Many homeowners face a conundrum when it comes to gutter maintenance. On the one hand, they recognize the importance of keeping their gutters clean. They know that allowing precipitation runoff to flow through their gutters freely will prevent water from pooling around their home and damaging their foundation.
The gutters that encircle your home’s roofline are great for collecting runoff water and preventing it from seeping into the ground next to your home’s foundation. But they won’t do you any good if the water is not successfully directed out of your downspouts and away from your home.
It’s almost winter, and homeowners in snowy climates know what that means: ice dams. Ice dams are, of course, chunks of ice that form on your roof and trap snow melt. The melt freezes, then melts, then freezes, then melts, wrecking your roof, straining your gutters, and generally making the winter as miserable as possible. Fortunately, you don’t have to put up with it, and you can do more to stop it than just shoveling out your downspout and making sure it’s clear. Here are three great ways to ensure the melt goes off your roof and stays off.