How GutterBrush Works: Simple, Effective Gutter Protection

Stop Clogged Gutters Without Complicated Gutter Guards

Your gutters are there to protect your home from water damage, but when they clog with leaves, pine needles, and debris, they can’t do their job. GutterBrush offers a simple, effective, and long-lasting gutter guard system to keep gutters flowing without the hassle of screens, covers, or complex installations.

How GutterBrush Works in 3 Simple Steps

  • 1. Insert GutterBrush Into Your Gutters

    • Its easy, anyone can install GutterBrush
    • GutterBrush is a cylindrical brush that fills your entire gutter, providing 360 degree flow and protection.
    • The UV-protected bristles allow rainwater to flow through while blocking leaves, twigs, and debris from clogging.
    • No tools, cutting, or fasteners required, just slide the 3 ft. sections into place.

  • 2. GutterBrush Blocks Debris While Water Flows Through

    • GutterBrush stops clogging and protects downspouts and in ground storm drainage.
    • The gutter can not clog when filled with GutterBrush.
    • Wind, natural weather cycles and the sun, help decay, deteriorate, dry and blow away most debris.
    • Rain water follows the bristles into the gutter for great rain water acceptance

  • 3. Enjoy Clog-Free Gutters with Minimal Upkeep

    • No need for frequent gutter cleaning or expensive professional maintenance.
    • Works year-round, preventing ice dams
    • GutterBrush is easy to install and easy to, eventually, maintain and renew.
    • If necessary, maintenance and renewal is easy. Click to go to FAQ section or scroll down to read about GutterBrush maintenance below.
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Gutter Guards For Any Gutters 2.25 - 8.0 Inches

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Common Questions About GutterBrush

  • Will GutterBrush work in heavy rain?
    Yes! Unlike most gutter covers that allow heavy rain to miss the gutter, GutterBrush bristles draw water into the gutter preventing overflow.
  • Does GutterBrush require maintenance?
    All gutter guards in the debris field, will require maintenance to keep flowing. GutterBrush, eventually, is very easy to maintain. Scroll downward to read the below article to learn more about the GutterBrush Total System.
  • Will it fit my gutters?
    GutterBrush comes in 6 sizes to fit most residential and commercial gutters, including 5-inch, 6-inch, and specialty sizes.
  • What happens in winter?
    Black GutterBrush bristles warm when exposed to sunlight resulting in faster melting, improved drainage and reduced ice dams because GutterBrush solves snow clogging and winter congestion.
  • How long does GutterBrush last?
    With UV-resistant bristles and a sturdy galvanized steel core, GutterBrush is built to last for far longer than the 10 year material warranty. Many customers have been using theirs for over 2 decades!

How GutterBrush Works—And Why GutterBrush is the Best Gutter Guard SYSTEM

Gutter Clogging: A Problem You Can’t Ignore

Your gutters are designed to capture and direct rainwater safely away from your home, protecting your roof, foundation, and landscaping. But when gutters clog with leaves and debris, they become useless—leading to overflow, water damage, and costly repairs.

With over 25 years of experience in gutter maintenance, we’ve seen exactly how and why gutters clog—and how to stop it.

Why Do Gutters Clog?

At first glance, it might not make sense. Leaves are thin—so why do they block a gutter? The answer lies in movement and accumulation.

  • When it rains lightly, water can flow around scattered leaves without clogging.
  • But when it rains heavily, the rising water lifts and moves debris, creating clogs in two ways:
  1. Downspout Blockage: A floating “raft” of leaves gets pushed toward the downspout. The opening is too small for all the leaves to exit at once, causing a clog.
  2. Gutter Dam: Leaves get caught across the gutter, forming a barrier that blocks water flow, leading to overflow.

Key Insight: Gutters Can’t Clog If Debris Can’t Move

A stationary leaf doesn’t cause a clog. The problem happens when debris lifts, moves, and bunches together.

This is exactly why GutterBrush works so well—because it stops movement before it starts.

How GutterBrush Stops Clogs Before They Start

GutterBrush: A Simple, Proven Solution

GutterBrush is a cylinder-shaped brush that you simply insert into your gutters. The bristles allow water to flow freely while holding debris in place.

