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How to reduce cold and snow damage to your gutters
With snow already hinted to arrive in the UK as early as the next few weeks, it’s now time to consider how the cold and inclement weather will affect your property’s guttering. Once a thaw sets in, mounds of snow can slide down the roof and can take anything in their path with them, including guttering.
Preventing gutter damage
The formation of icicles can cause major damage to gutters, putting extra pressure on them and resulting in warping and cracking under the additional weight. Gutters, which have become clogged with ice, can lead to the formation of an ‘ice dam’ up on the roof. The result of this is serious water damage to the building, which can leak inside and damage goods and equipment stored nearby.
Melting snow can also cause issues if it doesn’t drain effectively, resulting in pools forming around the foundation of the building and leading to leaks into the basement and underground areas. In order to best avoid serious damage from snow or ice, there are a number of preventative measures which can be taken ahead of the cold snap.
Gutter repairs
Ensuring that the gutters on your property are well cared for, and repairs are regularly completed is crucial ahead of the winter months. If your gutters are in a sorry state of repair when the cold weather arrives, it can result in cracks, splits and the resulting damage affecting your property. If your property gutters are not in good working order, water can quickly find its way inside the building, resulting in inventory and equipment suffering damage and halting business processes.
Maintenance and cleaning
Too many issues arise with guttering due to lack of regular cleaning and maintenance. In order to most effectively do their job, gutters and downspouts need to be regularly cleared to ensure that debris doesn’t cause blockages. Extra weight in the gutters, caused by a build-up of leaves and debris, can put pressure on the outside of the building resulting in the gutter coming away from the wall or overflowing when rain or snow occurs.
It’s always advisable to employ the services of a professional gutter cleaning specialist, to ensure that the process is carried out in a way which is safe and also ensures no damage occurs to your building or gutters. During the cleaning process, a gutter professional can also determine if there are any areas of concerns within your guttering and recommend and undertake any repairs or maintenance.
Snow removal from the roof
In order to prevent ice dams, you can remove the snow from the roof as a preventative measure. A professional can work at height to remove snow build up on your building’s roof, in order to reduce ice dams forming and affecting the guttering. These can cause leaks into the building and put a considerable amount of stress on your roof too. The end result of this is leaking into the building and broken or damaged guttering. If you notice snow mounds forming on your roof and are worried about the damage they may cause, it is important to employ the help of a professional to prevent further damage occurring to your property.