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Does Leaf Filter gutter guard work? Perhaps, but I will never recommend you buy it. Here’s why: The measure of a good product lies both in its quality and its credibility. Leaf Filter seems to make a well-made and functional product — but if you want to buy it, get ready to be “sold“.
My Leaf Filter Experience
At a recent community festival, I stopped by a Leaf Filter North promotional booth. I asked the representative the first question any consumer would ask: what’s the approximate cost of the Leaf Filter gutter protection product? Unbelievably, the rep claimed he had “no idea”. That’s right, he claimed not to have a clue. Prodding, I asked, “more than $10 per foot, less than $100?” He doubled down with the claim that he “didn’t know”. He went on to explain all the variables that might impact pricing, like roof height and so on.
I decided to play along. “Ok”, I said, “how about if I have a ranch, one story tall that has two gutters 50 feet long for each side with a total of 4 spouts?” A pretty simple example, right? But once again, he said he’d really have to have an estimator come look at the job. Needless to say, he wasn’t going to make a close on me.
So, why would a company offer such a clueless response? Well, they are not clueless at all, but they sure hope you might be.
Tom Kraeutler, Nationally Syndicated Home Improvement Radio Host
You see, gutter guard companies like this want to get into the position where they can SELL, SELL, SELL you. Refusing to offer a mere range of costs for a simple product like this until they see your house is a tactic used to hopefully get them in the door, where they can really push for the sale.
Some even take antiquated, insulting approaches. One company reportedly refused to provide a Leaf Filter system estimate unless the prospective customer’s wife was present. Aside from the tone-deaf request, this is a tactic from Hard Sales 101: They want both “decision makers” in the room.
Recently, friend of The Money Pit and fellow home improvement guru Tim Carter of Ask The Builder conducted a study to determine the cost of gutter protection system installations across the U.S. From Washington to Ohio to the Hudson Valley, it seems nobody is immune to gutter protection scams. Shockingly, the prices reported by Tim’s subscribers ranged from $1.16 to a whopping $90 per foot! Even the average cost per foot came in at $20, which was still way too expensive for this project.
Another report by HomeAdvisor revealed more reasonable pricing finding the cost of gutter guards ranged between $1.20 and $10 per lineal foot. Contractors who advertise their services on HomeAdvisor live or die by consumer reviews. So, no surprise that this data reflects what should be closer to fair pricing for this project. Any contractor charging the crazy prices Ask the Builder reported would not have fared very well in customer feedback!
As consumers, we may be ready to buy…but nobody wants to be sold. Fortunately today, any homeowner can get a good product at a low cost.
Tom Kraeutler, Nationally Syndicated Home Improvement Radio Host
Why Are Clean Gutters Important?
So, are gutter guards really necessary? Let’s review why gutters are important.
Gutters perform one duty: controlling the water around your home. If debris keeps gutters from doing their job, you can wind up with some serious problems. These are just a few:
Flooded Basements
Gutter clogs are the number one cause of basement flooding. When gutters are clogged, gutters leak! Roof water from light showers to heavy rain can overflow and accumulate around the foundation. This can cause basements, as well as crawlspaces, to be damp, leaks, or totally and completely flood!
Cracked Foundations
Excess water against the foundation wall can weaken the footing and lead to foundation wall cracks. This is particularly true in the colder months when built-up water at the foundation freezes and causes something known as “frost-heave” which can cause severe cracks to foundation walls. Even in the warmer weather, water that circulates in and around your foundation makes the soil less stable, and can lead to shifts that result in serious cracks.
Leaking Roofs
Icicles on your gutter system might look pretty and idyllic in the winter, but will only make your roofer happy. Ice dams can form when melted snow runs down the roof and build up across the top of the clogged gutter and freeze. During the next thaw, water running off the roof is blocked by the frozen “dam” and backs up into the house! This can lead to major wall and ceiling damage. Aside from the need to clean gutters, the only other repair is to remove the roof and add ice and water shield, a roof material that is installed under the roof shingles to prevent water from leaking back up under shingles.
Slippery Walks and Driveways
Overflowing gutters can deposit water on walks and driveways where it can freeze and cause a slipping hazard. Clear gutters protect you and your family from serious injury.
Clogged gutters cause all this, plus can lead to rotted wood, an increased risk of wood-destroying insect infections like termites and carpenter ants and even washed-out landscaping! Bottom line, keeping your gutters clean and free flowing is an important part of your home maintenance. Here are other ways to maintain clean gutters without overpaying in the process.
3 Ways to Stop Clogged Gutters: With or Without Gutter Guards
Cleaning your gutters is necessary to prevent a myriad of issues like the ones listed above. But gutter cleaning can be tedious and exhausting, especially if you do it yourself every year. Luckily there are tons of gutter protection systems you can use that don’t have a complicated installation process.
DIY Install: Micromesh
Micromesh, an amazing superfine stainless steel mesh gutter guard. The mesh covers the top of the gutter but has hundreds of tiny holes that block all types of debris from pine needles to even sand. Micromesh gutter guard systems are widely available at stores like The Home Depot and even Costco who sell micro-mesh gutter guards for $2 a foot! Installation is an easy DIY project, or hire a handyman to install them for you. You simply don’t need a gutter guard company to do it, especially when they charge an outrageous price.
Get Bigger Gutters
If it might be time for new gutters, know that gutter installation isn’t too costly or complicated. Sometimes just proper sizing can mitigate gutter related issues. When we replaced our gutters a few years back, I replaced my standard 5” gutters with the next bigger size. My new 6” gutters have NEVER clogged since the day we added them! The reason? The downspouts (and the drain hole feeding the spout in the bottom of the gutter) are much larger and simply pass most of the leaves and other debris without clogging.
