Frozen Rain Gutters

Over time the ice may back up into your gutters themselves thereby creating extra weight on your entire guttering system.

Frozen rain gutters.

Once the ice has melted it will drop the remaining ice through the spout. If the frozen portion of your downspout is on the ground level and if it is near an outlet you can simply plug in your hairdryer to an extension cord and warm up the portion of the downspout that has become frozen. When winter storms hit gutters and downspouts sometimes freeze into solid blocks of ice and homeowners understandably worry about gutters pulling away from the roofs or ice dams forming. This can lead to your gutter and downspout tearing away from your roof or siding leading to more costly and larger problems such as water leaks and improper drainage.

Frozen downspouts can cause costly damage however consistently frozen or frozen solid downspouts may require immediate attention especially if weather conditions will be less than ideal for the foreseeable future. Many contractors employ equipment that injects steam and or hot water into your gutters and through your downspouts to get rid of ice. The only sure fire way to melt the ice in frozen gutters is to hire a professional. If you see awesome quantities of ice collecting in your gutters and your downspouts are frozen you may want to take evasive action.

When it forms the water then backs up behind the ice dam and creates a pool of water. Consistently frozen downspouts require immediate attention. Unfortunately dealing with frozen gutters is rarely simple or inexpensive. Over time the ice can back up into your gutters creating additional weight on your entire gutter system.

The tried and true method is to fill a stocking with ice melt and put it in the gutter. An ice dam is a wall of ice that forms at the edge of the roof usually at the gutters or soffit. Clear and check the flow in your gutters sometime in the fall after the leaves have fallen and before the cold sets in. The only foolproof way to melt the ice in your gutter is to hire an ice dam removal company who will use steam to heat and melt the ice and clear your gutters.