With GutterBrush in your gutters:
✅ Leaves and debris stay put—they can’t float, shift, or bunch together to clog.
✅ Water flows easily through the bristles and out the downspout.
✅ No clogs. No overflow. No headaches.

GutterBrush solves clogging, most leaves and debris blow over the top. Click here to see a time lapse video showing GutterBrush through an entire autumn season.

The "X-Factor"—Why GutterBrush Lasts So Long

Unlike other gutter guards, GutterBrush allows leaves to dry out and break down naturally. Suspended in the bristles, leaves are exposed to abundant air and harmful effects of the sun, causing them to degrade quickly rather than rotting in a pile. Leafs disintegrate quickly, in the sunshine and in just a few months leaves break and flow through.

Over time, small leaf particles wash through—meaning less buildup and longer-lasting protection. Some homeowners go 6-8 years before needing maintenance!

Other Gutter Guards vs. GutterBrush

Why Other Gutter Guards Fail

Most gutter covers, screens, and mesh guards restrict the gutter opening—which causes two major problems:

  1. They Get Clogged Themselves – Debris piles on top, blocking water entry and making maintenance a nightmare.
  2. Debris Ramp - They Send Water Past Your Gutters – When clogged, these guards act like a rain water ramp that angles to the outer edge of the gutter, causing water to shoot over the gutter edge, completely defeating the purpose of gutters.
Gutter Screen Covered With Leaves and Pine Needles. Water overflowing past gutter

Why GutterBrush is Different

✅ 100% Water Acceptance: Water flows in from all angles (360°)—not just from a restricted opening.
✅ No Overflow Issues: Because it sits entirely inside the gutter, water never gets diverted past the outer edge of the gutter. GutterBrush is different.
✅ No Fasteners, No Hassle: Unlike permanent covers, GutterBrush is easy to install and even easier to maintain.

Maintenance: Why GutterBrush is the Smartest Choice

Let’s be real—no gutter guard is 100% maintenance-free. If you have trees nearby, some debris will always enter your gutters. GutterBrush is easy to maintain. The question is:

👉 Would you rather maintain a complex, screwed-in guard… or a simple, removable system like GutterBrush?

How Do You Know When It’s Time for Maintenance?

How to Clean The GutterBrush SYSTEM (It’s Incredibly Easy!)

  1. Lift out some or all of the brushes.
  2. Bang them on the ground or a hard surface to get the debris to drop out.
  3. Clean the gutter and reinstall completely renewed to start over. Its easy!
  4. Click here to see a video showing GutterBrush easy maintenance after 4.2 years.

Other systems become a ramp sending the water past the gutter and maintenance is complicated and difficult with fasteners that need to be removed.

GutterBrush: The Best Gutter Guard Solution, Hands Down

Why Homeowners Choose GutterBrush

✅ Stops clogs before they start—no floating debris, no blockages.
✅ Easy DIY installation—no tools, no hassle.
✅ Superior water flow—rain enters the protected flow channel freely from all angles.
✅ Minimal maintenance—most homes go many years without needing a clean-out. Eventually, maintenance and renewal is easy.
✅ Doesn't send the water past the gutter like a ramp—unlike screens and covers.
✅ Works in all climates—from heavy snow to torrential downpours.

One Purchase, Years of Protection

GutterBrush lasts season after season, so it’s a one-time investment for long-term peace of mind.

How GutterBrush Works - Short and Long Term (Long Essay Format)

How GutterBrush Works

Below is a detailed un-abreviated essay about the GutterBrush Gutter Guard System and how it works, short and long term.

GutterBrush Clog protection.

Fill the entire gutter with the correct size of GutterBrush (6 sizes) to keep gutters flowing and avoid  gutter clogging.

How Does GutterBrush Stop Gutter Clogging.

In order to understand how GutterBrush stops gutter clogging, you must first understand the reasons why and how gutters clog.  25 years of gutter cleaning experience has taught us how and why gutters clog.

How and Why Do Gutters Clog: 

To understand why gutters clog, it is important to understand both the “happenings” of gutters as well as the dynamics of what is going on inside a gutter.  Once you understand this, then you can understand how GutterBrush stops that clog process from happening.  The gutter literally can not clog while GutterBrush is filling the gutter.

