Frozen Rain Gutters

An ice dam is a wall of ice that forms at the edge of the roof usually at the gutters or soffit.

Frozen rain gutters.

Gutter cleaners explain how ice builds up in your gutters and how to prevent it. 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. This pool of water can leak into your home and cause damage to walls ceilings insulation and other areas.

Many contractors employ equipment that injects steam and or hot water into your gutters and through your downspouts to get rid of ice. Consistently frozen downspouts require immediate attention. The only sure fire way to melt the ice in frozen gutters is to hire a professional. 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.

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. Unfortunately dealing with frozen gutters is rarely simple or inexpensive. If you see awesome quantities of ice collecting in your gutters and your downspouts are frozen you may want to take evasive action. 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.

The tried and true method is to fill a stocking with ice melt and put it in the gutter. You can also have a heating panel system installed. When it forms the water then backs up behind the ice dam and creates a pool of water. Over time the ice may back up into your gutters themselves thereby creating extra weight on your entire guttering system.