Ice on the Roof is Frozen, but why is Water Dripping From the Gutters?

So, winter has taken its toll on a good part of the country and here it is February, many of us are still under ice and snow. As you’re looking out a window wishing it was spring, you see ice and snow still on roof tops and the ground, but there is water dripping from your gutters. With temps well below freezing, you know it isn’t melting ice or snow.

Chances are there is water built-up in your gutters and frozen. Dependent on the gutter size, water left standing that freezes adds six to eight pounds per foot. When that extra weight is combined with expanding ice that is behind the gutters, they tend to come off.

How do you Keep This From Happening?

Clean those leaves out of your gutters twice a year. Leaf accumulation is the number one reason melted ice and rain freezes in the gutters. The leaves fall and pile up, clogging the inside of the gutters and then the rain pushes the leaves to the downspouts, gets settled and clogs up the downspout. You also need to make sure your gutters are properly pitched and fastened securely to the house. 

If you aren’t able to check and clean your gutters yourself, it is well worth the cost of calling a professional contractor to do the job for you.  That expense will save you hundreds, even thousands, of dollars later.

Get That Spring Cleaning Mood Started Up – Time to Clean the Gutters!

Once the cold, snowy, wet winter is over, you don’t want to think about spring cleaning, but it is the best time for cleaning, especially when it comes to your gutters. The gutters on your home are an important part of your home’s health and a vital unpopular chore. Why?

When your gutters are left unchecked and get clogged, it can do a lot of damage. The first thing they do is hold water and standing water is breeding ground for mosquitoes. When gutters are clogged up, the wood rots along the eaves, fascia boards, and soffits and water can back up under the shingles.

The gutters on your home are the mechanism that keeps water moving off the roof and away from your home’s foundation. While that may not seem to be a big issue, 1-inch of rain that comes off your roof accounts for more than 1,000 gallons of water. That can be more than 30,000 gallons of water annually which will fill two swimming pools!

Does the Basement Flood?

The number one cause of basements flooding is clogged gutters. The same is said about foundation damage, too. When the gutters are clogged, the water can’t flow freely, and the gutters fill up then it cascades over the back and front of the gutters. It then streams down along the exterior walls of your home and seeps into the ground. It then will make its way to the foundation or into the basement.

These problems can be avoided by keeping the gutters cleaned out on a regular basis.  If you really hate cleaning those gutters, or you aren’t able to get to them, call a roofer about installing gutter guards.