LeafFilter Review (2023)

Gutters are one of the most important systems in your home. Gutters direct water away from your house’s walls, foundation, and windows, preventing erosion, water damage, and basement flooding. However, while gutters are invaluable, they can be difficult to maintain, and cleaning them is unpleasant. But by using gutter guards, you can keep your gutter system clean of debris and grime with much less maintenance.

Choosing the best gutter guards for your home can be challenging, as there are multiple types, each with its benefits and downsides. Thankfully, gutter installation companies can help by inspecting your gutter system and finding the best option for your home. One such company is LeafFilter. This gutter guard installation company uses an impressive, long-lasting, and durable gutter protection system consisting of a stainless steel micro-mesh filter and uPVC frame. Below we will provide a comprehensive overview of LeafFilter and an objective rating of its products and services.

Our Take on LeafFilter

We found LeafFilter’s customer service, product quality, and installation process excellent. Its installers were shown to be knowledgeable, service-oriented, and professional, consistently receiving high reviews from customers across multiple rating and review platforms. LeaFilter’s custom stainless steel micro-mesh and uPVC systems are highly effective at keeping even the smallest debris out of gutters while providing enough access to water flow. Furthermore, LeafFilter’s price is fair, only costing $15 to $45 per linear foot, a price in line with the industry standard for gutter guard installations.

LeafFilter provides high-quality service, and its one-of-a-kind gutter guards offer superb protection. Our objective rating system scores gutter installation companies on a scale of 1–10 based on multiple factors like cost, quality of service, and product specs. This final score is then used to determine the star rating. Our expert product and service review team found that LeafFilter scored 9.1/10 and was given a ranking of 4.6 out of 5 stars. Compared to other gutter guard companies, we found LeafFilter to be the best for professional installations and overall cost.

What is LeafFilter Gutter Protection?

LeafFilter gutter guards are protective gutter covers that use a three-part system to direct debris away from the inside of a gutter. When tested, we found LeafFilter gutter guards durable, long-lasting, and effective in repelling dirt, shingle granules, and plant matter. Once installed, these gutter guards only require minimal maintenance, making seasonal cleaning a breeze.

Gutter Guard Product Details

• 275-Micron Stainless Steel Micro-mesh Screen: This filter allows water to flow into your gutters while keeping everything else out. It’s made from surgical-grade stainless steel, meaning it will never rust.
• Durable uPVC Frame: This structure supports the mesh screen and is positioned at an angled pitch.
• Structural Hangers: LeafFilter installation specialists use custom, hidden structural hangers that attach directly to a roof’s fascia board.

How Do LeafFilter Gutter Guards Work?

LeafFilter gutter guards are a protective filter system installed on top of a gutter. They’re attached directly to a home’s fascia via structural hangers. The hangers hold up the uPVC frame, which supports the extra-fine mesh. This sealed system makes the gutter guards extremely durable and resistant to damage, allowing them to withstand pests, branches, and even loose shingles.

LeafFilter guards are installed with a built-in pitch, so as debris falls onto the guards, the surface tension carries materials right onto the ground. The mesh screen is fine enough that even small objects like pine needles, acorns, twigs, pollen, and shingles granules are kept out of your gutters.

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Limited Lifetime Warranty

According to our survey of 1,002 homeowners, 76% found warranty length and depth to be major factors in choosing the right gutter guard. Thankfully, LeafFilter’s transferable warranty is one of its most impressive features. This warranty is guaranteed for the lifetime of the home and is transferable to new homeowners in the case of a sale. As such, this makes the warranty a helpful selling point when putting your home up for sale, allowing you to recoup some of the installation costs.

With this warranty, if your LeafFilter guards allow your gutters to become clogged, resulting in an overflow, or if your home sustains water damage as a result of an overflow, LeafFilter will come and replace the system or refund you 100% of the material purchase price of the entire installation. Some caveats can result in this warranty becoming void, such as:

• The LeafFilter product receives damage from trees or plants, structural changes, or uncontrolled acts of nature (such as storms, hail, etc.).
• The LeafFilter product receives damage from modification or alteration of the original product.

The LeafFilter product receives damage from overflow resulting from an insufficient number of downspouts.

LeafFilter Installation Process

The first thing you need to know about the LeafFilter process is that it’s not a DIY project and requires a professional installer. To begin this process, you’ll need to contact a LeafFilter sales rep and schedule a time for a free inspection and quote. Once a representative is sent to your home, they’ll conduct a free inspection of your gutter system. This inspection includes measuring the lengths of your gutters and checking them for damage. With this information, they’ll generate a quote based on the specific needs of your gutter system.

