Maintaining clean gutters allows water to flow freely away from your home and prevents potentially dangerous ice dams from forming on your roof, among other benefits. There are several common threats to your gutters in the winter months.
Here are the most common issues that could impact your gutters this fall and winter:
Ice Dams
Clogged gutters can allow water to sit and freeze instead of drain, leading to large chunks of ice that form and freeze in your gutters. Sometimes, if they are heavy enough or layered from the accumulation of multiple snowstorms, this extra ice weight can cause gutters to snap off the house entirely or allow backed up water to freeze under shingles
and cause damage to the roof.
Icicles
Similar to ice dams, blockages in gutters can allow water to flow through the next accessible route – down over the edge of the roof. In the cold of winter, this can lead to large icicles forming, some of which can become quite large. This causes two concerns for homeowners. The added weight can potentially break the gutters and the icicles can be extremely dangerous if they fall off your roof.
Bursting Downspouts
The open portion of the gutter along your roof edge is easy to see and clean, but sometimes debris can flow into the downspouts and create an unseen blockage. During the winter season, this blockage can slow water as it begins to freeze, allowing the drainage to become completely obstructed and allowing water – and ice – to back up in the entire downspout. Since water expands as it freezes, a backlog of water can cause your downspouts to crack and burst, diminishing the capabilities of your roof drainage and leading to more problems in the springtime.
Heavy Snow
If you live in an area that gets a lot of snow, it’s important to find a way to clean your gutters out regularly. Gutters cannot hold the weight of a heavy, wet snowfall – especially if ice has begun to form as well. Be sure to remove snow from your gutters frequently so it does not begin to accumulate. This can help keep your gutters in good condition throughout the winter.
Alaska Premier Gutters offers gutter installation, repair and cleaning services in Anchorage and the surrounding areas of Alaska. Whether you need gutter cleaning, repair work or a new system designed and installed, contact Alaska Premier Gutters to learn more or to schedule a consultation.
