Protect Your Gutters During the Winter

With the cool winds of winter fast approaching (if they haven’t hit you already), you might think that at least you won’t have to worry about clogged gutters anymore! The leaves may have fallen, and the rain may have stopped, but truthfully the winter season can be the harshest time of year for your gutters.

Protecting your gutters in anticipation of ice damage in the winter is extremely important. By taking a few extra steps, you are insuring that come spring, your gutters are still fully functioning.

Here are some simple steps that you can take to save yourself from costly repairs and replacements:

• Secure the gutters. Taking the time to make sure that gutters are secured to the home will prevent ice from building between them and your home. When water seeps in and freezes, it expands and pushes the gutters out, prying them off of the home. That means when snow and ice begins to also build on top of the gutters, they aren’t secured and will just fall right off!
• Clean the gutters. This might seem obvious, but many people think that once the leaves stop falling that you no longer have to maintenance and clear out the gutters. Not true! Iced-over leaves left behind in the gutters and downspouts will inevitably cause damage when the temperature drops.
• Fasten the shingles. Wait, I thought we were talking about gutters! If you see shingles flapping and coming loose on your roof, then it’s just one more opportunity for water to get in, freeze, expand, and cause damage. Loose shingles placed overtop of gutters can also cause water to get behind the gutters and pull them away from the house.
• Install heating cables. It may be a little costly, but it’s a great investment in the long run when you think about the repeated repair/replacement costs of gutters. Heating cables will keep most of the snow and ice from even reaching your gutters in the first place.