How to Remove Ice Gutters from Your Home

With the arrival of winter, rain, snow, ice, and below-freezing temperatures are right around the corner. If they haven’t already hit your home, it’s just a matter of time. Though everyone tries to prepare the best they can, what do you do when preparing isn’t enough? What happens when freezing rain covers your home and leaves you encased in a frosted wonderland? Or your gutters freeze up solid? Read on for all you need to know for removing ice gutters from your home.

Rake Snow Away

If you have an ice dam building up on your roof, you cannot ignore it and assume it will go away. Ice gutters will continue to build up if left. When ice dams are left to continue growing, they pose a threat to you, your family, and the structure of your house. The first thing you need to do is get rid of any excess ice on your home. Use a snow rake to remove any snow packed up on your roof. Be sure to use long vertical strokes, pulling the snow downward. Using a side-to-side motion could damage your roof.

Clear the Ice

Once you’ve cleared the snow away, you’ll get to the ice layer. This next step is essential for getting at the ice forming your ice dam. Ensure complete safety during this step. Having a second person to steady the ladder is necessary. Reach the ice dam with a ladder and use an ice pick to chip away at excess ice. It’s best to begin at the gutters and work your way up the roofline. Chip away until you have a channel for melted snow and ice to travel down.

Use a De-Icer

De-icers are chemical products that melt ice slowly. This is not a quick solution, so expect to wait while these products work. De-icers can be found in any hardware store. These chemicals will drain through the gutters with your melted ice, so be sure your runoff areas can handle chemicals such as calcium magnesium acetate and potassium chloride.

Warm Water

For a quick solution, pour or spray hot water onto the area of ice build-up. If you are dealing with freezing temperatures while melting ice, you’ll want to use de-icing products at the same time to ensure the ice stays melted and begins to flow. Placing a stocking or pair of pantyhose filled with de-icer will help your ice meltdown while you use hot water at the same time.

Contact Us Today

If you need to install new gutters on your home this winter, our team at Oceanside Exteriors is ready to assist! Our team can be reached over the phone by calling us at (207) 310-7659 or by filling out the team’s online contact form! We look forward to hearing from you and assisting with your team’s exterior remodeling services!