You don’t have to be a professional gutter guard installer to know just how dangerous ice and snow can be on your home. To make matters worse, it’s perfectly normal to get a couple of inches of snow on your roof in one winter night in Alaska. As you cozy up to your heating system indoors, all the warm air rises up to your attic, raising the temperature from underneath your roofing system and melting any snow resting on top of it.
Your gutters and downspouts are meant to channel the melted snow runoff safely away from your roof. Unfortunately, when they are clogged, the water gets stuck in the troughs and refreezes, forming a wall of ice that prevents any water from flowing properly off the roof. This is called an ice dam and it’s one of the most dangerous problems Alaskan homes face every year. Let our experts at ABC Seamless Siding walk you through some of the ways to get rid of this perennial problem and keep your roof safe from water damage.
Snow Rakes
The most common way to get rid of ice dams is to get rid of the snow that causes them. Most homeowners resort to snow rakes to scrape snow off their roofs from the ground. This method is effective (if one is able to safely reach) but it must also be done continuously.
Hot Water Sprays
This is a similar solution to snow rakes except it involves melting the ice dam itself. The biggest drawback to this method is that it is not permanent. You will need to spray your gutters multiple times throughout the season to safeguard against ice dams. Handling the hot water also has its dangers so exercise caution when resorting to this temporary solution.
Helmet Heat®
Your local gutter guard installer may also recommend Helmet Heat®, a self-regulating ice reduction system installed underneath gutters to melt away ice dams as they form. Helmet Heat runs on electricity but it can adjust its heat so it remains energy efficient even when it’s constantly on during winter.
Ask our experts at ABC Seamless Siding how Helmet Heat can help your home get rid of ice dams. Give us a call at (800) 824-3772 or fill out our contact form to request a free estimate today. We serve homeowners in Anchorage, Alaska and other surrounding areas.
