Winter time is upon us and we really need to talk about the nasty causes and effects of ice build-up in your gutter system, before we discuss this often neglected home and business disaster let’s get real!
It’s time to have that conversation: Let’s talk about Ice: “ICE…AINT NICE!”
If you are part of the 70 percent of The U.S. of A. that lives in snow regions, then you know a thing or two about ICE.
Besides the National Hockey League (Go Blackhawks!), nothing good comes from Winter Ice. From Icey roads to frozen pipes, we have zero tolerance for ice. If it isn’t in a freezer or a cup, ice will end up in a bad location.
Causes and effects of ice build-up in your gutter system.
Ice Buildup can be tricky but there are many common issues that contribute to ice buildup in your gutters. Here are a few we feel you should know about. (i.e. measures we can take to prevent Ice-build up when it comes to your home).
Ice build-up causes Clogged Gutter
The most common Ice buildup contributor is clogged gutters; simply put, IF there is no room in the gutter for the water from the melting snow to flow through the gutter, THEN the overflow will freeze!
Improper Ventilation in Attic
Another Contributor to Ice buildup is having Improper ventilation in the attic. IF there are not enough air vents on the roof THEN certain sections of the attic will get too hot, melting the snow on the roof. Also, the freezing temperatures outside will cause the water to freeze almost immediately when it gets to the roofline since there is no heat in the roofline.
Size of Downspout can cause Ice blockage
IF there is not enough downspout or the downspout is not big enough to handle the square footage of the roof THEN the melting snow will freeze inside of the downspout causing it to overflow and buildup ice.
Size of Storm
This one may seem obvious but IF the storm lasts long enough and depending on where the sun is during and after the storm THEN snow will pile in one location. Usually it will be where the roof is warmer and flow towards an area where the roof is colder, causing it to freeze.
Improperly Sloped Gutter system
Sometimes it’s easy to spot when a gutter is improperly sloped because it’s obviously hanging. Even a minor 1-inch low spot can cause ice-build up if a downspout isn’t there to drain the water. IF your gutters are improperly sloped THEN water from the melting snow will accumulate on the low spot. It will then begin to freeze in low temperatures, causing ice.
SOLUTION: Anticipate the danger of ice build-up and act fast
Again, Ice Buildup can be tricky but there are measures we can take to prevent common ice-build up on our homes. If you’d like to prevent icicles, ice dams or any ice build-up, we suggest that all home-owners prevent the causes for ice build-up mentioned on this blog.
Have any questions read more of our blogs or you can call or contact us online.
The Fall season is upon us and gutter cleaning should be one of your main priorities for your home investment: Here is why.
If there is debris in the gutter and downspout system, there is a list of problems that occur based on certain circumstances.
What you should know before reading on:
Q: What are gutters designed for?
A: Gutters are designed to prevent and divert water from damaging and entering your roof, house and foundation.
Depending on the time of the year, different problems can occur when debris has collected in the system.
Fall is in the air is you gutter cleaning a priority?
Pumpkins, apple cider, cozy sweaters. There is no better season to take a peaceful walk knowing in the back of your mind that you’ve had your gutters cleaned and inspected by Guaranteed Gutters.
Autumn Is Awesome but the leaves are dropping into your gutters
Ok, seriously though. Autumn is awesome. We don’t want you to miss out on a peaceful walk because your gutters are clogged.
Because We Care… Here is a small list to convince to get you Gutters Cleaned during the fall season.
Avoid Critters who creep into your gutters
As summer comes to an end and winter slowly approaches, your clogged system may be featured on the next episode of House Hunters: small critters edition. Birds, squirrels, chipmunks, bugs etc..
Before this becomes a problem we encourage you to complete your gutter maintenance in the fall.
If you still have unplanned visits, you may want to consider Gutter Guards.
Avoiding Water/Ice Damage with gutter cleaning basics
Autumn can have inconsistent weather. Depending on where you live there may be hits of random rain or snow. If your system is clogged with debris, the water from rain showers or melting snow will have nowhere else to go but in your home. The damage to the interior of a house should be prevented at all times.
During our Free Inspection, we make it a priority to access the roofline along with the gutter system.
Avoid Mold with yearly gutter cleaning maintenance
“Out of sight, out of mind” is not the way to go when it comes to bacteria build up. They are small but deadly. Not only do they affect the esthetics of the gutters but they can find there way in the interior of the roof and cause many health issues.
If debris is left to build up, overtime, mold can begin to grow in the attic and compromise the strength of the roof!
These are just a few reasons why we recommend getting your system cleaned and inspected at least 3 times a year. Once in the Spring and Twice in the Fall. We provide maintenance plans for customers that would prefer to not call in every time a cleaning is needed by signing a Gutter Cleaning Contract with us.
NEED HELP?