Get Bigger Spouts
If you’re not ready to replace your gutters, you can even just replace the downspout with a larger size. Typically, the drainage hole from the gutters to the spout is where gutters will clog. 5” gutters use a 2”x3” spout, where 6” gutters use a 3” x 4” spout. The larger spout can simply be used on the smaller gutters to reduce or eliminate clogging.
How to Choose a Reliable Gutter Protection Company
If you do choose to go with a professional installation, do your research to make sure you’re not getting a hard sell or a major rip-off. Any gutter salesperson who uses a hard-sell approach like the one I described above in my Leaf Filter review should be immediately eliminated from consideration.
Review sites like Thumbtack or HomeAdvisor provide reliable and honest customer reviews for tons of companies. Especially in the Covid-19 era, these reviews can help ensure any business from remodeling companies to roofers are following pandemic safety protocols.
The Better Business Bureau can also be a source for reliable reviews, and a place where you can report a company that’s trying to pull the wool over consumers’ eyes. Don’t be afraid to make some phone calls and ask friends and neighbors for reliable referrals, either.
Whichever method you choose, prevent gutter clogs will help maintain the health of your home from the shingles down to the studs.
LeafFilter: LIES + Shoddy Work = Roof Damage
Admittedly, my roof is complicated, but installing little panels in the gutters is not. Any booger-eating moron can do it. Except those working for Leaf Filter. Many of the panels were just laying in the bottom of the gutter. And the installers clearly stomped around on the slate tiles crushing them to pieces while doing their half-a$$ed job on the top level of my home. I spent more on repairs than the almost $20k I paid LeafFilter to create the damage. I had to hire a competent company to replace the broken tiles and properly install the panels. Now, LeafFilter refuses to reimburse me for the damage caused by their personnel. And to add insult to injury, they have voided my warranty because I had someone else do the job correctly. Every time I see their LYING commercials on TV I want to warn the public about these dishonest and incompetent people. Is it a good product? Who knows? If installed correctly, probably. But do NOT let these clowns on your roof. Be sure to have someone go up on the ladder to inspect every nook and cranny before paying them because they do not stand behind their work. They have no in-house quality control, and their product guarantees and advertised claims are completely false. The part of their TV ads that imply that they will straighten your gutters as a part of their inspection is false. They don’t even straighten them during their slipshod installation. Leaf Filter’s management are deceptive, dishonest and greedy. I’d be ashamed to own or manage a company the way they do. I certainly cannot recommend them to anyone.
LeafFilters ran out of black gutters so had to use brown in the back of the house.
The feet of the down spouts were pictured as metal hinged and able to be lifter for mowing, but they installed plastic tube ones like you’d find in any garden department.
I really didn’t like being basically forced to sign a service contract before I could discuss it with my grandson.
For a one story, simple install, it was very expensive.
They did leave the whole work ares clean and took the mess with them.
I did not get the leaf filter layer on top of the gutters because the leaves stick to the filter when it rains and then the rains just pour down over the stuck leaves all along the edge of the gutters. Been there done that!
It was even more expensive for a multi-level install. I ended up spending more to repair the damage done by their booger-eating moron installers than the $20k spent to improperly install it in the first place. Now, the criminal-management team refuses to even address the problem and has voided my so-called transferable warranty because I hired someone competent to properly install their product and repair the damage Leaf Filter created. Bad Company. Terrible installation. Worthless warranty. Dishonest management. False advertising.
The Leaf Filter company should be ashamed of how they do business.
A salesman/estimator showed up at my elderly (77 & 74 with cognitive impairment issues) parents home. He spent over 2hrs with them before I showed up to chase him off. He tried running his game on me didn’t happen. I handle their finances, which surprised him. 😁 He started throwing out whole house gutters with a weekly price and yearly price. As well as, a partial (using1 exsisting seemless gutter) house gutters with a weekly and yearly price. Then he called is so-called “manager” and had him on speaker phone. They tried running with we had a cancelation and need to fill the slot so we will give it to you at cost plus labor deal. I told both NO! Then manager says “well I don’t have time for this and hung up.” I told the guy sitting on the couch No as well. He left their home still expecting a call from us hoping for the sale.
So let me give you the cost they were throwing at us. $10,000 whole house then dropped down to $3,200 after manager call. Partial house price started at $7,500 and manager giving it away at cost was $2,200. Had to sign right then to get the manager at cost special. Now let me tell you my parents do not live is a large home, about 1,000 square feet with two gutter runs and two downspouts. No way in hell would gutters even cost close to $10,000 for this home. The salesman saw the “oxygen in use” sign on their window and thought easy sale. Boy was he disappointed! 🤣
you are correct on most of this. The reason they wanted the wife present is for a lien if you refuse to pay. In most states both spouses have to be present at the ‘contract’ signing to make a lien valid. That means they are ‘pre-planning’ to file a lien if you refuse to pay.
The most important point I tell people about any repairs on their home is if the ask for a down payment send them packing. Any business or contractor that does not have the operating capital to buy the material is a huge red flag! The exception is huge remodels with 10’s of thousands in material, and that should be in a draw acct at a bank, not paid upfront.
ALL legit contractors will not ask for a deposit, nor a signed contract. An estimate, an agreement is sufficient for most, because they know all will be satisfied with their work. Anyone asking you to sign a contract or both to sign, is prepping for a suit or lien fearing non-payment. That is a way of saying they know you are not going to be happy with the work.
