Freezing temperatures can be especially harsh on your exterior, especially your roof. That’s because ice can cause roofing and gutter issues such as:
Sagging Gutters
If too much ice accumulates in your gutters, the added weight might become too much for your gutters to handle, causing gutter sections to sag or pull away from your roof. That’s why it’s important to clean your gutters before the start of winter. Leaves and other organic debris retain moisture, which freezes and adds to the weight load your gutters need to support.
Don’t have the time for gutter cleaning? You might want to install gutter guards, which prevents leaves and other debris from entering and clogging your roof. Keep in mind that you’ll occasionally need to do some gutter guard cleaning. Remember: gutter guards can only reduce, not eliminate, your gutters’ maintenance needs. That is except for Gutter Helmet®, the only gutter guards with a Never Clean Your Gutters Again® guarantee.
Ice Dams
Clogged gutters can also cause ice dams to form on your roof. Ice dams are problematic for your roof because they prevent melted snow from flowing to the drains. If melted snow can’t be drained properly, it may back up onto your roof and seep into roofing shingles, creating roof leaks.
How do you prevent ice dams from forming? Make sure your attic has enough insulation. If there isn’t enough insulation in your attic, heat might reach your roof and melt the snow on top of it. As the melted snow slides to the outer, colder edges of your roof, it freezes again and deposits ice at your roof’s edge.
Alternatively, you can install heating cables like Helmet Heat®, which increases your gutters’ temperature to prevent ice dams from forming. Unlike other brands, Helmet Heat has self-regulating heating cables that increase your gutters’ temperature just enough to make sure icicles don’t form, but not too much that your gutters become hot to the touch.
Considering installing gutter guards and heating cables?
Gutter Helmet of Eastern Shore offers professional gutter protection services, including gutter guard cleaning services. To get a free quote, call us at (866) 333-8150 or fill out this form. We serve homeowners in Salisbury, Maryland, as well as the surrounding communities.
