Winter looks to be here for a while and heavy snows have caused some big problems for those with guttering, especially if the gutters were not cleaned of debris before the heavy snows started to arrive. I know this to be true, because I am guilty this year of not having time to clean up fall leaves as I should have from my gutters.
The issue we have been getting a lot of concern about this season is ice heavy gutters. The problem seems to be worse on the gutters that have fall debris left over but is happening in clean gutters as well. Because the weather has been so weird this season, with heavy snow then warmer days, then cold snaps and more snow. As a result of this type of pattern ice dams have formed in many a gutter including mine.
These ice dams plug up the downspout of the guttering and allow heavy ice and snow to build up in the gutters. Normally this isn't too much of a problem. Gutters are usually designed with enough of a support system to handle being clear full of ice without structurally failing.
What we've been seeing this season is something that does happen but is usually a rare occurrence. Because of the strange snow-thaw-freeze and repeat pattern in many parts of the country, gutters are experiencing in some cases, more load then they can stand. Ice and snow from roof eves become frozen to the ice dams that are already in the gutters. This extra load is causing all sorts of problems.
The sheer weight of the ice and snow can literally rip the guttering from the fascia and cause it to come crashing to the ground. Even worse yet it can partially pull away from the fascia and leave a gap behind which allows water to enter and freeze building an even stronger ice dam on the edge of a roof system. This gap becomes full and builds up pushing up the edge of shingles and allowing ice to creep in under causing damage.
There are some real concerns if water and ice begin to gain entry underneath the shingles that range from rot in the fascia boards and sheeting on the outer edge of the roof to possibly sill and wall damage depending on how much over hang you have. Not to mention interior ceiling and wall damage.
Water damage is not the only concern. Weight can also be a concern. When the ice dams form in the gutters to where snow and ice build up on top above drip edged level there is a real possibility of excess snow load on the roof. The excess ice and snow, (especially ice) weigh a lot more then one might imagine. Normally snow melts off our roofs from thermal seepage from underneath. This is not to say that you have bad insulation, it just how things work, heat naturally rises. Homes with better insulation take a bit longer to melt snow off the roof.
But when it comes to drip edge and overhang which are where this problem occurs, there is no internal heat source to melt the ice and snow that build up, other then the difference in temperature of the water running down the roof from roof surface melt. With the weather pattern of freeze snow and thaw we have been seeing in short snaps, the water running down doesn't have time to sufficiently melt the ice at the edge and gets caught as temperatures begin to drop quickly again. Thus the ice builds up.
Enough said about what causes the problem, now onto what to do about it. I am sad to say, this time of year there are limited options that we could come up with. None are really very pleasant to facilitate. And if your gutters are clogged with debris the options are somewhat limited.
Note: it is strongly recommended that any possible course of action mentioned here be attempted only when mid day temperatures are expected to reach at least 38 °F or 3 °C and preferably only when the sun is shining. Secondly, don't attempt any of the ladder drills by yourself.
The very first thing to do is to get the downspouts open and flowing. This may require the use of a tall ladder. If it is not possible to us a free standing step ladder and an extension ladder or rail ladder is used, do not use the gutter system as a means of leaning support. Ladders and ice do not mix very well, so be sure to have the area where you intend to set the ladder clear of ice and light snow. Deep snow on the other hand can be a plus in aiding to stabilize the ladder. If you do set the ladder in snow, it should be more then 4 inches deep. Be sure step the legs down on both sides before mounting the ladder and always have someone to hold and keep it stable while you ascend.
Once you get up the ladder, remove as much snow and ice from directly above the downspout gently by hand as you can. I say gently because with all the extra weight of the snow and ice, you don't want to be putting a lot of downward pressure on the guttering system. If the ice dam is frozen to the edge of the roof, be careful to not damage the edge of the shingles as you removed the ice. You may need a small hammer and chisel or an ice pick to chop the ice away from the downspout opening.
Again be careful not to exert too much downward pressure as you remove the ice. Use a sideways chipping motion if possible. Once you get down to the bottom of the gutter in an area about 6 or 8 inches on either side of the downspout opening, this should be enough. Usually the ice that extends down the spout is only 6 inches or so deep. You can try digging some out or you can do as we did and hall up a small bucket of very hot water and pour over the downspout. If the water doesn't start to flow out the spout you can try tapping on the downspout from just under the gutter and working down a foot or so to help develop a flow. Once a flow begins, even a small one, the offending dam of ice will soon be popping out the bottom of the spout. Sometimes it may be necessary to pour more then one bucket of hot water down the spout
Once the downspouts are open and flowing, for those whose gutters are not clogged with debris, the rest is a matter of hooking up a garden hose and spraying water on the offending areas until the ice dams melt and water is flowing out the downspouts. Once water begins to flow underneath and around the ice in the gutter, you shouldn't have much more problem. Usually the ice in the gutters is quite porous because it was loosely formed with snow before it turned to ice. Melting it with water doesn't take too long, but it's not instantaneous either. You need only do those areas of gutting that have ice dam problems. Most often these seem to be on shaded or eastern exposures.
Continue to spray water on the ice build up on the roof until there is a clearly visible area between the ice on the roof and that which is left in the gutter. Hopefully the weather will cooperate and the natural melting process will clear the gutter out.
For those that have debris in the gutters and an ice dam problem, there may have no other solution but to clean out each section of gutter between straps by hand. Wait until temperatures outside reach a point to promote natural melting as stated earlier and try to break the ice out of the offending sections of guttering one section at a time. Be very careful to break the ice back under the drip edge away from the roof or you could end up pulling up shingles as you try to remove the ice. Clean the offending debris from the gutter as you go. Rubber gloves over insolating gloves might be a good suggestion because the water and debris in the gutter will be very cold.
Again, only be concerned with sections that are problematic. If the weight of ice has caused any gaps or sags, pulling guttering down and away from the fascia, it may be necessary to find some way to temporarily re-attach it or bend it back in place. Personally any major repairs I would do my best to patch up and leave till warmer weather in the spring to tackle.
If you do have areas where ice dams have caused problems, don't forget to inspect those areas carefully for damage when warmer weather makes doing so a more pleasant task.
Scott Best is a freelance author in association with New Roof Site.Com More information and Resources about Roofing and Guttering can be found at New Roof Site.Com Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Scott_Best |
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