Tips for Preventing Icicles Above Your Doorways
Once the cold weather hits, your house can turn into a danger zone if icicles grow long and sharp. Worse, the buildup of ice in your gutters and along the edge of your roof means that your roof may be damaged by the end of winter. The tips below can help you protect your family and your property. Just don't wait until winter to address these issues!
1. Protect and clean your gutters
The simplest way to know if your gutters need attention is to walk around your house and review the outside of the gutter for signs of dripping. Unless the rain has been extremely heavy, rain should run down your gutters and out the downspout. If rain is running over the edge of your gutter, there's either a blockage or a problem with a drain angle. This may be even easier to see if you walk around the house during a gentle rainfall.
Water weighs 8 pounds per gallon. A full gutter that doesn't drain is putting a lot of pressure on your home. Getting your gutters cleaned before winter is a crucial step in preventing icicles and avoiding ice dams. The professionals at Gutter Shell can help you both clean your current gutters and cover them so leaves and debris don't build up in the future. If you choose to clean your own gutters, start with the downspout. Once it's flowing freely, you can move your ladder down to the other end of the gutter and flush out the debris. Finally, flush out the downspout again.
2. Address your attic
Ice dams often happen because your attic is not well-insulated. Because heat rises, a poorly insulated attic means that snow and ice is constantly melting against the surface of your roof. In addition to having a very cold living space, a poorly insulated attic can lead to roof damage. This moisture runs down the roof and catches on the edge, forming an ice dam.
Another problem can occur when your attic is not properly ventilated. Poor ventilation can lead to mold growth over time. A conversation with NewPro Home Solutions about simple ways to vent your attic through the gables of your home can save you a great deal of risk and expense.
3. Study your eaves as well as your gutters
During a gentle rain, take a walk around your home. Where does the water run off, and where does it drip? What's happening to the soil around your home as water runs off your roof?
If you have a side along one side of your home where water drips and stands, you'll have a slippery walkway throughout the winter. Installing heat tape along that edge of your home can prevent ice dams, and keeping sand and de-icer available will keep the sidewalk safer.
We can't avoid winter, but we can make sure that our homes are as protected as possible. Check out other ideas from TheHomeMag for protecting your home from winter damage on our Facebook and Instagram pages.
