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Gutters
& Ice:
Gutter ice happens when the temperature is freezing or below. Ice in
gutters builds as the water hits the cold metal gutters. As additional
water flows into the gutter, a gutter ice dam can form.
Gutter ice is really common in areas that get a significant amount of
snow. There are several factors that contribute to gutters and ice that
accumulates in and above the metal channels.
Ice in gutters form rapidly as the temperature hits 32 F and lower as
metal conducts cold very well. Any water that is in the gutter is often
at the same temperature as the air temperature, unless it's being
heated via direct sunlight and is flowing across shingles warmed by the
sun. The cold water in contact with the cold gutter metal flash
freezes. Any water that then runs across this ice is chilled as well
very rapidly.
A gutter ice dam will start to form if the gutter is in the shade or
its temperature is at or below 32 F as stated above. If additional
super-chilled water flowing down the roof hits the ice forming in the
gutter, it starts to build a layer of ice within the gutter. This can
happen very rapidly, and the buildup of ice can grow an inch or more
per hour just like ice cubes grow in an ice machine.
Gutter ice dams present a clear and present danger to houses. If the
water continues to flow down the roof, the ice grows higher and higher
above the gutter making a true dam structure. The water flowing down
the roof can then back up and flow under the shingles into the house or
through a soffit overhang. Low-pitch or slope roofs are more prone to
interior damage than roofs that are steep. It takes a higher ice dam to
get water to back up into a house that has a steep roof.
When gutter ice melt water contacts cold downspouts, it can freeze and
clog these tubes. Once the downspout clogs with ice, the water from the
roof has nowhere to go but over the top of the gutter. This often
creates massive icicles that can rip the gutters from the house as the
weight of the ice in the gutter as well as the icicles overwhelms the
fasteners used to attach the gutter to the house.
You can prevent leaks from gutter ice melt by installing an ice-dam
membrane under the shingles at the lower edge of the roof. These
membranes will not allow the melt water to flow into the house. It's
best to install these when a new roof is being installed. They can be
installed on an existing house, but the first 4 feet of roofing
material has to be stripped off the roof. The ice-dam membranes get
attached directly to the wood sheathing that's nailed to the roof
rafters or trusses.
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