The ice on your roof usually melts after the temperature rises and then flows down to your gutters to drain out. But during the Pittsburgh winter weather, the sudden temperature fluctuation can cause the melted ice to freeze again in your gutters before draining out. Pittsburgh Gutter Cleaners often report different undesirable incidents that occur due to clogging of the gutters with ice.
We have 5 tips to save you from getting caught up in the cold and making expensive repairs. You can easily follow these tips to save your gutters from ice damage. You can also contact a company providing gutter cleaning services to help.
5 Useful Tips to Avoid Ice Damage to Your Gutters:
1. Keep Your Gutters Clean Throughout the Year
Dead leaves and debris can clog your gutters and increase the risk of ice dams. In addition, melted ice will pool in the trenches due to obstruction, which might freeze again and damage them. So to avoid any mishaps, put on some work gloves, carefully get up on a ladder, and clean out your gutters before the winter season starts. Or, contact Pittsburgh gutter cleaners like Call Pittsburgh Service to have the job done for you.
2. Take a Closer Look
Usually, ice dam problems are not as dangerous as they first seem to be. Poking and prodding the gutters to get rid of the ice can cause injury to yourself and also damage the gutters. At this point we recommend you just wait it out. When the temperature rises, the ice will melt away on its own and relieve the blockage. If you have installed good-quality metal gutters, they should remain safe and damage-free.
3. Keep Salt Handy
Just as sprinkling rock salt on your driveway melts away the ice, the same works wonderfully for your gutters. However, saltwater can be toxic to plants, so you’ll want to be sure your downspouts are diverted away from any plants and that any leaks in your gutters have been patched.
4. Melt the Ice Away
The insulation system can help keep your roof warm and prevent ice buildup by melting it away. The heating system of your house can also extend to the gutters and keep the water flowing. You can even consider a roof de-icing system with heat strips that can be applied directly to your gutters.
5. Install Gutter Guards or Helmets
A gutter helmet or gutter guard is a device that guards the gutter's mouth. It allows water to trickle down the drain but prevents larger objects like ice chunks, hail, and snow from sliding off. As a result, it will reduce icy build-ups and enable you to avoid cleaning dead leaves and debris out of the gutters.
Does Insurance Cover Ice Damage of Gutters?
Usually, your home insurance will cover any damages caused by bad weather unless stated otherwise. However, insurance companies might refuse to cover gutter damage if:
proper maintenance wasn't done
the damage occurred due to rusting
Also, if your house is mortgaged, it is the lender's responsibility to keep the property intact for financial purposes. They will ensure that the insurance covers the ice damage.
The Bottom Line:
If your gutters are clogged by ice, it might lead to dangerous consequences over time. For example, the gutters might expand, causing them to crack. It might even damage the integrity of the structure of your house. To prevent these undesirable situations from occurring, you must take proper care of your gutters.
Make sure you keep your gutters clean before the winter season. Contact Pittsburgh gutter cleaners Call Pittsburgh Service to get service now.