Over the Easter weekend, I installed gutter strainers (aka gutter guards) in my gutters in between the egg hunt. My house is just new and it's time to install my Raintap. To ensure that the rainwater flows into the Raintap as cleanly as possible, it is important to remove as many leaves and debris from the water as possible before it flows into the downspout and thus into my Raintap.
A gutter protector or gutter strainer is the simplest solution to filter leaves and debris from your rainwater. Here in France, they are also called crapaudines, derived from the word toad. Toad feet, I had to think about that for a moment and yes, there is something to that: those things naturally like to stand with their feet in the muck.
There are several places where you can buy gutter guards, such as DIY stores, garden centres and online shops. The price of a gutter protector varies from less than a euro to as much as 10 euros each, largely depending on the material they are made of. Plastic protectors are cheap and light, but can become brittle over time. Aluminium protectors are light and rust-resistant, but can be more susceptible to damage. Stainless steel protectors are more durable and resistant to corrosion, but are generally a bit more expensive.
I opted for the plastic version, partly because I still want to experiment with other ways of filtering, but also because the aluminium and stainless steel ones I could find were too big to fit in my gutters.
Installation is easy, you just place them in the top of your downspout.
Gutter guards prevent leaves and debris from entering your downspout, but it does remain in your gutter. So it is important to remove accumulated dirt and foliage from your gutters from time to time. Lazy homeowners just wait until their gutters overflow, but it is better to do it preventively. I am diligent and do it twice a year, in the middle or end of autumn and once at the end of winter.
Besides gutter guards, there are other ways to filter dirt and leaves.
In my previous house, I had gutter guards that seal the gutter, so to speak, and prevent leaves from entering the gutter. It is essentially a plastic mesh sheet rolled up and stuffed into the gutter. Water does flow through it, but leaves just can't get in. In theory, they work, but after 20 or 30 years, they were completely clogged and all kinds of moss and plants grew in the gutters.
By the way, you can see that even after the end of winter, some dirt has accumulated in the gutter.
Another effective remedy that I unfortunately have no experience with myself is the drainpipe filter or leaf separator. The separator ensures that the leaves falling into the downspout are separated from the water, the leaves are spit out, so to speak, and the water can continue down the drain. I will definitely try this solution on one of my downspouts in the future. Instead of cleaning your gutter, you will find some dirt at your downspout with this solution. Normally, leaf separators are fitted at the bottom of the downspout, but since you ideally filter the water for your Raintap after the leaves have been removed, it should at least be above the point where your tap water comes out of your downspout.
In conclusion, there are several solutions for filtering rainwater before it enters the Raintap. Personally, I think gutter filters or gutter guards are the best solution so far. Simple to install and easy to remove when needed. And at the same time, you are forced to remove debris and inspect your gutters from time to time. Of course, if your gutter is really high and you can't reach it with a ladder, it's better to go for another solution that requires less maintenance.