Leaf filter has been a scam from day one. Even the plastic the screen is attached to is a huge no-no. Any legit gutter company will tell you not to use plastic, and especially not screening. The Grit from a shingle and dust will not pass thru, think of your patio furniture and window screens. The dust on your patio has to be hosed off twice a week, and your window screens are vertical and still accumulate dust to the point of clogging. Now imagine window screen taking the flow off your roof and debri being forced into the screen and no way to flush it. Any common sense could have told you it would never work.
I almost got roped into this. The salesperson was VERY persistent. He did the free inspection then asked to come in and sit at the table. The original price he quoted us was nearly 4 thousand, but he came all the way down to 25 hundred. I signed the contract, but dug a little deeper afterwards. The product is NOT maintenence-free. You still need to clean off the top of the mesh. The company is also highly decentralized. The people who actually do the instalation are often sub-contracted and sometimes screw up and create even more problems. The company is also very slow to respond to complaints that are made after the instalation is done and try to add extra service charges. There is a lack of quality control. The product is also extremely overpriced. You should be paying hundreds for this, not thousands. Dig deep and really do your research. A lot of people who get this end up regretting it. There is even a class action lawsuit against the company. If you have already signed the contract, you have three business days to cancel, unless you sign at their local office. Generally speaking, this is a bad deal. There is no such thing as a maintenence-free gutter system. You just have to clean an maintain them, or pay someone to do it for you. It is that simple. Gutter guards in general don’t do much.
I had the same exact sales experience from a rep.
When scheduling the initial call, they asked for all the “decision makers” to be present. I told them that its just me. They asked about my wife and asked a few times for her to be present. I insisted that they only need to talk to me at this point since its about getting a quote. The rep showed up on time, was polite, complemented my house and was in general trying to ingratiate himself which is all fine. They discussed the product, the competition, reviews etc. Then came the hard sell.
They guy asked me to take a guess on the price. I told him I havent done any research so it doesnt matter. And that it shouldnt matter what I think, I am hear to get a quote from them, not the other way round.
Then for 212 feet of gutters, they quoted me ~12k. I told them I will think about it. That at this price point, even If I got my gutters cleaned professionally twice a year, it will take me 20 years to recover the cost and it doesnt make sense. After a few minutes it dropped to ~10k. I told the rep that I am not making any spot decisions and still doing my research. Then there was some back and forth, that If I was flexible with scheduling they would pair me up with some other job and the cost would come down to 6k. He said it in a very matter of fact way. i.e “I am just looking for a yes or no. If its a no, thats fine I will leave”. I told him again, I am not making any spot decisions and still doing my research. He tried to imply that it was all about “money”. And if he could install it for $200, wouldnt I say yes? I said that it was not a good way to frame that sale, and sure if you do it for $200, I wouldnt say no.
Again, I will read reviews online, I will compare and make an informed decision. At this point we was about to leave, he wears his shoes and then does the old “i’ll talk to my manager to give you a special price”. He came down to ~3k.
I have to be honest, I was tempted at that price. But the fact that they went down from 12k to 3k really pissed me off. And that the rep’s attitude was to make me sound stupid to perform my own diligence left a bad taste. I told the rep that this way of conversing with customers is just stupid, and if you want to stand behind your product then your offers wont last for “1” day.
All in all I am glad I didnt just say yes and that I trusted my own instincts on this one. Now after reading this page, I am quite convinced that I will stay away from this company.
We bought the LeafFilter system from Sam Hamilton, a LeafFilter salesperson, on 6/24/2022.
We were told:
1. Of the several originations that LeafFilter was a member in excellent standing
2. If we were not satisfied the product would be removed and we would get a refund
3. What a great product and customer service and warranty that came with this system.
4. Our gutters would be inspected, cleaned, and realigned as needed.
5. Our current gutter system was fine, a perfect fit for this worry-free addition.
6. When we asked about acclamation of debris on top of the system we were told that because of the material and the way it is installed that would not happen.
The truth is:
1. The BBB has 1232 “answered” complaints. That means there was no resolution, BBB just got tired of the back and forth. When a complaint is categorized as answered it is most likely, as ours is, unresolved.
2. When we requested a refund after the first inspection and 3 service calls that did nothing to fix the leaks, we were told by Patrick Young in the Chattanooga office that this was a non-refundable product. After the escalated inspection and the 4th repair we were told by Christina Akin, the customer service person, that there was a preexisting gutter problem, and a full refund was not warranted. The last offer was a $2000 refund and removal of the product. That leaves $2200 spent for nothing. We as the customer are not allowed access to any of the inspections.
3. The product may be a good product if installed correctly. Since ours was not we do not know that, only that we have leaks everywhere and had none prior to installation. The customer service is also not good. Emails are attached of our communication with customer service. Getting past the call center to a customer service person was a struggle. Christina Akin has refused to give us contact information on her supervisors, she claims that she makes the decisions.
4. There was not a prior inspection of our existing system. That is evident by the contract, attached. We do not have 118’ of 5” gutters, which was discovered by the installer. We have 22’ of 5” and 91’ of 3” gutters.
5. And if we had a preexisting gutter problem as Christina claims why were we sold this to begin with? And why do we have leaks now we did not have before? Why were we told that out existing gutters were all fine? Photos attached to show how it is not aligned correctly, these are current, after the 4th repair.
6. That is simply not true. Debris does accumulate on top of the filters, so you still must get up there and clean your gutters. The warranty only covers internal clogs.
Once they get your money you must deal with a service center or if you can get to one a customer service person. Sam left us his number in case we had any problems but when we did call, he said we had to call the service center. The service center then makes appointments that are not kept or at the wrong times. They will not give you any other contacts so that you can speak to someone with authority.
