When the ice and snow of winter come, so do the winter gutter problems. Below are some of the most common problems that you as a homeowner will face with your gutters during the winter and what causes them.
Winter Gutter Problems 1 – Ice Dams
These are common problems that people have with their gutters during the winter. This is one of the reasons why you want to make sure that you are regularly cleaning your gutters and making sure that they’re debris-free. When your gutters are clogged, the water inside them sits and freezes instead of draining. Because of this, large ice chunks will form and then freeze in your gutters. Sometimes, these are very heavy or result from a few snowstorms. This can freeze the backed-up water beneath shingles. All this can cause roof damage or damage to your gutters.
Winter Gutter Problems 2 – Clogged Downspouts
One problem leads to another. When your gutters are clogged, you also are going to have clogged downspouts. Rather than rainwater, snow, and ice flowing from your downspouts, as usual, it will freeze, blocking your whole gutter system. This can be prevented by removing the debris from your gutters.
Winter Gutter Problems 3 – Icicles
Chances are that you are going to see icicles when the winter comes, and snow begins falling. These form on your gutters and then will hang from the roof when there are blockages leading to overflowing water. These can be very dangerous and annoying. When one falls from the roof, it can injure someone at best and even kill someone.
Winter Gutter Problems 4 – Heavy Snow Loads
When you live in an area that gets a lot of heavy and wet snow, one of the things that your gutters have to deal with is the weight of snow lying on them. The drains aren’t made to hold the extreme weight that comes with heavy snow. This can be prevented by brushing the snow from the gutter so that you are able to relieve the strain.
As you can see, most of the winter gutter problems come from simply not keeping your gutters clean. Gutter cleaning is one of the services that we offer. If you want some help with keeping your gutters clean during the year, contact us for a quote.
