Do Foam Gutter Filters Work

But do they actually work.

Do foam gutter filters work.

They are one of several new leaf gutter guard filters on the market see a more comprehensive list of other gutter guards here. It is designed to allow the pores within the sponge like material to let water pass through to your gutters and down your downspouts. Inserts have proven to do a very solid and affordable job of keeping debris out of gutters and are effective with a wide spectrum of debris from needles to leaves. Gutter filters are made of a foam material and are placed inside your existing gutters.

The foam is formed into four foot long sections and are usually available in up to twelve different gutter sizes and shapes. However a foam gutter guard collects water just like a sponge and often times becomes trapped within the guard. This product features a gutter filter insert. It s supposed to last nearly forever and the basic idea is that the foam fills the gutter and prevents leaves and debris from getting in.

There are all types of gutter guards. So you will not find any screen or mesh surface in this gutter guard system. It s a foam material that you can install in your own gutters with no special tools. Sponge gutter guards are a do it yourself product and can be found at most home improvement stores.

Sunlight and other natural elements cause the foam to become hard and brittle. Gutter filters have no way of self cleaning from oily residues and over time they build up on and through all of the cellular walls of the foam until they become a solid surface. But consumer reports tests find some don t work well. Gutter stuff foam filters do not work avoid gutter stuff foam filters are designed to keep debris such as leaves and roof moss from getting into the gutters and causing a blockage.

And the answer is yes they can be effective but not 100 effective. Not only does gutter guard foam only last for a few years it is also ineffective. The foam filters are a petroleum based product and will also allow other petroleum based products such as roofing oils from asphalt shingles to cling to this product. Good ones keep your gutters clean and can eliminate flooding and damage to your home.

The foam is very porous and so water soaks in and travels through the gutter unobstructed. Instead it features flat bottom foam to absorb the water and allows it to pass through the gutter conversely the upper part of the surface filters and block all the debris. This foam or sponge acts as a trap by intending to filter any large debris out of the water that flows down the gutter. Foam filters employ the principle of displacement there is nowhere for the debris to go because the gutter is mostly filled with this material.