How to De Ice Gutters

Ice in gutter.

Excessive amounts of ice in a gutter can cause the gutter to pull off the fascia board. In addition, icicles above walkways pose potential harm to anyone walking underneath the gutter area. Increasing attic insulation to prevent heat from entering the attic or installing better ventilation in the attic can reduce roof melt and ice in gutters. However, short-term solutions to de-ice gutters are often necessary to clear the gutters of ice to reduce the risk of damage to the gutter and potential harm to people walking under the gutters.

Things You'll Need

• Heat tape
• Stocking
• Rock salt
• String

Instructions

Rock Salt

1. Fill a stocking with rock salt and tie the top shut with a piece of string.

2. Place the stocking on the ice in the gutter.

3. Reposition as needed or use multiple stockings to de-ice a large area of gutters.

Heat Tape

1. Place heat tape on the ice in the gutter.

2. Plug the heat tape in to a ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) protected outlet, which is outlet that will interrupt the electrical current in the event that water enters the outlet. A GFCI outlet will have "Test" and "Reset" to ensure that the outlet is functioning properly. Hang a loop of the heat tape cord below the outlet so that water running down the cord drips off the bottom loop rather than run down the cord and directly into the outlet.

3. Reposition as needed to de-ice large areas of gutter.

Tips & Warnings

• Place rock salt filled stockings or heat tape in areas that frequently ice up before winter to prevent the gutters from icing up through the season.

• Be careful when positioning a ladder below gutters. Make sure the ladder feet are located on secure ground and have someone hold the bottom of the ladder to be sure it cannot slide in icy, winter conditions.

• Knock down sharp icicles if needed to reduce risk of injury from falling icicles.

References

• This Old House: Cure for Ice Dam
• Ask the Builder: Gutter Ice
• Mother Earth News: Ice Damming
• U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission: GFCIs Fact Sheet