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Roof Gutters – Protecting Your Home in Winter
This season, it seems that winter has sneaked up upon many homeowners. The temperatures have plummeted across many parts of the country. Snow has already begun to pile up. Now, more than ever, good gutter maintenance is needed.
For houses in many parts of the country, winter is not an extended period of non-stop sub-zero days and nights. Instead, it is more like a series of freeze and thaw cycles. It is these winter cycles that can wreak incredible damage to under protected structures.
Many homeowners neglect the importance of performing regular gutter cleaning. Failure to do so can result in numerous problems during the winter. One example is the build-up of an ice dam. An ice dam, as the name implies, is a build-up of frozen water within, on top and around the gutter system. It is brought on as a result of the gutters becoming clogged (typically with non-snow debris, like leaves). Because of the blockage created, snow and ice have built up in progressive layers. Each layer adds more height and weight to the gutters. If the situation gets bad enough, the ice dam will overflow and begin to touch the roof, soffits and fascia of the property.
Once sufficient ice and water build-up, deterioration can occur. The situation can become especially bad if ice gets under the roofing tiles and penetrates the roof membrane. As the ice melts, the water saturates the material under the membrane, causing leaks. If this goes on long enough, it can result in the structural failure of the roof system. Needless to say, roof repair costs can easily climb into the thousands of dollars for a standard asphalt roof.
Unfortunately, for many owners, winter has already arrived. What can be done now that snow has begun to build up? There are several short-term actions that can be implemented with minimal cost now.
Gutter Cleaning – If the house is one level or a short two-level home, the homeowner can get a strong and sturdy ladder (preferably a commercial fiberglass ladder) and climb up to gutter level. Once there, the first step is to use a broom, snow shovel or similar device to clear off the top layer of snow build-up. Although tedious, the work is necessary and has to be done to expose the ice dam found in the gutters and downspouts.
Once completed, the really hard work begins – the removal of the ice dam. At this stage, the owner needs to be careful in how they remove the ice. If they are using a sharp object, like an ice pick, they have to be careful as not to puncture or damage the gutter system. Using an ice pick is not recommended. The risk of exacerbating the situation is too great.
A better alternative would be to take a watering can and fill it with very hot water. Be sure not to get scorched in the process. Take the filled water bucket and start with the downspouts. Pour the hot water gradually and steadily down the downspout. The goal is to melt the ice sufficiently to allow for any additional obstructions to be exposed. Examples would be leaves and twigs.
After the water has been melted away, proceed to remove the additional debris. Once the downspouts are free and clear, move on to clearing the gutters. Use the same approach until they are clear.
As one could probably tell, the process can be very time consuming and physically exhausting. For those people who own high two story buildings or multi-level structures with multiple roofs, manual gutter cleaning may not be a reasonable approach. What is the alternative?
Gutter Cleaning Service – Employing professional contractors may be a more effective solution for many homeowners. These companies are usually insured and bonded against damages or injuries which might occur on the project. More important, they can recommend and install long-term solutions to the problem. Examples of potential solutions are gutter heaters, gutter covers and gutter guards, to name a few. Each solution has its own advantages and drawbacks. However, as expects gutter cleaning services can provide valuable advice that is specific to both the owner’s home and their particular situation. The best benefit is their ability to complete a project for a fixed cost and within a defined deadline.
In summary, regular gutter maintenance is the best solution to prevent gutter ice dams from developing. In the absence of regular maintenance, employing a gutter cleaning service or having the homeowner manually dissipate the ice dam build-up is a pretty good way to avoid large roof repair bills in the future.
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