Once the quote has been accepted, you’ll schedule a time for an installation specialist to come to your home. Thankfully, the LeafFilter installation process is quick, and technicians typically can arrive a few days after the quote has been accepted.

Some customers have even claimed that technicians were available for next-day installations. Once there, the technicians will clean your gutters and repair or replace any damaged or worn sections. Afterward, they’ll install your LeafFilter gutter guards. This entire process typically takes anywhere from a few hours to a full workday, depending on the project size and level of damage in your gutters.

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LeafFilter Cost

The exact cost of your LeafFilter installation will vary depending on numerous factors, such as location, home size, gutter damage, roof pitch, and more. On average, LeafFilter costs between $15 to $45 per linear foot, totaling between $2,600 and $6,300. While this cost is higher than some industry competitors, remember that LeafFilter gutter guards can only be installed by a trained professional, so this price includes the cost of labor and materials for your project.

Like most service-oriented companies, LeafFilter doesn’t include direct pricing information on its website. Instead, it requires an in-person inspection before generating a personal quote. These initial quotes are negotiable, with online customer reviews crediting LeafFilter sales representatives for their flexibility. Furthermore, LeafFilter’s pricing model is designed to incorporate negotiation and discounts on the initial quote. Some of the more common discounts reported by customers include 10% off for military and senior customers.

Maintaining and Cleaning Gutters With LeafFilter

LeafFilter gutter guards are very low maintenance and require minimal gutter cleaning. You won’t have to clean any debris out of the gutters themselves, and instead, you can simply use a blower or your hand to occasionally clean off the top of the guard. The micro-mesh material used in the LeafFilter gutters also does a great job of keeping out bigger particles. FEMA mitigation experts recommend installing mesh leaf guards on your gutters to minimize debris buildup, which can protect your home’s structure against future disasters.

You should find that the rust and corrosion-free design also ensures that you don’t have any maintenance-related issues when it comes to the deterioration of the gutter guards themselves.

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LeafFilter Reviews

LeafFilter has an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau and full accreditation. Its customer score is 3.9 out of five stars, with the overall reviews mixed. There are a good number of negative reviews, but most stem from misconceptions about the function of the filters. Customers mistakenly think they’ll never need to clean their filters, but this is not the case. While LeafFilter gutter guards are great at keeping debris out of gutters, and most things slide off onto the ground, they still need regular cleaning every year or two.  

There are also many positive reviews, most stemming from LeafFilter’s products functioning better than expected and the professionalism of employees. Here are a few examples of customer testimonials and criticism from the BBB reviews page:

“Amazing experience. Everything was easy to contract. Installation was professional and very thoroughly and quickly performed and all of this in a courteous, friendly manner.“

– Richard J.

“With the plethora of trees around my property, LeafFilter was an excellent investment for my home. Now, I do not have to worry about finding people to unclog gutters. Certainly, the  system is working well for me, and ** was a good salesman (no high-pressure tactics and thorough explanations about the ** system). I also had installed soffit/fascia and very pleased with the work. Though a worker had to return to make an adjustment to the soffit in the back of the house, it was professionally adjusted with no complaints from me. I wholeheartedly recommend LeafFilter!“

– Thomas B.

Some of the more common complaints are:

“I had leaf filters installed on my house the sale person stated no more ladders. Since they were installed I have been on the ladder multiple times to clean /wash off the leaf filters , so I remove the baffles witch was caused the back up of debris this caused the gutters to over flow with heavy rain . I called for 4 (four)weeks no answer except to be put on hold, I called the local office they stated that one was available so I sent a email . They responded by sending a crew out I explained my problems about the bill up of debris in the corners /gutter runs and the leaf filters not washing themselves off. They stated that they couldn’t resolve the problems .They said they do what I wanted if they reinstall the baffles I would still have to get on the ladder to clean the gutters. I’m 78 years old and this is why I had leaf filters in stalled. My advice to you is to hire a local teenager pay him a $100.00 to clean your gutters you will never reach what I paid ($$$$)“

– Bernard K.

“I had 2 gutters and 2 downspouts installed August 2021 by Leaf Filter. The gutter on the back of my house overflows on the back steps when ever it rains and the front gutter has steady drips. I complained several times and Leaf Filter sent out repair techs on 5 different occasions and the problem still exists. I paid in full for a service that I did not receive and the system Leaf Filter installed did not work. I would like a refund of my money to have my home repaired properly“

– Pat W.

