Why are Icicles hanging from your Gutter Guards a good thing?
If you have recently installed gutter guards and woke up to see icicles hanging from your gutter, you are probably wondering if this is the first time it has happened.
Over the years, I have heard from many homeowners who are upset because their new gutter guard system has allowed icicles to form and is no longer working properly.
I've read reviews and comments that say gutter guards are useless because icicles are forming on the edge of the gutter where they haven't before.Homeowners who have spent a lot of money on gutter guards are convinced that the only way to get rid of icicles is to remove them.
I am here to tell you that icicles forming from your gutter guards is a good thing.
If you have enough snow and ice in your gutter, icicles will form, but the formation of icicles on homes with gutter guards will be more likely.Icicles will form on your gutter if the rain or snow falls from the sky and you have gutter guards installed.
There are some legitimate reasons why having icicles hanging from your gutter guards is a nuisance, like water dripping onto the ground in front of an entry door or along a walkway, but there are also reasons that it is healthy for your home.
If you don't have gutter guards, you should assume your gutter is clean so water can navigate through it and away from your home.
Water will no longer flow through your gutter once the weather gets cold.The amount of rain that falls depends on the thickness of the ice.The snow will quickly accumulate inside your gutter and fill it.
Depending on the amount of snow fall and the temperature the next day, there will be thaw and refreezing.Some snow will flow out of the gutter while the rest will refreeze and turn into ice.
If you don't have any more snow in the next few days, the ice will melt and your gutter will work normally.
If you continue to experience sub-zero temperatures and snow mounts, the amount of snow and ice will expand until it overflows the gutter.Once the build-up of snow and ice in your gutter reaches the top edge, most thaw will occur on the surface, which means that water will flow from the front and back of the gutter at night.
The melting snow on the roof will cause a thicker layer of ice to form above the gutter edge, and icicles will grow in size.This is the point at which ice damming becomes an issue because if the ice that forms inside your gutter backs up underneath the shingles, it is more likely to penetrate the roof deck, enter your home's interior, and cause ceiling and wall damage.
In a video on their YouTube channel, the insurance experts suggested putting socks on the roof shingles and hanging them over the edge of the gutter.I thought they would place the socks parallel with the gutter, but they didn't.
Water follows the path of least resistance, so the salt-filled sock will melt the snow and ice, creating a channel for the water to flow to the bottom of the sock.
The salt socks are similar to icicles and can be used to get rid of ice dams.
The opening of your gutter is covered by gutter guards.Most snow and ice will not enter your gutters if your gutter covers are solid, perforated aluminum or screen.Since snow and ice forms on top of the gutter guard surface, you are more likely to see icicles form right before your eyes, and this worries people.
Most ice and snow can't get into your gutter.As the sun shines onto your roof, it will melt the snow and ice on the surface level first, which means the icicles will disappear and the gutter will be free flowing immediately rather than after days or weeks of thaw and refreezing.
The huge weight of ice and snow inside the gutter won't bother them, so they will stay firmly attached to your home and continue to provide years of reliable service.
You might not like the sight of icicles but, given a little time, they will melt along with the snow and spring will be here before you know it.
Do you agree or disagree with this post?We want to hear about your experiences with icicles forming on your gutter.You can leave your comments here.