The salesperson miss represented the product, the service, the warranty, and the company. He did not inspect our system at the time but still told us our current gutter system was good, we did not need any repairs or new gutters. Christina tells us that the escalated inspection shows a preexisting problem.
This entire experience has shown us how very careful seniors need to be to not be taken advantage of.
We have been harassed by the Chattanooga office telling us that we have no recourse other than continuing with inspections and repairs that result in nothing changing. We have been denied access to both inspections and to a contact past the customer service person.
Timeline:
Installation was 6/25. The installation was not done by LeafFliter employees, they subcontract it out. The installer brought 5” material as was written on our contract. He had to have someone else come and install 3” on most of the house. We should have known right then that there had been no inspection of our gutters to begin with.
Rained the next day and there were leaks everywhere that were not there prior to the installation of this product.
1st service appointment 6/30 – I was told the install was not done correctly and it had been repaired.
2nd service appointment 7/26, same problem, gutters leaking and seemed to be getting worse. We were told that they had applied some sealant where it got missed during installation.
3rd service/inspection with a LeafFilter employee 8/15 – same problem, getting worse. We were told that there was some realignment needed and that got done.
Still leaking everywhere.
At this time, we tried to get ahold of a corporate person to help us get our money back. We had to look up who owned the company to get an email address. No one in the Chattanooga office or the 800-service number would assist us in getting any further than them.
8-26 – contacted by the customer service person Christina Akin in Ohio. We exchanged emails and I sent her videos of the problems. She sent us an email with and escalated inspection date and time, no question of whether we would be available. I requested that the Chattanooga office not be involved, the Knoxville office is closer. I was told that her supervisor said we had no choice other than to deal with the Chattanooga office. We were very clear about being done with those people. But it seemed only fair for them to do their inspection since we were requesting a full refund, so we complied.
4th on 9/12 – escalated inspection by Will, the same person that did the first inspection on 8/15. Will made a report that we as the customer are not allowed to see. We were told verbally by Christina that he said that there was something wrong with our existing gutter and roof causing the leaks in the gutter. I asked why the system was installed in the first place if it would not work. She did not have an answer.
There was not further verbal communication, I wanted everything in writing.
9/15 there was an offer of a 5% discount
On 10/3 we got an email from Christina that they were going to do ANOTHER inspection. I told her no, we are done. I want my money back and this product removed.
On 10/14 Christina Akin emailed with an offer of removal and a $2000 refund. Also stated that we would need to sign an agreement that we are breaking the contract. We will certainly not sign anything more with this company. They have already proven that any of their written agreements are not in the best interest of the customer. We will sign a receipt for our money back and they can sign a receipt for their product that they remove. We paid $4200 and we want our $4200 back. We do not want the product. We want to go back to where we started so that we can get our gutters taken care of properly and move on.
On 10/31 Christina Akin emailed a reply to my request to speak to her supervisor or someone in a leadership role. Her response is attached, she makes the decisions, refusal to give me a contact in a supervisory role.
So far we have not been able to get past the customer service person. We need to be able to communicate to someone in a leadership role. It appears that this company hides behind its service center and CS people. It was hard enough to get past the Chattanooga office.
This company uses unethical sales practices. The work that was done on our house is shoddy at best. The product may be good if the initial inspections were done and the product installed correctly. We would not know since our gutters were not inspected and our installation was not done correctly.
Emails and videos available.
Thank you for your time
Sue & Bruce Nadratowski
I am also adding that I sent by certified mail this complaint with pictures and emails to the owner Matt Kauling at the Hudson office and to his residence. I also sent the same to 4 others that have a leadership role in the company. No response. Very sad situation that this company just doesn’t care about their customers.
Have had nothing but trouble since installation of LeafFilter System July 14,2021. Only one installer putting in system. Son of man who came out to my home to sell me system. Worker Chris was sick first day so didn’t stay long. Next few days his parents came to check on him but did not let me know they were here. I was not expecting just one person to be doing this installation. Put in a needed downspout in the backyard but clearly needed @ least 2 more and build up of pine straw behind guards was and still is causing overflow inside and outside of walls of my house. Dave Orrico sold system to me promising never to have need of gutter cleaning again and son Chaz did installation on his own w/ not finishing facia board repair work and not respond to my calls that more sanding and painting was needed. Paid over $5,000.00 for this system and really feel taken advantage of. Especially after reading this $200.00-$400.00 reimbursement for cleaning of gutters which was not supposed to happen in the first place. I guess, reporting to the Better Business Bureau is next!!!
So disappointed!!!
Angela Johnson 826 Annandale Road, Madison, Mississippi 601/946-7545
Hi Sue, would you mind letting me know how you got Matt’s address? I’d like to have it. They got me for 8,250 and as everyone else nothing but scammers, liars and problems. Thanks so much. Becky Sartor
I had a very similar experience, only they went further and stomped around on my real slate roof, crushing the tiles and puncturing the membrane beneath. This resulted in leaks and wood rot in the decking. It was all done in a section that was way too tall to be able to inspect it, and they simply tossed the filter panels at the gutters instead of screwing them in. Altogether, the repairs cost more than the Leaf Filter product and installation. And they voided my warranty because I hired someone competent to properly install the panels while repairing their damage. What a bunch of lying crooks! They refuse to reimburse me for the repairs and have voided my warranty. I want to throw up when I see their lying commercials on TV. AVOID Leaf Filter’s high-pressure sales tactics, their false claims, their shoddy workmanship, and the aggravation of their greedy and unethical management. Worst company I’ve ever done business with. They should be ashamed of how they scam the public. I don’t know how they live with themselves.