Leaves are Thin So They Should Not Cause Clogs. (but they do!)

Obviously, leaves and debris drop from trees, land on roofs and also fall inside the gutters.  Of course leaves and tree debris are typically very thin and not very substantial, so you would understandably expect that the water should be able to flow around and past such a paper thin item, and flow out the downspout.   Individual pieces of leaves and debris are typically very thin and not very substantial so it stands to reason that individual pieces of leaf and debris should not be able to clog the gutter on their own.  So then why does the gutter clog? 

With Thin Leaves it Shouldn't Clog, But Why Does The Gutter Clog

Imagine a gutter filled with leaves ( paper thin ) laying on the bottom of the gutter while it is raining, and the water simply flows over the leaves and between the leaves and out the downspout.  Very often, this is the case; lots of leaves, and no clogging.

Interestingly enough, you can have a gutter completely filled with lots of leaves during rain and yet everything is flowing just fine.   Conversely, you can have a gutter that hardly has any leaves in it at all, and one quick rain can clog that gutter. The point is that sometimes gutters can have lots of leaves and not clog, and sometimes gutters can have very few leaves, but clog.  This makes no sense….or does it.  Read on to learn why.

Two Ways that Gutters Clog:

There are two basic dynamics that occur which cause clogs.   Most clogs occur when the downspout opening or “outlet tube” gets plugged; and the other way that gutters clog is from a gutter dam.   Obviously,  when the gutter’s downspout outlet gets plugged, the water has no place to go so the gutter fills with rain water and overflows.  The second way that gutters clog is when a leaf  pile causes a “dam’ or a “Blockage”, and the water can not pass by to reach the downspout, so the gutter fills up with water and overflows. 

So What Happens In The Gutter:

To reiterate, the gutter can be filled with leaves and it can be raining with the gutter flowing just fine.  So what happens inside the gutter that causes clogging?

Gutters Can Not Clog Unless The Debris Moves

Even a gutter filled with leaves can flow just fine during a light rain.  It can rain for days, yet the gutter filled with leaves often does not clog, however when it rains harder, it becomes easy to understand why gutters clog and also how to stop clogging.

When it rains harder, the gutter fills up with water and begins to float or move the debris.  Again, each individual leaf is powerless towards clogging the gutter, they must band together in order to clog the gutter.  When it rains harder, the water level inside the gutter rises and begins to float and move the leaves.  The leaves actually rise up from the bottom of the gutter as the gutter water level rises.   Imagine a river, with the leaves beginning to float.  The raised gutter water level begins to flow toward the downspout causing the gutter to clog in one of two ways.

  1.  Downspout Outlet Plugged;  In most cases, individual leaves and debris will simply flow down the downspout and out, however when it rains hard,  the water level rises all at once and a large "flotilla" of leaves begins to flow down the channel.  The large group of leaves can not fit out the downspout. Sure each individual leaf could flow out but as a group of leaves, the group can not fit through the outlet tube so the downspout outlet gets clogged by the “plug of leaves” that is created by water flow.  The plug can not fit out the downspout, so it clogs and gets worse with every moment that the water continues to try to flow outward.
  2. Gutter Dam:  The other ways that gutters clog, is that the leaves create a dam across the gutter.  The rain gets heavy, raises the debris off the bottom of the gutter and the “floatilla” of leaves begins its journey to the downspout; but gets hung up.  As the leaves flow and get a little stuck or “hung up”, the next pieces of debris attempt to float past but they can not fit, so as the water attempts to flow past, more and more leaves and debris continue to get hung up and the obstruction continues to grow until it is completely crossing the gutter, damming the gutter and causing an overflow.

Clogging Premise: Debris must be able to move, in order to clog

Once again, individual leaves are very thin, not substantial, and water can flow around individual leaves.  The gutter will not clog as long as the leaves and debris are stationary.   In order for the gutter to clog,   the water has to raise the debris and float it so that it can “clump together” and make a larger “plug” that either flows to clog the outlet or gets hung up creating a dam across the gutter.  Neither of these occurrences can happen unless the debris is allowed to move.  If the debris is not allowed to move, the gutter will not clog; hence the effectiveness of GutterBrush.

