How to Avoid an Ice Dam in a Gutter
When the weather gets cold, there are certain areas of your home that can become damaged by ice formations. For example, the heat coming from inside your home will melt the snow that falls on your roof. This snow will drain into your gutters, which don't get the same amount of heat. Then, the melted snow turns into ice. Expanding ice can crack a gutter system as well as block it up so that it is no longer functioning and protecting your home from water damage. Does this Spark an idea?
Things You'll Need
- Broom
- Caulk
- Insulation
- Staple gun
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Instructions
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Clear snow from your roof when it's safe to do so. Less snow means less chance of ice dams forming in the gutters. The safest way to accomplish this is by using a broom out the window, not climbing a ladder.
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Look all around your attic below your roof for any areas that can allow air leakage. Air leakage will allow the roof to warm up, melting the snow and causing ice dams in the gutters. When you find air leaks use caulking to seal them.
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Purchase new insulation for your attic. The insulation should have an R-value of at least 38, which measures how effective it is at retaining heat.
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Add a 12-inch layer of the insulation to your attic between the roof joists. The better insulated your roof and attic, the more you will be able to avoid ice dams.
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Secure the insulation using a staple gun. You might need to add several layers to get to 12 inches.
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References
- Photo Credit Photos.com/Photos.com/Getty Images
