Gutter Guards And Ice Dams

Why do gutter guards have problems with ice dams and icicles.

Gutter guards and ice dams.

The more feet of overhang on your roof the greater the potential for big ice dams forming. 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. Gutters just allow the ice to crawl a bit further past the edge of your roof overhang. But if the combination of poor attic insulation poor ventilation and heavy snow causes an ice dam as so often happens you may rue the day you gave your gutters a hat.

It s not that gutters and or gutter guards cause ice dams. This allows the thick heavy ridges of ice along your roof s eaves to form. However in some cases gutter guards can actually be the cause of the ice damn in your gutters. There are features that can be found on these products that actually protect against ice build up.

Traditional gutter guards are typically installed to your roof and attached to your existing gutter system. They are higher in cost than conventional gutter covers but are the first choice in areas where ice and snow are a way of life. Leaf guards that sit in the gutter or don t pitch with the roof are more likely to create a shelf for ice buildup to occur. Gutter guards will prevent debris from getting in your gutters which can alleviate ice dams but they still often freeze during the year s coldest months.

Gutter guard ice dams people get really really angry when the gutter guard they install suddenly creates icicles when they never had them before. They hang over the gutter trough preventing leaves from entering the system and ensuring rainwater flows freely through your gutters. Ice dam solution can be used in conjunction with gutter topper hott topper the leaf terminator the needle guard and the solution series product preventing damage due to heavy ice and snow buildup. Ice dam solution is composed of 100 solid aluminum panel formed into 4 foot lengths by 4 3 4 inches wide with a specially designed channel that contains a 120 volt self regulating heat cable.

They don t as i ve written. Unfortunately these gutter guards aren t always the most durable or structurally sound. There is no way for the homeowner to know if icicles will be small or quite large too many variables are at play every time it snows. In essence they extend the area of your overhang.

Icicles and ice dams are more a function of roof insulation and ventilation. It is a common experience for customers in northern climates to experience ice dams and severe icicle formation after installing gutter guards or gutter screens. The first response by worried homeowners is to call the gutter guard installation company and ask why this is happening. Heated gutters guards are the best choice as they melt any ice or snow immediately and never allow the ice dam to form.