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Compare LeafFilter To Other Gutter Guards

Brand	Superlative	Rating	Cost per foot	Material	BBB Rating
LeafFilter	Best Overall	5/5	$4.50-$30	uPVC frame & stainless steel micro-mesh	A+
HomeCraft	Best Design	4.5/5	$4.50-$7.75	Aluminum frame & stainless steel micro-mesh	B
All American Gutter Protection	Best Warranty	4.5/5	Not available	Aluminum body & stainless steel micro-mesh	A+
Raptor Micro-Mesh	Best DIY	4/5	$2.60	Stainless steel	N/A
Amerimax	Best Mesh	4/5	$1.33	Steel or aluminum screen

In-depth gutter guard comparisons:

• LeafFilter vs. Leaf Guard
• LeafFilter vs. Leaf Solution
• LeafFilter vs. Gutter Helmet

Final Thoughts

LeafFilter gutter guards have shown to be an effective way to keep gunk and debris out of a gutter system. Its micro-mesh filter, when combined with the uPVC frame, creates a sturdy, long-lasting barrier of protection that keeps everything from branches, leaves, and pests to pollen, twigs, and shingle granules out of gutters. Overall, we find LeafFilter offers a great product that helps prevent the buildup of nasty gutter-clogging material.

While its products have a slightly higher cost than other companies’ gutter guards, LeafFilter’s proven quality of service and strong performance more than compensate for it. If you’re looking to make cleaning your gutters easier, we recommend giving LeafFilter a call for a free quote.

Company Summary

• Company name: LeafFilter
• Headquarters: Hudson, Ohio
• Founding year: 2015
• Company type: For-profit
• CEO: Jeff Beck
• BBB ranking: A+
• Available states: All but Alaska, Arizona, and Hawaii

How We Test Gutter Guards

At House Method, we value transparency and authenticity when rating any of the products we review. We purchased sample packs for each DIY gutter guard option and installed them at our facility. Eight feet of each gutter guard was installed on our five-inch gutters and was tested for a full week under harsh conditions.

We replicated these by loading the tops of our gutters with the following types of debris while subjecting them to periodic heavy rainfall (greater than 50 mm per hour). The debris below was loaded at a weight not exceeding eight ounces per foot, by the percentages listed.

• Hay (30%): Dried hay was meant to replicate the weight and consistency of dry leaves and smaller sticks that could fall onto gutters in any location. Most of this would roll off the gutters at the start of any simulated rainfall and would not pose an issue for most gutter guards.
• Mulch (45%): Cedar mulch is a bit weightier and of more mixed consistency. This would affect any non-micro-mesh gutter guards, as the varied texture would be troublesome when coupled with wet conditions.
• Screened Topsoil (25%): Screened topsoil (no more than two ounces per foot) would simulate shingle grit, pollen, and any other small granulated debris which could accumulate on gutters.

Each gutter guard was tested outdoors for a full week with the above debris piled on. In addition to natural elements, we simulated heavy rainfall (50 mm per hour) each for at least two hours to ensure proper water flow for the duration of testing.

Our Gutter Rating Methodology

At House Method, transparency, and trust are our most important values for the reader. We’ve done the homework for you and have researched over 50 gutter guards so you can have the information you need to make the best choice for your home. That’s why we took the time to create an objective rating system and score each gutter guard and gutter guard provider company according to our gutter ranking methodology.

We also dug into the details of each gutter guard to ensure that you could make the best decisions for your home and keep your gutters debris-free for years to come.

To make the most of our research, we developed a formula to objectively determine the best gutter guards based on the following criteria:

• Material: Material durability was the most important factor in our rating methodology for gutter guards. Whether they were stainless steel micro-mesh or plastic screening, we gave an in-depth rating for this criteria.
• Debris Resistance: Our testing served as the primary evaluator for this factor. We curated a rating based on customer testimonials and our own in-house testing here.
• Ease of Installation: Most gutter guard options listed have some DIY components. For this reason, guards requiring the fewest specialty tools got the highest rating.
• Cost: How reasonable is the price compared to the industry average? We compared the costs of each company to competitors.
• Warranty terms: We looked into the warranty of lifetime warranty terms if the provider offers it.
• Trust: What do customers rate the company? We looked into what customers were saying about their experience with the company.
• Buying process: How easy is the buying process if the gutter guard is a DIY installation? We looked for shipping costs, shipping time, and where the product could be bought from.

Disclosure: HouseMethod participates in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. This affiliate advertising program is designed to provide a means for publishers to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

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