Buyer beware. I purchased leaf filter and within one day sent photos to the founder of the company. I placed a dispute with Wells Fargo immediately. The next day received a phone call from the vice-president of the company asking what I want. I said I want the entire system removed and a full refund. I got what I want because of the photographs. The installer was fired. I purchased other guards and installed it myself for a fraction of the price. Also, the mesh in the guard does not work well in all climates. It is prone to clogging. My advice run away as fast as you can.
Run don’t walk away from this company! We had them install gutters in Ridgely Tennessee and they were there within 2 days to do the job…but maybe that is because they don’t get paid till it is done. It is to
bad the installers had no clue what they were doing. Half the gutters were level so they did not drain downhill to the spouts. The other half actually drained in the wrong direction! They ran screws into metal facing over wood and pulled the metal away from the wood. They wacked NAILS into brick facing to hold the downspouts and some immediately came loose. The list of poor workmanship goes on. Remember how fast they came to install? When I complained about the problems and even sent pictures and videos it still took WEEKS to get someone out here to fix it. They did the absolute minimum and it still isn’t right. For $4500 dollars you expect it done right. RUN DON”T WALK AWAY!
I purchased a home with leaf filter already installed. I am 74 years old and every year I’m on a ladder pulling scads of pine needles out of the leaf filter grid and completely clogging my gutters. Don’t waste your money!
I called them and they said that someone would contact me. That never happened.
Leaffilter does not stand behind their warranty! We have issues with our gutters, they first ask if we had bill of receipt, could not find that. Then they asked us to take pictures of the gutters to send to LeafFilter via email – they confirmed that it was Leaffilter gutter system. Then they sent out a representative/repair guy to look at gutters – he repaired one spot and said he had to come back with help as well as higher ladders since our home was a 2 story. We agreed and accepted! 2 weeks later when we placed a call to our local Leaffilter company they told us that the representative that came out to the house said we would need all gutters replaced! I was o.k. with that because it is a “Lifetime Warranty” well… their charge was in the $6,000 range to replace. Then they sent me to the regional manager of LeafFilter, he didn’t do anything, no results. I even reached out to the owner Matt Kaulig he never replied after several attempts! Soon after that I received a call from Jennifer Stanley, Customer Relations Operations Mgr and she bottom line told me that because the Leaffilter system was old and they didn’t have record – “They have no obligation to provide any service to us”. Now after confirming it was their product – WHAT HAPPENED TO THE WARRANTY??
THEY DO NOT STAND BEHIND THEIR WARRANTY….
“BUYER BEWARE”
You are so right! I’m sure the Warranty basically does not exist because they do not stand behind their work from the beginning. They are great at closing a sale and have figured out how to collect up front by having Wells Fargo loan the money at 0% interest. Then they send some of the dumbest people on God’s green earth to “install” (read that, throw the panels up and hope they stay there) the filter panels. When they damage your roof, because those same booger-eating morons think its cool to stomp around up there for some reason, Leaf Filter passes the damage claim to their insurance company who issues their routine denial of coverage. No coverage, no claim! Sorry dude, you are out of luck! Totally dishonest sales, ads, install and management. I’ve owned an operated many successful businesses thru the years. I never worked with such dishonest and unreliable people as those at Leaf Filter.
Leaf Filters do NOT stand behind their warranty – after months of submitting more and more documents as well as pictures of the gutters itself they rejected the warranty! LEAF FILTERS DO NOT STAND BEHIND THEIR WARRANTY!!
I’m an idiot. I knew the price was outrageous, but after it is paid for, i forget about it if it is a good product. I agree with the other comments here. I want to comment about the lifetime transferable warranty. I had a screen problem at a seem. It was less than a foot long. I could have easily fixed it myself, but I contacted them because I had the warranty. They charged me $98. I called about it and was told the installation was more than a year old and they only warrant material and installation for one year. The lifetime warranty only covers clogged gutters. Should I have let the gutter clog before calling them? Leaf Filter is a bad company. I certainly couldn’t even trust them to honor the warranty if the gutter is clogged.
I didn”t like their ethics. First quote $12880, I questioned that and quickly he wanted to know how I would be paying, I said by check, then came the 35% discount to $8200. After a discussion of gutter, inflation etc. he said 5200. was his bottom line only good today. Tomorrow it would be $12880 with only a 25% discount. I didn’t feel comfortable with the negotiations and declined. Today a supervisor called and offered $3840. Asd much as I like the new price I DO NOT FEEL COMFORTABLE TRUSTING THIS COMPANY!
Hello Tom. My “hard sell” experience was amazingly similar. 10.000 initial estimate. Knock this off, knock that off… we can do it for 6.500! I said, “ can we take a few days to think about it”? This idiot says” if I have to come back here, it will be 10.000” I don’t cuss on platforms like this but, you can fill in the blanks.NOT PLEASED WITH THIS COMPANY!
I received our estimate and was shocked to hear 256 feet $12,880. I was asked how much I expected to pay for their installation? I was shocked at the price quoted and stated like a fourth of that. Quickly he asked would you be paying by check or financing. I said pay by check. His reply was oh then you would get a 35% discount, showing me with his quick calculator $8300. I said that seemed awfully high considering I paid $1700 five years ago for all new gutters. We carried on a conversation about change in time , inflation, etc. When I said my researched showed $3600 as the going price He was quick to show me Consumers review show $20 a foot as the standard. Then said if I would write him a check for $5200 he could do the job. I declined, his reply was I had till the end of the day to get the 5200 price. Tomorrow the price was 12880 and the MAX discount was 25%. I’am senior(sharp still). How much could they get with extra pressure $12,000, $ 8200, $5200. Today I received a Text from A Northern Ca. Supervisor The employee pricing would be 3840. I liked the product But I question the ethics of this company!
