How to Keep Gutters From Freezing in Winter
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As we embrace another cold Minnesota winter, it's essential to keep an eye on snow and ice accumulation around your property, particularly your home's gutter system.
Frozen gutters allow snow and ice to build up on your roofing system, causing hazardous conditions that can range from ceiling leaks to exterior damage of your home's siding to dangerous ice dam formation.
Why Are My Gutters Freezing Up?
Residential gutter systems consist of many vital components. A few include:
Gutters - the long, rounded pieces that curve along your roof to help catch rainfall and debris.
Downspouts - the vertical pipes that carry water and debris down from the upper eves of the roof to the ground.
End caps - barriers at the sides of gutters that force water to travel down the downspout vs. flowing off the sides of your home.
Elbows - fittings that attach to the downspout and connect adjacent gutter pieces around a corner.
Gutter Guards - protective barriers placed in or over gutters to help manage the flow of rainwater and keep out debris.
When gutters experience blockage due to twigs, leaves, debris, and sometimes even pests, they become clogged, and water can no longer travel downward away from the home. Instead, it sits in your gutters.
So when gutters freeze, that ponding water expands and becomes heavier, which may cause them to pull away from the home, sag, or detach, resulting in costly repairs or a complete gutter replacement.
But there's another reason why you might have ice buildup on gutters. In the Midwest, it's not unusual to experience extended periods of freezing temperatures, even during the daytime. For example, if snow and sleet continue to build up in your gutters before they have a chance to melt, this can also create blockage.
Therefore, cleaning and maintaining your gutter system, even during winter, is essential to preventing snow and ice buildup and future gutter damage.
How to Prevent Gutters from Freezing
Here are some tips for keeping your gutters safe during the cold months.
Deep-Clean Your Gutter System
Start with a deep clean to remove leaves, sticks, and debris that might cause blockages when the temperatures drop. Next, unclog downspouts to ensure the water flows from your roof to the ground.
Afterward, check for any loose screws or corrosion, and fix or replace them as necessary to prevent gutter damage during winter.
Install Gutter Guards
Gutter guards, also known as gutter covers, come in various materials and styles, such as mesh screens, foam templates, reverse curve designs, and more. They’re usually made from metal, plastic, or another tough material to provide long-lasting protection for your gutters.
How Do Gutter Guards Work?
Gutter guards provide a layer of protection to your gutters, preventing leaves, dirt, and other debris from entering. The guard’s material allows rainwater to flow while blocking larger particles. This helps keep your gutters free of clogs that could cause water to back up or overflow. In addition, gutter guards provide additional protection against corrosion and pests from entering your gutters.
By installing gutter guards, you can ensure that your gutters remain clear and function correctly.
What Type of Gutter Guards Should I Install?
For the highest-performing gutter protection, we recommend Bolt® Gutter Guard.
Bolt's® raised screens with advanced micro-mesh technology can handle high-flow water conditions and repel leaves and debris. By keeping your gutters free of debris, water flows appropriately out and away from your home, preventing foundation and other potential damage from roof runoff.
During the winter, Bolt® gutter guards help prevent the buildup of ice dams in your gutters—giving you peace of mind and complete gutter protection. They can also install on any roof style or existing gutter systems.
Dealing with Frozen Gutters?
Contact us today to learn more about Bolt Gutter Guard or to request an estimate. As certified dealers of Bolt, we can help install a new system onto your existing gutters to keep them in pristine condition and prevent damage and blockage all year long!
Steve the Window Guy for Universal Windows Direct is a full exterior remodeling company focusing on replacing windows, siding and roofing. Steve and his team of are experts in working with people just like you to create a plan for the most cost efficient way to complete your exterior remodeling project. We are part of a national dealer network that has catupulted to the 10th largest* remodeling company in the nation. Locally we have an A+ rating with the BBB with zero complaints. Steve has been recognized by Universal Windows Direct as National Dealer of the Year three times for his hard work and dedication to getting things right. We are locally owned and operated in Bloomington, MN and work throughtout the Twin Cities Metro. Updating your home can be easy.
We believe Steve the Window, Siding and Roofing Guy was just too long of a name.
*Source: Qualified Remodelers Top 500 List, Published September 2019.
