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HOW TO PREVENT AND REMOVE GUTTER
ICE DAMS

During winters in Southern Utah, ice can easily build up and clog gutters if homeowners don’t take care of it. It’s important to keep your gutters clear, especially during the winter, because heavy ice can easily damage your home’s gutters and shingles. But if you don’t know what you’re doing, preventing and removing ice dams can be dangerous. Here’s how to safely prevent and remove gutter ice dams during the winter:

PREVENTING GUTTER ICE DAMS

If you’re trying to prevent gutter ice dams before they form, one of the best things you can do is use heated cables on your roof. Before ice and snow form on your roof, carefully attach heated

cables in a zigzag fashion along the edge of your roof near the gutters. These heated cables will make it hard for ice to form, which in turn will prevent ice from creating a dam in your gutters. They will also help prevent any shingles leaks caused by ice and snow.

Other preventative methods include installing insulation in your attic to help distribute heat to your roof and gutters, ventilating your eaves and ridges to help create a path for airflow, and sealing and insulating your home’s air ducts.

REMOVING ICE DAMS IN GUTTERS

But if you didn’t get around to preventing gutter ice dams in time, you can still remove them from your gutters. But keep in mind that to prevent damage, you need to remove ice dams as soon as you notice them. Here are some ways for you to remove gutter ice dams from your home:

USE A SNOW RAKE TO REMOVE SNOW

Snow rakes are one of the safest methods for removing ice dams on your own. They are relatively cheap and can be used from ground level, so you will not have to get up on a ladder during the winter. These rakes are great at removing snow. Remember, though, that you need to use them after every snowfall to prevent and remove any ice dams in your gutters.

USE A DE-ICER ON YOUR GUTTERS

Another option to remove any ice dams is chemical de-icers. Hardware stores typically carry calcium chloride de-icers, which you can spray on your roof and gutters to remove any ice dams. Keep in mind that these de-icers do contain chemicals, which can be harmful to plants, so be sure to protect any vegetation near your roof.

HIRE PROFESSIONALS FOR THE JOB

While there are safe and effective methods to prevent and remove ice dams on your own, not everyone feels comfortable doing it. If that’s the case, you can always trust professionals to get the job done. At Affordable Gutter Service in Southern Utah, our experts can efficiently and safely help you remove any ice dams in your gutters. We can also help you with preventative measures to ensure future ice dams don’t form in your gutters. With our friendly and affordable service, you’ll be sure to be satisfied with our results. Give us a call today to have our experts come by your home to help you with your gutter ice dams.