Common Winter Gutter Problems
Fully functioning gutters are a critical part of protecting your home’s foundation from water damage. However, since they are so easily forgotten and overlooked, it’s quite common for them not to get the attention they deserve. While gutter care is important all year round, the winter season brings on its own unique set of issues.
At Iron Horse Gutter Works, our goal is to provide Syracuse homeowners with everything they need to protect their home. Whether that be helpful information, gutter maintenance and repair, or both. In today’s post, we’re going to talk about common winter gutter issues that Syracuse residents could encounter.
Downspout Obstruction
Keeping your gutters free of debris allows water to flow freely away from your home’s foundation. However, when gutters are clogged, downspouts get obstructed. This means that the melted snow and ice won’t flow out of the downspout, but will rather get trapped, re-freeze, and further obstruct the entire system. Keeping your gutters free of debris will allow your downspouts to do their job.
Ice Dams
Another issue that debris-filled gutters will run into during winter months is the formation of ice dams. When your gutters are clogged, they allow water to sit and freeze, rather than carrying the water safely away. When this happens, ice begins to build up into large chunks that just sit there in your gutters.
This built up ice adds a lot of extra weight to your gutter system that potentially won’t melt for weeks at a time. This extra weight allows water to back up under your roof’s shingles causing permanent water damage. On top of that, the extra weight can even cause your gutters to snap off, mandating repairs and rendering them useless.
Icicle Formation
Another problem that clogged gutters have during the winter is the formation of icicles. These icicles form on gutters and hang from your roof, adding additional weight and causing damages to gutter systems.
While some people may appreciate the aesthetics of icicles, the truth is they are more dangerous than you’d expect. Large icicles that fall from the roof can cause a fair bit of damage, even death. In fact, 15 people are killed in the United States each year from icicle-related incidents.
Heavy Snow
Sometimes you do all you can to keep your gutters clean, but when a heavy snow comes, you realize that not everything is under your control. Heavy snows, especially here in Syracuse, can catch even the most thorough gutter cleaners off guard. This is especially true if the snow is wet.
While you can’t stop nature and control the amount of snow that falls, you can stay proactive and clean the snow from your gutters yourself or hire a professional to do it for you.
Protect Your Home With Gutter Maintenance From Iron Horse Gutter Works
If you’re looking for a reliable, trustworthy gutter company in Schenectady to ensure your gutters are taken off all year round, contact Iron Horse Gutter Works. We’ll develop a gutter maintenance plan that fits your unique needs and budget.
And if you really want to fight off the snowy weather and protect your gutters, make sure to ask about our Valor gutter guard system with advanced melt-away technology.