Divide and Conquer Clogs - GutterBrush - The Gutter CAN NOT CLOG because the debris can not move.

When GutterBrush is filling the gutter,  there will be no debris movement.  The debris can not move, it can not clump together to create a larger plug, and it can not flow and get hung up creating a dam.

It is simple,  when GutterBrush is filling the gutter, the gutter can not clog.  Any debris that is inside the gutter is stationary and can not move.  The water flows through the bristles and between and around each piece of leaf.  Unless the debris can band together and work as a team to create a larger plug,  the gutter will not clog.

Understood - The Gutter Will Not Clog -  AND WOW! THE X-FACTOR

GutterBrush works well; it stops clogging, and there is an additional X-FACTOR.  What is the X-Factor? The X-Factor, is the degradation and breakdown of the leaves and debris.  Of course some leaves and debris will get stuck on and in the bristles, but the gutter will not clog.  The x- factor is the fact that the leaves that are on or suspended in the brush are exposed to the sunlight and they have abundant airflow surrounding them.  This scenario is greatly different from leaves laying on the bottom of the gutter. Leaves laying on the bottom of the gutter are vastly different because they are in a pile on the bottom.  Leaves in a pile on the bottom of the gutter do not degrade quickly.  However leaves that are suspended in the bristles are exposed to the sunlight and each leaf also has abundant airflow surrounding; so they dry out and cook!  I have seen it with my own two eyes.  In May I climbed the ladder and witnessed leaves and debris suspended in the brush, and when I climbed the ladder only a few months later,  the debris was almost non-existent and “cooked”.  It looks as if it was put in the oven and baked on 360 degrees.  All that is left of the leaves is the hair skeleton of the original leaf.  The leaf breaks down and disintegrates with the small particulate matter flowing through the gutter and out the downspout.   The x-factor adds lots of longevity to the system and is the reason homes can go many years without needing maintenance.  It is important to understand The x-Factor, in order to determine the longevity of the GutterBrush system.  (We do understand that the x-factor will be minimized if the gutter gets inundated.)

When Does GutterBrush Clog?  

GutterBrush does not clog.  Yes, over time it stands to reason that like any filter, more and more debris will enter the system, but GutterBrush does not clog.   Some homes go many many years even 6 -8 years without a clog and without performing maintenance, while other gutters with more debris might require maintenance on a more frequent basis.   Even when it is time to perform maintenance on GutterBrush, the gutter still is not clogged.

There Is No Such Thing as a Maintenance Free Gutter Guard out in the debris field

After 25 years of gutter work, I know there is no such thing as a maintenance free gutter guard.  Sure, a gutter guard that is not tested at all with debris will last a long time without maintenance, but all gutter guards in the debris field will require maintenance.  Screens, covers, helmets and even the ever popular Leaf Filters require maintenance.  Debris can lay on any gutter cover or screen, and cause the gutter guard to send the rain water past the outer edge of the gutter like a ramp.  Screens, covers, mesh, and gutter helmets restrict the gutter opening and they are linear like a shelf, so when debris lays on them ( this can happen in the first dropping season and even just a few months after installation) so when it rains heavy, the water simply shoots off the gutter guard as if it were flowing on an intentional ramp sending the water past the outer edge of the gutter.   The point is,  all gutter guards in the debris field need maintenance, so buy one that is easy to maintain.  Screens and covers are complicated and they are fastened into place so they are challenging  and often expensive to maintain.   Conversely,  GutterBrush is not fastened and it is very easy to maintain.

GutterBrush Stops Clogs, Long Term - How Does The System Work Long Term?

GutterBrush stops clogging,  and all  gutter guards eventually will need maintenance.  Some Gutterbrush customers go many many years without needing maintenance, but every home is different.  The location of the trees, the height of the trees, type of leafs, slope of the roof, wind patterns in the area:  every home is different so some will need maintenance earlier than others.  Long term,  the system works great.  Even when your gutter is at the point where it needs maintenance,  the gutter still is not clogged.   If or when you eventually get to the point of needing maintenance,  the gutter still is not clogged during a normal rain storm and Gutterbrush maintenance is easy!

