I don't want to sound like a commercial, and want to be clear that mine won't be installed until next week, so I can't verify anything from personal experience. This is just what I think I learned from my research.
> We're getting the K-Guard gutter system. It is a one-piece seamless gutter and guard. It's formed onsite from a roll of flat aluminum.
View attachment 19074
> A company, (I forgot their name, but it begins with a "K"), designed and built a machine to form the gutters. They originally sold their machines to a franchise company called "Leaf Guard". It is still widely used and available.
After some years, a couple design improvements were made due to customer experience. The biggest is the support system that supports the bottom & top of the gutter instead of just the top. (The top support system resulted in some gutter sagging over time.)
"Leaf Guard" already had so many of the original machines, they didn't want to replace them with the new $80k machines. So the "K" company began selling them under a new name... "K-Guard", and a new franchise began with the new machines.
> The K-Guard franchise sells for ~half the price of Leaf Guard.
> They are tested to handle up to 12" per hour of rain.
> If you do experience any overflow, they will come out and fix it for free. (They have a couple things they use like water diverters and a kind of ripple to slow down the flow.)
> They do not install under, or disturb your shingles. That means it doesn't void your shingle warranty.
> It is fully guaranteed for the life of your house, and the guarantee transfers to the new owner if you sell your house. If it's ever necessary, they will come out and clean your gutters and/or fix any problems free.
> My fishing buddy got them a few years ago and says they work great. He's gone out and looked during the heaviest thunderstorms, and says there is no overflow. And so far, his abundance of pine needles and pollen have not been a problem. He got his because his neighbor did it a few years earlier, recommended them, and is still pleased. (Note: Pollen is a significant problem in clogging the micromesh systems.) Pine needles and pollen are a major concern at my house:
View attachment 19075
> And finally, K-Guard just started a $100 referral program. Not sure if it works between different franchises... but maybe. If you decide to get them, we can find out.