Gutter Maintenance and ICE Dam Prevention:

Gutter Maintenance and ICE Dam Prevention:

 If you live in a cold climate, chances are you've seen ice buildup on your gutter. Those pieces of ice can start in the gutter and slowly spread up to the roof. Although Ice and Water Guard can protect your roof from ice dams, All About Gutters INC. provides you the best solutions that can prevent ice dams as well.

The types of gutters

Half Round Gutters: These gutters look like round pipes cut in half. They were once a popular form of gutter, but have since become inconvenient. Half round gutters are cheaper than other styles, but are the least effective. In fact, they only hold half the water that a K-style gutter can hold. However, half-round gutters may still be seen on historic homes.

K-Style Gutters: K- Style gutters have a square bottom with a flare on one side. From the outside, they look similar to crown molding. Type K gutters hold more water than half round gutters and are therefore a better choice for homes in colder areas. They can be 5 to 8 inches wide.

Wide Bottom/Fask Style Gutters: Some home styles do not work well with K-Style gutters. Fascia style gutters are more common in cold climate areas. They have a similar flat bottom, but their outer edge is straight. Also, with a flat outer face, they can be made narrower, so they stand out less.

Gutters also vary by construction:

Sectional gutters: Most homeowners are familiar with sectional gutters. They are shipped in short lengths and snap together during installation. Every joint, where two lengths of gutters meet, is a weak point that leaks or sags over time. However, sectional gutters are faster and easier to install.

Seamless Gutters: These gutters are continuous and have no seams. Instead, they are custom cut to the exact size the house requires. Corners can be welded or bolted. As a result, there is no weak point where a leak will inevitably not arise. Seamless gutters are best in cold weather areas, as leaky seams can freeze and pull the entire gutter apart. However, these gutters are more expensive and difficult to install.

Gutter manufacturers use a number of different materials to create their products, includes:

Plastic/vinyl: Many homes have vinyl gutters because they are the least expensive and easiest to install. However, vinyl is a weaker material that cannot withstand much force. It shrinks in cold weather and is more prone to cracking than other materials. You will need to replace them every 10 years, if you are in a cold climate.

Aluminum: Aluminum gutters are stronger and less prone to rust than vinyl. Unlike vinyl, aluminum gutters can be seamless and paintable. In cold climates, you'll need a heavier gauge of aluminum gutter, 0.32-inch or 0.27-inch.

Steel: If you need a stronger gutter, steel is a good choice. Steel gutters must be galvanized to resist rusting in wet conditions. You may have to reapply a top coat every five years if you are in a very wet or salty area.

Copper: Copper gutters are always seamless and the corners are welded together. They resist rust, do not sag and do not bend under the pressure of the ladder. Most homeowners appreciate the look of copper gutters, but they may not work on some home styles.

Wood: Wood is a traditional gutter material that few modern homes can benefit from. Wooden gutters are not only expensive, but they also leak and rot quickly. You may see wooden gutters on historic properties.

Components of a gutter system

Gutters are not enough to direct water away from your home on their own. Instead, they are part of a system.

End Caps: These flat caps prevent water from running out of the gutters.

Gutter Brackets: Also called fascia brackets, these brackets hold the gutter up to the wall. There are many different styles that work for different types of fascia or gutters. Some are nailed to the fascia or side of the house and provide a platform for the gutter to rest on. Others support the top edge of K-style gutters instead of wrapping underneath.

Downspout: Also called a downspout, a downspout is a pipe that allows water to flow out of the gutter and into the ground. Round downspouts are used for semicircular gutters, while square downspouts match Type K gutters.

Downspout Bracket: These are simple aluminum or metal brackets that wrap around the downspout to hold it securely to the side of the house. They can be decorative.

Elbow/Shank: At the end of the downspout is a short section of pipe that bends like an elbow (or looks like a shank). This section of pipe is meant to direct water away from the foundation of the house. Gutter reeds can also be decorative.

Downspout Extension: The slope of a home, or the surrounding landscape, can direct water back into the foundation. To avoid this problem, you can use a downspout extension to carry water further away from the house and past problematic slopes.

Downspout Gutter Diverter: During heavy rains, water can rush out of downspouts, eroding the landscape. To avoid this problem, you can place a downspout diverter directly under the shank. It is a fan-shaped piece of plastic, concrete or metal that spreads the water, so its impact is not as damaging.

Gutter Guards: Gutter Guards are screens that are placed on top of the gutter to prevent leaves and other debris from falling through. There are many different styles of gutter guards, including mesh and solid panels that leave just a little room for water to enter the gutter.

 

The Cause of Ice Buildup on Gutters

Clogged or slow running gutters cause ice buildup. The reason is simple. Have you ever left your faucet running, just a little bit, to prevent the water in your pipes from freezing during exceptionally cold weather? We do this because it takes much lower temperatures to freeze running water than it does to freeze standing water. Water normally runs down gutters and therefore very rarely freezes until it is on the ground.

However, if your gutters are draining slowly, they are more likely to freeze. If there is standing water in your gutters, as a result of a clog, the water will freeze as soon as temperatures drop below freezing.