The so-called lifetime warranty is not worth the paper it’s printed on.
it’s warranted as long as you willing to pay!
The basic Leaf Filter design concept is a joke to begin with. During heavy rains, even in the summer and spring, the flow of water so overwhelms the gutter cover, that its spills over like there is no gutter at all. A relative has a similar product and during a recent rain, because of the stupid contraption, the water flowed downward so hard it washed out inches of flower bed and mulch and actually uprooted a row of plants. Stupid concept.
I got the postcard in the mail. Called for appointment. Was asked if my spouse would be present and I told them she didn’t need to be. But that was when I figured it was going to be a waste of time. My home is 8 months old. I paid about $7,500 for ALL my gutters to be installed. About 450′. I was thinking these looked pretty nice and I might do $3000-$3500. His quote was $18,000!!. Then the big 25% off to bring it to $13,500. I said that will never happen. He asked how I would pay if I was going to do it? Check. He asked when I would be ready? Tomorrow. He asked if he gave me the right price, would I agree to keep it secret? Sure. $5995. I said no thank you and why would I ever do business with a company that tries to act like their product is worth $18,000, but they will sell it to me for 66% off? or 50% or 33% or whatever they can screw me out of? I get it if they propose something a little high (10%?) because some people always think they need a deal, but this is ridiculous.
Leaf Filter is the worst thing you can do. Typically dust, debris, pollen and fir needless clog up the screening in a hurry and render the filter useless. Then, when it rains, it flows over the filter and pours down. We spent a lot of money on Leaf Filer only to have it removed and go with what we had previously had on another home – Gutter Helmut.
Leaf filter will not clean out your gutters of filters without an additional cost. Gutter Helmet never fails to do its job and if for some reason you do get clogged gutters, they come out for free and clean them out for life!!!
We are in our 2nd year with the Leaf Filter system. Have had technicions here appox 8 times if not more for overflowing and it’s still not resolved. My husband is 74 years old and has to get up on a ladder at least twice a month,to clean them, he had to do it twice last week. I’m so over it and trying to get corporate to just honor their lifetime guarantee and come get them and refund us. Our old uncovered gutters needed cleaned a couple times a year not every month. They advertise you never have to clean your gutters again, what a joke.
I know I will be waiting a while for them to settle this but I am not giving up, they need to honor their word. I would recommend to anyone thinking about buying them to NOT do it!!!
I just received a mailer today advertising this product. I’m sure glad I checked out the reviews. I’ve seen TV commercials and wondered how the screen kept from getting clogged and water from flowing across the screen, ultimately going to the ground.
The Leaf Filter works as advertised until snow slides off the roof and takes the stainless filter material with it. No warranty for this. I will have to install snow stops to prevent this from happening again. It would of been nice if Leaf Filter warned me of this type of damage when they did the install, I could have installed the snow stops at the same time and avoided the repair cost. I will not recommend them ever again. I don’t mind paying good money for something that works, But this is unacceptable.
Leaf Filter is fine if you have no trees near you and no dust or dirt. This company is the biggest rip off if you have leaves! BUYER BEWARE AND DON’T USE!!
Exactly/ complete waste of money!! I had them installed and now spend no less time on the ladder then before having them
All the leaves and debris now build up on the screen and with rain it compacts and is worse to get off than cleaning out the gutters. Leaves initially blow over the screens like the commercial shows…if the’re dry and have lots and lots of wind in the right direction.
Should have not bought in the first place as the sales person was hard sell . His estimate included an exaggerated total linear feet. I showed him my house plans and the total footage based on them.. Believe it or he said something to the effect that you can’t believe those. Really ? When I told him I wasn’t ready to purchase and wanted to think about it. he got indignant and asked me what I thought he came to my house for? I said to “give me a quote” he left. I called the main office, explained my experience and got a quote which was much lower, based on my takeoff,
which I accepted. and in retrospect I wish I wouldn’t have.I must say in fairness
the man in the main office was very understanding
BOTTOM. LINE
If you want a recommendation for Leaf Filter don’t ask me.I’m sorry I ever called them.Nothing but aggrevation ever time I see their commercial.
Did a good of stopping the leaves going down the drain…now all leaves are piled on the roof…
I contacted Leaf Filter to give me an estimate. A high pressure sales person came out and gave me the estimate. I said it was to high. He then proceeded to go through giving me a discount. He would walk away and act like he was talking on the phone. This happened several times. Each time he would bring the price down. I finally told him I needed to think about the price. I stated again that I just wanted an estimate. I was then told that if I did not take the price, he could not offer the discount again. I did purchase the product but have done some checking and found out there other products that are better for a lower price. There are discounts in the Clipper Magazine that are available. My suggestion is do not even call Leaf Filter. No integrity.
Same here. They told me $11,009; down to $9000, then asked me how much can I afford we concluded$5000.. yesterday water got in the ceiling of my living room.. exactly where the gutter is..a guy came took his ladder, then went to his truck got a drill removed the gutter, put it back then told me since I was inside the house that what happened had nothing to do with the gutter.. please someone help because this did not happen before.. until now.
I live in NJ and purchased the leaf filter system. First winter the snow slid off the roof and took the filters
with it. Called office and was told my problem but would send estimate to replace. 3 weeks still waiting.
I guess they are only good in Florida.
