Do Gutter Guards Work in Heavy Rain? What Happens in a Queensland Storm

Usually because the water can't get through the mesh, or can't get away once it's in the gutter. Leaves or bark lying flat on the mesh cover the holes, so rain runs across the top and over the edge. A guard fitted flat lets that happen. And sometimes the gutter under it is just too small for the storm.

Two of those come down to the fit. Here's how we install gutter guard: the mesh follows the line of the roof, so it doesn't sit flat. That shed angle helps leaves dry out and blow off, or wash away in the rain, rather than sit on top.

Long ribbons of bark from smooth-barked gums are the stubborn ones. They can lie across the mesh instead of blowing off. Under those trees, we look at a steeper angle and the finer 2 mm mesh.

The top of a guard can get covered like this even while the gutter under it stays clear. A gutter that's too small is a separate problem, and that's next. No guard on yours yet? Then read why gutters without guard overflow.

Yes, if the gutter under them can carry the water. A summer storm sends a lot of water off the roof in a few minutes. The gutter has to get it to the downpipes before it spills. If it's full of leaves, it can't. Gutter guard is there to keep it clear, so the water has somewhere to go.

The Queensland Government has a list for getting your home ready before storm season (opens in a new tab). One line on it says: “Clean gutters and downpipes so water can drain away as quickly as possible.” A guard keeps leaves from filling the gutter back up afterwards, so it's still clear when the storm arrives.

Brisbane, the Sunshine Coast and the Gold Coast all get these storms. Brisbane's storms are short and heavy. In the older suburbs, gums and figs have had decades to grow over the roofs. Gold Coast storms can dump heavy rain in minutes. Up in the Sunshine Coast hinterland, tall gums drop leaves and bark all year, so gutters fill up between storms.

What a guard can't do is make the gutter bigger. If rain comes off the roof faster than the gutter and downpipes can carry it, the water spills over, mesh or no mesh. That's down to the size of the gutter and downpipes. Sizing that up is a job for a roof plumber.

Got a rainwater tank? Water that spills over the gutter never reaches it, so see our guide to gutter guard on tank homes.

It can, if it's the wrong product or it's fitted badly. Mesh laid flat holds leaves on top, so rain runs across them and over the edge. Mesh fitted over a dirty gutter seals the old debris in. And some guards that sit down inside the gutter may slow the water.

Owners raise it too. On a CHOICE Community thread (opens in a new tab), one member warned that foam fitted inside the gutter might slow the flow along it. Their tip for a new build was to tell the plumber first, since more downpipes or a bigger gutter can make up for it. We cover the other real downsides of gutter guard in a separate guide.

That's why every install we do starts with a free gutter clean, so the mesh goes on over a clear gutter. Our mesh covers the top of the gutter and fixes at the roofline, rather than sitting down inside it.

So the fit matters as much as the mesh. Ask any installer how they'll handle the parts of your roof that carry the most water. Start with the valleys.

Valleys are where two roof slopes meet, so they carry a lot of water in a storm. They funnel it into the gutter at one spot. If water comes over in one place, look for a valley above it. We check valleys separately at the free on-site quote.

Every roof's a bit different, so we work out the fit up there, on site.

The one that keeps the gutter clear without holding the water back, fitted to suit your roof. Letting water through is the whole job. We fit aluminium mesh in two hole sizes, 3 mm expanded and 2 mm woven, both 1 mm thick. Rain passes through both into the gutter, and the leaves stay out.

We pick between the two on site, by your roof and what falls on it. Under long gum bark or fine needles, we often go with the finer 2 mm woven mesh.

You can read how our system works, or compare the two meshes we fit. Looking at micro mesh too? Our guide shows how micro mesh compares with aluminium mesh.

Four questions sort out most of it. How will you fit it on my roof? What happens in the valleys? Which mesh will you use, and why that one? And what does your guarantee cover if the gutter still blocks? A good installer answers all four without fuss.

Our answer to the last one is in writing. Every install comes with a 10-year no blocked gutter guarantee. It sits alongside a 25-year full system guarantee, a 20-year workmanship guarantee and a 10-year coating guarantee against fading. You can read about all four guarantees, and we'll walk you through the terms at the quote.

Get someone to look at it on the roof. It might need a clean or a refit. It might need a different mesh, or the gutter itself might be the problem. Watch where the water comes over in the next downpour, because that's a useful clue.

Note whether it spills at one spot or all along the gutter, and whether there's a valley above it. Look for leaves or bark lying on top of the mesh, too. Check from the ground, and stay off the ladder in the wet.

Our quotes are free and done on site, so it costs nothing to have us look at the roof. Tell us what's up there now when you ask for a free on-site quote.