Did Winter Beat Your Gutters Up?

Protect Your Home’s Gutter System From Winter Damage

Winter weather in Ohio can certainly take a toll on your gutters and downspouts. If your gutter system is not properly maintained or is in a state of disrepair, winter weather exacerbates any existing issues and causes a lot of damage. Recently, we got a call from a customer who joked, “Winter beat up my gutters!” Winter is the toughest of the four seasons and the fluctuation in temperatures wreaks havoc on your home. For example, heavy snowfall can accumulate in gutters and add weight to them, potentially causing them to sag or pull away from the house. Additionally, ice dams form when snow on the roof melts and then refreezes in the gutters. This causes water to back up under shingles and enter the home, which damages your interior. Although winter is a tough season for your home, there are proactive ways to safeguard your gutter system and be prepared for whatever winter has in store. Here are a few ways to make sure your gutters don’t get “beat up” by winter. 

Maintain Your Gutter System: It's important to make sure your gutters are in good condition and properly maintained before winter weather arrives. This includes regular gutter cleaning to prevent debris buildup and checking for any damage that needs to be repaired. Even the smallest number of debris can clog a gutter or downspout. Birds’ nests, clumps of leaves, or even a few pine needles are all that’s needed to plug your rain gutters. Your system should be cleaned at least three times per year, once in the spring, summer, and fall. This will provide sufficient protection and minimize clogging. The Gutter Boys offers Gutter Cleaning Service Plans that put your gutter maintenance on autopilot, so missed cleanings never happen. 

Strengthen Your Gutter System: If you live in an area that receives heavy rain, snow, and ice, consider installing larger downspouts to accommodate more water flow. Replacing smaller downspouts with oversized 3x4 inch downspouts helps to prevent overflowing gutters and potential water damage to your home's foundation. Also, make sure your gutters are properly sloped towards the downspouts. This will ensure that water flows smoothly and does not get trapped in improperly pitched gutters, potentially causing them to overspill. Lastly, installing brackets or hidden gutter hangers helps support the weight of the gutters and prevent them from sagging or pulling away from your home during the winter. This technique of adding additional hangers is called a gutter tune-up. Older spike and ferrule systems require this intervention often.  

Install a new Gutter Guard System: Installing gutter guards or screens mitigates the number of debris such as leaves, twigs, seed pods, and other materials from entering and clogging your gutters. Keeping debris from clogging the system will help maintain the proper water flow in the gutters. The function of rain gutters is to manage water through them and away from your home. Guards help to preserve the function of water flow. When water flows where it shouldn’t, damage in the form of rotten fascia boards, rafter tails, and roofing is likely. Additionally, installing the right gutter protection will add box-like strength to the existing gutters, making them much stronger and able to hold more weight. That’s important during winter months when ice is a challenge. 

Add Heating Cables to your Gutter System: Adding heating cables to your gutter system helps prevent ice dams from forming in the first place. Remember, snow can accumulate on your roof and if the temperature is cold enough, the snow can freeze and turn into ice. Heating cables are a lifesaver when ice forms. The cables are placed on the roof, in the gutters, and in roof valleys. When they are turned on automatically, they generate heat that melts the snow and ice. This allows water to flow freely through your gutters and downspouts, preventing those huge, dangerous icicles. Gutter heating cables are particularly helpful for homes with steep roofs or in areas with heavy snowfall. They can also be beneficial for homes with poor insulation or inadequate ventilation, as these factors can contribute to ice dam formation. It's important to note that heating cables are not a substitute for proper insulation and ventilation, which can help prevent ice dams from forming in the first place. Nonetheless, they can be a helpful addition to your gutter system.

So, by cleaning your gutters, strengthening them, adding gutter guards, or installing heating cables, you can ensure that your gutters don’t get beat up by “Old Man Winter.” Gutters are one of the easiest household items to neglect, but when you do, the cost is extreme. Being proactive with your gutter system is the single best way to make sure it’s functioning like it should year-round.

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