I set up and appointment for Leaf Filter to come and give me an estimate before reading many sites on how they run their practice. There are too many bad instances for me to not believe everyone, so at least I’ll have a quote and can make the salesman think I’m interested. I want to see if he’ll budge on the price before I tell him I have to think about it.
I regret my purchase too. Asphalt shingles shed sand and that sits on top of the filter and then the water runs over that and over the edge of the gutter, now they are stained and look dirty. They came out and cleaned the top of the screen within a few months but now it’s over a year and they will charge me a $95.00 service fee. For what I paid for this system and then adding their service fee I could have had standard gutter cleaning twice a year for the rest of my life. So sorry I didn’t find these reviews before I purchased.
Me too!?
Experiencing heavy rains right now and the water just runs off for the gutter screens and floods my yard. Worst investment I’ve ever made on my home
SAME!!!
I have numerous stains on the front of my gutters where there are stains under every screw that they placed to install my gutters guards. A tech of theirs came out and agreed that their screws were causing the stains and said he’d take some photos and file a report and that someone with the company would be in contact with me. I’ve not been able to get a response from them since he came out.
Leaf Filter sales gal showed up to give me an estimate. They did ask me if my wife was going to be available. (Red Flag Warning) I usually probe people to find out who I am dealing with. She was very pleasant but had just been hired a month previous. She had a laser measuring device and asked me if I knew how to make it work. (Red Flag Warning) I did not and even if I did I was not about to do her job for her. She called the office and they talked her through it. When she was done we sat down for THE SALES PITCH. She brought out her binder to show me all of the happy people. It was basically a slide show in a binder. (Red Flag Warning) Finally my wife said lets get to it. What is this going to cost. $13,000 for 350′. Are you crazy. Many calls to the office, now $4900 with the condition that we sign now. Sounds just like a Time Share presentation. We stupidly signed the contract but have to cancel within 5 days not the usual 1 year. We came to our senses and are now going to cancel.
Wow, as a gutter company owner I have heard this this story many times. It’s disgusting! Thanks for sharing!
I never clean my gutters. I do , however, keep the drain holes leading to the downspouts (leaders) cleared of debris. I have never had a problem. What a rip off gutter cleaning is. If you leave leaves in your gutters, you never have to worry about leaves getting in your gutters.
What are you taking about Chuck?
Sales person LIED about my existing gutters causing roof damage….and that Leaf Filter installers would fix the existing roof damage. When installer came out he said there was no roof damage and even if there was, he would not be able to fix it. Then got Sales Manager Aaron on the phone where he went along with what his sales person said about me having roof damage when he has never seen my property and when I told him that his installers said I didn’t have any roof damage then Aaron backpeddled on what he had said. Then he continued to insult me on the phone with interrupting me and talking over me. Then I called Corporate to complain about all of it and got Zach, Corporate Installation Mgr of NE and he called me (2) days later to say that I would be getting a $600 credit for my troubles and now it is (20) days later and still don’t have the credit. Everyone lies and don’t do what they say they will and rip people off.
I scheduled far in advance with assurances that my deposit would be refunded if I chose to cancel. I canceled because contrary to Leo and Mike my gutters were in terrible shape and needed to be replaced. They won’t even call me back as promised or provide any answers re cancellation or refund and it’s been 3 weeks since I contacted CS, regional sales rep and local sales rep..
They’ll say your gutters are fine then blame failure on the existing system.
Question the price and get a big discount? Look out, the bait and switch is coming! If you’re not a gutter expert then please call one and NEVER give them a deposit. Forewarned is forearmed.
Leaf filter is a nightmare and we cant get anyone to call us back
I TOTALLY agree with you! I have been trying to get an appointment to have an employee come and look at the installation. 1 guy came out ( said everything was good) but I explained to him where the damage was done and he said i need to call and file a damage claim. I had an appointment, no call no show. The next day someone different called and said he’d be out that day. Once again, no call, no show!!! I am beyond PISSED!!! Im ready to get my lawyer involved.
Leaf filters is an overpriced total nightmare. Run from them
What a joke
First thing I did at my new house was rip those stupid covers off the gutters
They collect leaves and debris and the water simply runs right over the gutter
I have leaves in the gutter .. better than those screens !
I agree with everyone on this board, Leaf Filter has caused our basement to flood, we have lived here 34 years with no leaks, now this due to what they did to the gutters. When you call for service they schedule and never show, no calls, nothing. PLEASE tell everyone you know to stay away from this company. We paid them to damage our home……no guarantees as they quote. I was also appalled at their handwritten form, all a sham. I wish I had seen Dave’s entry before my husband purchased these.
Bottom line, their system does not work, they do not have customer service, nor maintenance, I’m in KY by the way.
I agree. It may work as “guaranteed” but the screen plugs up and water runs over the top. Their guarantee is that gutters will not plug. NO mention of their screen not plugging.
Lol. Thanks for this review. It was my concern, exactly.
I wish I never would have dealt with this company! Had gutters installed this spring. I had them out about a month later because the pitch was not correct. They said it was fine. Here it is winter and I have 2” of water in the gutters freezing. Called them 3 days ago & no return call. Anyone interested in a class action lawsuit?
I’m definitely interested in a class action lawsuit and I’m willing to contribute in any way I can.
Also, there’s one going on at the moment:
https://www.gs-legal.com/current-cases/leaffilter-class-action/
You do know there is one, right?
IMO, LeafFilter is a well-designed system. It does seem to be a cut above the competition. However, there are at least 2 caveats:
(1) The initial estimate may be very inflated. It’s like buying a car, Old School style (no “one price” policy). The web site does not post detailed price information; when I called, the rep would not disclose anything about the cost formula (not even a range per linear foot). The estimator started out at over $40/ft. but eventually came down to about $25/ft (which still makes it very pricey). Try to point out anything about your site that might make the job easier than others (like “no corners”). Let the estimator know you’re aware of alternatives and might be willing to do it yourself or continue to hire out annual gutter cleaning.