If The Gutter Still Isn't Clogged,  How Will I Know If I Need Maintenance

There is no such thing as a “free Lunch” and there is no such thing as a maintenance free gutter guard, so get a gutter guard that is easy to maintain.  The GutterBrush system is easy to install and easy to maintain too.  We suggest that you simply observe your gutters and downspouts from the ground.  As long as everything is flowing fine,  and you see plenty of water exiting the downspouts, then there is no need to perform partial or full maintenance.   GutterBrush customers know when it is time for maintenance.  They watch during rain, and when it is beginning to become time for maintenance,  they will see a small amount of water pouring over during very heavy rain.  The gutter still is not clogged, but there may be enough of an impedance, that the heaviest of rain causes a small portion of rain water to pour over the edge of the gutter.  Water is still exiting the downspouts and the gutter is still not clogged or having any issues from a normal rain, but it is time for partial or full Gutterbrush maintenance when you begin to see a little pour over during the heaviest of rain storms; that when you know it will soon be time for maintenance. 

Partial Maintenance NOW makes sense with GutterBrush

When GutterBrush is filling the gutter,  debris can not flow to the other end,   therefore, partial maintenance often makes sense.  If the tree is located at one end of the gutter, perhaps you only need to maintain the brushes at that end of the gutter.  GutterBrush is very easy to maintain,  so whether it is partial maintenance or full maintenance, renewal of GutterBrush is EASY!

How Do I Renew GutterBrush?

GutterBrush is not fastened,  therefore it is very easy to maintain, renew, and start over.   Simply remove some or all of the GutterBrushes, and bang the brushes on a hard surface to get the debris to drop out.  Clean the gutter, and reinstall GutterBrush completely renewed and ready to start over.   ( Tip: If it is a wet day, lay a towel over the brush to deter bristle spatter) 

The Clog Prevention System:   

There You Have It,  the entire maintainable system.  GutterBrush lasts many years out in the gutter so it is the only gutter guard you will ever need.  All gutter guards require maintenance so when you buy one that is easy to maintain,  you are setting yourself up for a good long future.

Why Is GutterBrush The Best System:

GutterBrush is the best gutter guard system because of its simplicity.  The simplicity of GutterBrush is brilliant, because it is lightning fast to install; but also, anyone can install Gutterbrush because it is so easy.  It is an easy to install gutter guard that works and eventually, it is also easy to maintain.

What Makes GutterBrush Better Than Other Gutter Guard Systems?

GutterBrush Accepts Rain water better than any other gutter guard.  Other Gutter Guards get dirty and send the water past the outer edge of the gutter whereby the gutter guard acts as a “water ramp”, completely negating the purpose of a gutter and gutter guard in the first place; which makes no sense.  Gutter Mesh, screens and covers actually make the gutter opening lesser; they restrict the water from entering the gutter which is counter-productive.  GutterBrush is designed with the balance of water and debris in mind.  If you try to keep every spec of debris out of the gutter, other gutter guards prove that you will also end up keeping the water out of the gutter , which is unacceptable.  No other gutter guard accepts water into the gutter as well as GutterBrush.  Accepting water into the gutter is the most important thing!    GutterBrush strikes a balance between debris and water and keeps gutters flowing for the maximum longevity; while also providing a system that is easy to maintain.

Why Doesn't GutterBrush Send The Water Past The Gutter Like Screens and Covers

GutterBrush is a protected flow channel, with 360 degree water acceptance.   Other gutter guards are linear in shape, which is the problem.  They are linear like a shelf, so when they close up from debris or from snow and ice, they become a solid ramp which is like having a completely restrictive cover on the gutter. (makes no sense). Linear screens and covers terminate at the outside edge of the gutter so they become a water ramp sending the water past the edge of the gutter.  GutterBrush is different!   GutterBrush has 360 degree water acceptance and it is located entirely down inside the gutter and it does not terminate at the outer edge of the gutter, so GutterBrush does not send the water past the outer edge of the gutter.  All of the water enters the gutter because GutterBrush is entirely within the gutter; and non restrictive to the gutter opening..  Water enters the gutter easily, and it can enter the brush from every angle of its 360 degree radius.  Its a protected flow channel that gives your gutter maximum longevity without clogging