Gutter guards are trendy in spring and fall, but have you ever considered installing them in winter? Installing gutter protection in the winter can benefit your home greatly and prevent damage to your gutter system. It’s a common misconception that leaves fall from all trees during autumn, but not all trees become fully bare in October or November. Depending on the type of tree and region, leaves can stay on trees and clog up your gutters during the winter months of December and January.
Winter protection
Many homeowners wait until spring because winter seems to cause little damage to their gutters and home – but this is not true. The freeze-thaw cycles in winter can destroy your gutters and the structural integrity of your home including leaks into your foundation and ceilings. Without gutter guards, the snow and ice will go through a series of thawing and refreezing during the winter weather. The weight of snow and ice sits in the eavestroughs of your gutters causing them to detach from your home.
Benefits of gutter guards in the winter
Gutter guards are beneficial in the winter because:
- Pest Prevention: Gutter guards keep out pests that either live inside your gutters or use your gutters to gain access into your home.
- Durability: Micro-mesh gutter guards like the ones we install at All American Gutter Protection, are the best at withholding the extreme weather conditions that winter brings to many regions across the United States.
- Longevity: Our gutter guards at All American are made in the U.S.A. with aluminum materials that are built to last for the lifetime of your home.
- Freezing Debris Prevention: Debris can build up in your gutters during the fall and winter seasons which in turn cause them to freeze during the winter. Without guards, you could be noticing ice dams forming on your gutters.
What are Ice Dams?
The formation of an ice dam is as follows:
- During the winter snow falls and builds on top of your roof.
- Snow melts due to warmer temperatures or the heat radiating from your home.
- As the snow melts into the water, it trickles down into the gutters.
- Since the edge of the roof is colder than other parts of the roof, melted water drips down toward the edges and refreezes to form ice dams and icicles that hang over the edge of the roof.
- A dam of ice is created over the gutters or edges of the roofline. This means that additional water that melts and flows downward can become trapped. The trapped water can seep into the attic and cause other types of water damage.
Even in the winter months, you should consider gutter protection. You may even find it more affordable during this time with discounts or estimates. With micro-mesh gutter guards, snow can easily be filtered through to prevent the build-up of water which causes ice dams. If your home is notorious for ice dams or icicles even without gutter guards consider talking to someone about your home’s insulation or an electrician about installing heat cables near your gutters. Either way, your gutter guards should prevent the build-up of debris and ice dams on your home. Contact All American Gutter Protection for a free estimate so we can determine the best course of action for your home this winter.
