How To Handle Gutters That Are Frozen Solid
If you've had tough times in the past handling gutters in the cold weather, you know they often freeze if not handled correctly. For us in Madison, it's inevitable for us to experience cold weather and lead to freezing water. If your gutters aren't prepared, they can cause big issues later in the season for you and your family. Frozen gutters refers to the time when a gutter system is filled with water (likely blocked) and that water turns to ice when temperatures drop. In addition to the gutters already not functioning from the blockage, they now present a dangerous problem for everyone nearby.
Why Do Your Gutters Freeze?
Several reasons might be the cause of your freezing gutters and it can vary in other areas. The most common is often a blockage of some sort, possibly a build up of leaves, twigs, debris and more. When you aren't keeping your gutters cleaned properly, this can happen. The buildup stops water from flowing properly and eventually puddles up.
Here in Wisconsin, we often have precipitation that mixes with the temperatures. If freezing rain falls, it could fall and de-thaw on the roof and then re-freeze in the gutters. Or if snow is falling right around the freezing temperatures and melts on the roof, it could freeze while inside the gutters before making it to the bottom. Here's some ways to help with freezing gutters regardless of the reason.
What NOT To Do With Frozen Gutters
The number one thing we tell people is NEVER use salt on your gutters to remove the ice build up. Salt is not the answer on any part of your house and it will only cause long-term issues.
DO NOT POUR ICE ON THE GUTTERS: We have heard of people using salt and pouring it directly on the frozen gutters. This should not be done at all! It eventually corrodes the metal in the gutter system which can be expensive to replace. Plus, the salt will take a long time to actually melt that frozen water. It's just not worth it.
And don't try any special "hacks" like putting the salt in pantyhose or something ridiculous. That doesn't work and will only bring more difficulty later down the road.
What TO DO With Frozen Gutters
Here's a few great and useful ways to handle frozen gutters on your house. Remember, these should be done by a capable person who is comfortable climbing. If not, we highly recommend hiring a professional like Mad City Gutter Cleaners!
Pour Hot Water On The Ice: We all know that hot water can melt frozen water. It's basic science. However, getting hot water up a ladder on near your gutters can be tricky. If you're comfortable carrying a bucket up a ladder, go for it. Pour the hot water directly on the ice and watch them melt.
If that's not a great method, consider hooking a hose up to your hot water heater and using that to spray hot water up onto the gutters. It's a bit more "MacGyver" style, but works just fine!
Use A Roof Rake: With heavy snow, or massively low temperatures, a roof rake can be a useful tool. Ice dams often form in these conditions and can make defrosting gutters even harder. Reducing the chances of ice dams is a fantastic idea and can be accomplished with a roof rake. After big snowfalls, use the roof rake to scrap the snow off your roof. Removing this excess snow decreases the chance of ice dams forming on your exterior and causing problems. It's a nice winter tool in your arsenal.
How To Help Prevent Ice In Your Gutters
Here's some quality ideas on how to minimize or even eliminate ice forming in your gutters and causing problems. Remember, some solutions might require extra time, effort or money. But we think they are a solid investment in the property and to help you save time.
Install A Heating Panel: One growing method that's quite popular is installing a solar-powered heating panel to sit in your gutters. This heat helps melt the snow and ice before it can cause issues. Often, this method requires a professional to install, but we think this is a good idea to keep ice blockades off your mind.
Keep Gutters Clean: This one is obvious, but maintaining clean gutters is crucial to minimize frozen gutters. Either do it yourself, or hire a professional in Fall to clean them for you. We think this is step 1 in fundamental gutter maintenance, but we probably are biased.
Install Gutter Guards: Now this is a possible option for some people. We wrote a blog about the Pros & Cons of Gutter Guards here so feel free to read it. Guards can help minimize debris leaking into gutters, but the wrong type can cause other unknown issues. Get quality work done and the right gutter guards installed before winter so you can prevent icing.
Need help understanding more? Feel free to contact us to talk with a professional and have someone help with a quality service!
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