Gutter To Roof Ice

Mount gutters and leaders securely to the building using hangers at 16 on center.

Gutter to roof ice.

Don t go out there with a hammer and try to chisel the ice out. This phenomenon is called an ice dam and according to the university of minnesota the water that backs up behind the dam can leak into a home and cause damage to walls ceilings insulation and other areas. If snow and ice build up high enough in the gutter it can provide a foundation for an ice dam. In fact once your gutters are frozen solid the best thing to do is nothing and just wait for a thaw.

The flatter the pitch of the roof the easier it is for an ice dam to get a grip. Gutters at the eaves can also trap snow and ice. You can do a lot of damage to your gutters this way. Measure the length of your roof line.

There the water freezes gradually growing into a mound of ice. One side effect of installing gutter guards on your horizontal runs is they can help to generate ice sickles and dams as water freezes during the winter. Eaves are notoriously cold and unheated. Measure the depth of the eave overhang from the edge of the roof not the gutter straight back to the outside wall.

This happens when ice backs up in your gutters and onto your roof causing water to back up behind the ice. The snowmelt freezes on the overhang creating an ice dam and then the melted water backs up into the warmer roof area doesn t freeze and seeps into your home. If you are dealing with frozen ice gutters the first thing you should do is have patience. If the eave is between 12 and 24 inches deep multiply the roof line measurement by 5 3.

And this is where the confusion. You should have a roofing professional check your roof insulation during the fall. Gutters have a tendency to collect leaves and other debris and that makes gutter guards an important part of your roof s drainage system. Upgrade your insulation to prevent the warm air in your home from escaping through the roof partially melting snow on the roof and creating an ice dam in your gutters.

As long as the water isn t leaking into your home the underlayment in your roof is doing it s good and there s no real reason to panic. Ice dams are created on gutters when the hot air from inside your home rises through the roof. If the eave overhang is 12 inches deep multiply the roof line measurement determined in step 1 by 4.