Homeowners can prevent many cold weather emergencies by doing preventative maintenance before the weather gets cold. However, with many areas of the country experiencing record cold snaps, homeowners may find themselves with frozen gutters even if they have prepared for the cold.
Of course, it’s not the gutters themselves that freeze. It’s the water in the gutters. When it rains in the winter, and the temperature drops overnight, the water in the gutters can freeze solidly. Melted snow that runs off the room during the day when the sun is shining or when the temperature rises can also freeze at night when the temperature dips.
If your gutters freeze, they could burst, which means costly gutter repair. Or they could prevent the gutters from working the way they should. That can lead to even more expensive repairs if water pools in your basement, around your foundation, or seeps inside your home.
What to Do If Your Gutters Freeze
If your gutters are frozen and you want to thaw them out, pour hot water onto the ice at the top of the gutter around the roof to start melting the ice. That sounds easy, but carrying a bucket of hot water while climbing a ladder and expecting the water to be hot when you get to the roof is more complicated than it sounds.
You can make this easier by hooking a hose to your water heater. That way, you only have to carry a hose up with you, and you will have an unending hot water supply. The hose gives you a constant stream of hot water that can slowly and steadily melt the ice and clear the gutters to allow water to flow through them.
You can also use a roof rake if ice dams are forming along the roof’s edge snow is falling, go outside with the rake and clear the snow and ice buildup from the roof’s edge. That will prevent snow and ice from falling into the gutter and freezing. A roof rake will also allow you to remove any leaves or debris that could block the gutters.
Prevent Ice from Forming
Preventing ice from forming is much more effective than clearing a frozen gutter later. However, several good options exist for homeowners who want to avoid the problem by keeping ice from forming.
Installing a heating panel is one way to prevent frozen gutters. A roofing professional can install a heating panel to keep your roof and gutters free of snow and ice throughout the winter. You can also clean the gutters regularly throughout the winter to ensure they don’t get clogged. Spraying out the gutters will eliminate any debris that could cause water to back up and freeze.
A third option to prevent gutter freezing is to have professionals install gutter guards. Gutter guards are the best way to avoid all kinds of gutter problems, including freezing and blockages.
Get An Estimate For Gutter Guards
If you want to prevent frozen gutters, call the experts at Reynolds Gutters today to get personalized recommendations for your home. And if your gutters are frozen, call Reynolds Gutters to get professional help removing blockages and ice from your gutters.