A common problem that many homeowners face during winter is ice dams in gutters. These ice formations occur when snow melts, drips to the edge of the roof, and refreezes. It usually occurs when an area of the roof is warm enough to melt snow while its edge stays below freezing.
When getting rid of ice dams, you should only use methods that will not harm your roof and other parts of your home. Keep on reading to find out why you shouldn’t use salt to prevent ice dams.
It Does Not Work
Rock salt can only melt ice at temperatures below 20° F. It is also not the most practical way to remove ice dams. You would need pounds of rock salt to melt ice dams, which are usually made of hundreds of gallons of frozen water.
It Will Cause Rusting in Other Building Materials
Keep in mind that the salt that you place on your roof will eventually wash over other parts of your exterior as the ice melts. It may not harm the shingles, but it can cause corrosion in the roofing nails. When not addressed, the rusted nails can loosen the shingles. Moreover, the melted ice with salt can also rust downspouts and damage your driveway and sidewalk.
It Can Harm Your Landscaping
The water mixed with salt can reach your landscaping and reach your garden plants. This water is not ideal for plant growth and can even cause damage to your blooms. Another thing that melted water with rock salt can harm is your masonry. The salt particles in the water can get into the porous surfaces of the brick masonry or stone, resulting in freeze-thaw damage.
An efficient gutter protection system can help prevent the formation of ice dams. Turn to Gutter Helmet® of Northern Minnesota for quality seamless gutters and gutter guards. Give us a call at (800) 824-3772 or fill out our contact form to get a free quote.
