3k$ for, I wanted to end this task! I was better off before installing these.
We had leaf filter installed in September of last year and what a crappy job the installers did. They removed the gutters first and cleaned them and then when they reinstalled they put them back in the wrong place so now the water flowing from the valleys of the roof miss the gutters and flow like a waterfall over the them. The sales person also failed to mention that pollen cloggs the surgical mess causing water to flow over the edge and that the screens need to be cleaned at a regular basis. So we cleaned them but in spots the rain still flows right over the edge. The adds say you will never have a clogged gutter again but they failed to mention that the filters will so you are still climbing a ladder to clean them. What a waste and I definetly would not recomend these to anyone.
Richard, where are you located? I work for LeafFilter North, Inc and we are the largest dealer in the country with 13 locations. Call 1-800-290-6106 and I’d be happy to help remedy your problems. Customer satisfaction is our #1 priority. If you did not purchase Leaf Filter gutter guard from our company I’ll get you in contact with someone else who can help.
I have LeafFilter on my house for 5+ years and have never had a problem. The front gutters get blasted with a combination of pine needles and maple seed pods (propellors) and nothing stays. I can see from my dormer windows just fine, its clear. I do see some shingle sand occasionally but it blows or washes off over time. The system is supposed to be installed with a 10 degree pitch to it. If the installer is incompetent and puts it on flat that can cause debris to pile up. I’ve seen em all and I feel that I made a wise decision. Apparently Consumer Reports agrees with me. They rated it number 1.
Guys, use Thompson Creek Gutter System.
They are the best. It’s such a great system and company.
I had the worse time trying to get a phone call back to talk about the gutters and roof, leaf filter and sister company roof smart don’t call back if they have your money. And also roof smart is not a roof contractor they are general contractor that hires out to other companies. At least in Washington state. I would NOT hire them again, to let you know.
Me and seven other people in my neighborhood have leaf filter on are house and works great just like the company claims sounds like there’s a bunch of cry babies on this site or just other companies trying to bash there competition
I had a Leaffilter rep come to my home last week for a free estimate. He measured from the ground and measured while walking up my steps(I saw he was adding inches). When done, he spoke numbers. His total came to $2350, but with their special it would drop to $2100, but if I decide by 10/24/11 the price drop to $1900. Also, there no mention of price per ft. either. HE called on the 24th, I told him that price was very steep, he in turn stated “How about we add customer point to make your final cost $1000″?, however, it must decided by the 25th. Had I gone along with his sales pitch ,I would not be able to get my snow thrower I was looking at!
This was typical rip-off to me and any other consumer. I am from NY, I know hustle when I see hustle. I am glad I found this site, it confirmed what I already knew!