If you have any questions to help determine on how you can take care of your home’s needs or would like to speak with one of our service specialists about a gutter, downspout or roof repair service, give us a call and we would be happy to answer any questions to help educate you. 0 Likes Share
As a homeowner, have you ever been told, “You need repairs.”?
The above phrase can be unpleasant at first.
From installing missing shingles to sealing downspout splits, gutter repairs at first glance can seem minor and insignificant. However, if not fixed quickly and properly, problem areas can worsen overtime.
Downspout splits for example, while seemingly minor at first, can be problematic if not repaired. Have you ever seen a stream of water? While “insignificant” to some, that same stream of water that seems insignificant, can cause major damage if not channeled properly. Same goes for the water flowing through your gutter system.
Other repairs that seem minor include: Missing Shingles and Nail Pops.
When overlooked, these too can have the capacity to cause major and sometimes altering damages to a home.
From damage to ceilings, paint corrosion, and even causing wood to rot and mold to grow, these are only some of the repercussions of not completing those minor repairs.
Think these sound good? They don’t!
Save yourself time and money and get your minor repairs completed today.
If you are experiencing any of these problems and would like a Free Inspection, contact us at 773-685-95560 Likes Share
While we can’t speak for every contractor, we can share what we at Guaranteed Gutters do.
From completing free inspections to taking photos of problem areas, Because We Care, we aim to make your number one need, our number one priority, always aiming to go the extra mile.
Although a few of the most common problems we come into contact with could have been avoided with a routine gutter and downspout cleaning, by the time we locate the problem area, a repair is needed.
Read on to learn how to spot common problem areas and repair them yourself!
Shingles is a word used for a group of elements that overlap one another in order to cover a roof and in most cases, these elements are installed using four or six nails for securing each element. With time, storms or even high winds, if not taken care of properly, these elements, also known as shingles, will come undone causing water to enter into the home. Our recommendation, replace missing shingles.
While there can be a variety of different reasons as to why exposed wood can occur, one unknown reason for exposed wood are animals. Sometimes, with the right conditions, such as dirty gutters, animals can begin to make their home in gutter systems. When that happens, to get shade or even warmth, animals will then start to burrow into the gutter system and start to eat at the wood behind the gutters/roofline. With the new exposure, animals are then able to secure a new warm place to live, under your roof, behind your gutter system. To fix such problem areas, once you ensure all animals have been removed from the premises, close the openings where the animals can get in and spray the area with animal repellent to help prevent animals from returning to location.
This problem area can be the most damaging. Whenever water is unable to flow through and out the gutter system properly, the two most common locations water causes damage to are: the foundation and roofline/siding. Solution, routine gutter and downspout cleanings via our Maintenance Plans.
For more tips or comments regarding problem areas and how to locate / repair them, feel free to contact us at 773-685-9556.
Because We Care, We have come up with a system that keeps money in your pocket, leaves out of your Gutters and most importantly, keeps our technicians safe while on the job. If you’ve ever wondered “How does a Gutter Cleaning cost get finalized? “ or “How much does a Gutter Cleaning cost?”, we have created a guide to help bring you in on how we work at Guaranteed Gutters.
That way, when scheduling your next Gutter and Downspout cleaning, you are ahead of the game.
Want to learn more about Gutter Covers? Click HERE for more information.
Ever heard of “Out of sight, out of mind?” That’s usually the case with Gutters and Downspouts.
Like anything in life, if problems are not obvious, most times, they’re ignored!
Whether it’s going to the dentist or working out, most times, we’re not doing either of those items until it’s too late. Such as having a toothache or being forced to work out by your physician.
In regards to your gutters and downspouts, waiting too long is bad news and the sooner you get things inspected the sooner you’re less likely to run into damaging problems such as insect infestations,hanging gutters, detached downspouts, missing shingles andmore.
Simply put, the word inspection means, careful examination.
Whenever an inspection is taking place, the idea is that whomever is conducting the inspection, take their time. Here at Guaranteed Gutters, Because We Care, we aim to make every Customer’s need our number one priority.
Specializing in bringing our Customer’s gutter and downspout systems up to par, our Team of professionals are trained and equipped to pinpoint problem areas concerning your gutter and downspout system. Once located, our Team then take photos of any area looking out of the ordinary and from there we are then able to educate our Customers regarding what is happening on their property. From taking photos of any problem areas to completing our 10 Step Property Protection Inspection while onsite, every inspection, and every home is important to us.
Because We Care, check out our 10 Step Property Protection Inspection checklist below to see first hand what we assess while on your property.
Our FREE “10 Step Property Protection Inspection” includes inspecting:
Gutter Support System
Slope Evaluation
Leak Control
Downspout Maintenance
Re-configuring Evaluation
Foundation Protection
Ice Prevention
Wood Preservation
Roof Preservation
Animal Control
And don’t forget, call the Professionals to learn more or schedule your Inspection today. 773.685.9556.
