Winter is coming! Last week we provided area homeowners with some sound advice on how to prevent ice dams from forming in your gutters (good timing!) and we thought we would follow up this week with some general advice for the season. Read further to learn more about how your home’s gutter system will require some extra TLC before the cold snap becomes a local affair lasting longer than a few days in the Lower Mainland.
Five Ways to Prepare Your Gutter System for the Arrival of the Winter Season
1. Clean Them Thoroughly
This is the most obvious tip. While we encourage homeowners to inspect and clean their gutters on a monthly basis throughout the year such a task is especially important with the arrival of winter. However, since snowy and icy conditions may not allow you to climb up on a ladder on as regular a schedule as you may like at this time of the year it is important to give your gutters a very thorough “once over” at the start of December. Clean out any and all debris from your gutters in a concentrated effort.
2. Raise Your Roof by Keeping it Free from Debris
Homeowners truly involved in the upkeep of their home’s exterior may do a fine enough job when it comes to basic level gutter cleaning. However they often neglect the roof, from shingle to weather vane, which is often the bane of a gutter systems’ ability to stay debris free. Using a roof rake and/or other roof sweeping tool ensure that all unintended loose materials are removed from your roof. This also includes any moss that may have formed in the seasons prior, an issue very common to the moist climate in our neck of British Columbia. Be sure to double check your gutters promptly after a roof cleaning as they will have accepted some of the debris run-off. If such a task seems too daunting for members of your household you will want to consider bringing in a professional.
3. Trim Foliage from the Direct Area
Another area often neglected in the gutter damage prevention initiative is with respect to the trees surrounding the home. These natural beasts are often the culprit of debris laden roofs and gutters. When the winter winds blow these trees shed foliage faster than a full grown Siberian Husky. The next thing you know you find yourself having to clean your roof and gutters far more frequently than should be necessary. Take to the tree line surrounding your home and trim areas that overhang or are in close proximity to your gutters. Once again, if you don’t count the likes of a lumberjack in your household unit then using a professional tree-trimming service may be your safest and most efficient bet.
4. Follow Best Practice Tips to Ice Dam Prevention
Ice dams are one of the biggest concerns for the exterior of your home when the climate gets extremely cold. Ice dams are formed when snowmelt from your roof enters your gutters at a point where anything at or below freezing will render it into ice, forming a blockade. As mentioned at the beginning of this article our Vancouver gutter repair company has provided very explicit tips on how to prevent ice dams from occurring. Please follow this advice to the tee to remain free from this serious threat to your gutter system.
5. Have Your Gutters Professionally Inspected and Repaired Where Needed
In the end, the best preparation you can take for the sake of your gutters’ health in the winter is to have the entire system inspected by a professional at the onset of the season. The implications that damaged gutters can have on the exterior of your home are numerous and can be extremely costly. Prevent these “after the fact” expenses from ever occurring by spending far less to invest in a sound inspection of your property’s gutter system. Have any identified issues attended to and repaired promptly. The value of this service extends beyond your gutters, it aids in the overall well-being and worth of your home. If you do indeed reside within the Lower Mainland area we encourage you to contact Aqua Seal for all of your gutter servicing needs. We’ll set your home on a worry-free path for the winter.
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