(2) The local installers may be the weakest link. The system is designed to be installed quickly by a small team. My team put up 151 linear feet in about 150 minutes. They left a big plug of accumulated debris at the bottom of one downspout. They left many downspout connections without fasteners. One gutter-to-downspout connection was left leaky. On the plus side, none of these were major issues. I was able to get a call-back within 3 days. They addressed these minor issues within about 30 minutes.
Despite those 2 complaints, I’m happy to have it installed. The warranty is excellent and the dealer/support network seems to cover my area well. The system is modular so the parts can be replaced easily. For instance, if a roofer or painter damages part of the mesh screen, it should be easy to replace. IMO you should consider the post-installation service quality a big factor when you compare products and prices.
I live in one of the “rich” neighborhoods, and when I call contractors, I have to call a couple of them to make sure they are not jacking up the quotes. I answered Leaf Filter ads on my FB and was surprised they want to come over that evening to give me a quote. So this sales guy came over and took the measurements and gave me a price tag of $8400 for my 2500 square feet home. I was also shocked by the exploitative language and the three-ring binder sales pitch. I didn’t expect this in America in 2021. I called the other contractor, and he quoted $350 for labor and material cost of gutters with mesh which was less than $1000.
I got an estimate for my home in NC of $15,000 plus for Leaf Filter. This was for 250 feet of gutters, then with their hard sell tactic it dropped that to 7,500! I could replace my gutters for that price. When I told them I don’t make spot decisions, it began to get ugly. I expect their best price first! They only came down to 7,500 because I said 5,000 might be what I expect to pay. All in all, I think they would sell more of their product if they dropped the sales presentation and just quoted a fair price. I don’t like contractors who jack up the price based on the neighborhood!
The word “accountability” does not exist in LeafFilter’s business practice.
After 3 months of technician tried to fix leaks from downspouts(which LeafFilter installed) and rainwater overflowing issues for 5 times, plus numerous communications to customer support and installation managers, we came to a conclusion that wrong product was installed on our home(they still cannot fix issues. There are still leaks and overflows). Finally, they sent a copy of Release and Termination Agreement to us; however, we were shocked by the exploitative language they proposed. I’ve never encountered “American owned manufacturing/business” that is so deceitful. They act like they have a license to rip-off consumers. Please do not believe what they say on ads on tv or newspapers.
LeafFilter insists that their warranty only covers “not clogging the inside of gutter,” and nothing else.
In order to remove and refund of their product, you have to waive your rights, even the installation of their product resulted in damages of gutters, roofs, foundations, and body injuries from dripping from overflowing, they will not be responsible.
We asked them to insert the payment terms on refunds(no terms whatsoever, like they never going to process), and language not to damage our property further during removal process and clean up afterwards(each time technician came to our property, they left trash and sharp screws everywhere including driveway and sidewalks), they cannot agree on such terms.
We really wanted to support “Made in America” business but we only have regrets from purchasing LeafFilter.
Leaffilter was the worst investment we have made. We live in the woods in an area that receives a lot of rain and even a small amount of debris causes clogs resulting in significant water overflow over the gutters and now between my gutter and siding. It has cause leaks and pooling around the base of my home along with leaks on our decks. We have had 4 different installers to try and address the problem, but the problem is with the product – it is not designed for these conditions. It has caused nothing but frustration. We were fooled by an excellent salesman and good marketing.
I also have leaf filter system and I agree it was my worst investment ever they keep the leaves out of the gutters but the leaves and dirt and pine needles stay on top of the covering not allowing the water into the gutters and overflows them. I called and complained and of course no response.
Leaf filter is a nightmare we cant get anyone to call us back
I have the same problem. I’m on my ladder more now than I was before I had them installed. Also they caused one of my roof area to leak. I called and told them the problem, they said they would send someone out to inspect the problem. The day they were to come out I had an a meeting out of town. Told them after 2pm would be good. I was just about to leave when the rep showed up early around 9am. I meet him outside , he acted like I caught him doing something. He inspected the roof and said the gutter was not the problem. The roof had bad seams. I had the roofer who put on the roof come out and check. He told me there is no way the water will filter through the screens at the angle they put it fast enough to keep water from backing up on the roof. He said water will fine away to get in when it backs up no mater what. I called them back and told them the results. They really could care less. Nothing ever got done. I pulled that section off and had no more problem with leaks. This company is a real rip off .
Hi Tom-
My condo is in Wichita, KS, and I have 5 tress that drop leaves into the gutters. Clogging is a problem, and the HOA has suggested cutting down the trees to prevent damage to the homes.
Not. An. Option.
I did my research, and found Sheerflow Gutter Filter at a local home improvement store. A box cost $95 and provided enough material to cover the gutters on the duplex for my house and the attached unit (which is owned by a 90+ year old couple who can’t climb a ladder, so I did the gutters over their house for various reasons).
I also laid pavers in the back yard under the gutter to stop the overflow drips from forming a rut in the ground.
I picked the brown colored filter on the theory the darker color will help melt the ice and snow in the winter.
The DIY price is far less than having someone do it for me, and my wife and I had some quality time together – she is a big help!
So far, all is well with the gutters, and the chain saws have no reason to be near my trees.
Dave Geist
PS – The website is https://gutterfilter.com/. If you have any questions for me, I be reached at 405-885-3039, and I would be happy to discuss my experience with you on the air.