Here in Minneapolis, the winters are historically long and cold, both of which can bring along a decent amount of issues with it, and many of those involve things in or around a home. Gutters can sometimes be the site of some problems, and we at Gutter Maids would like you to be aware of these potential issues so that you can prevent damage to your gutters as well as other areas that can be affected by them.
Problems Minnesota Homeowners Frequently With Gutters in Winter
Icicles
Not only are icicles dangerous because they can fall and cause injuries or even death in some cases but they can weigh down the gutters and damage roofing materials. Depending on their length and weight when they break off, they might even bring a part of the roof with them! Just the weight alone can cause gutters to sag and bend, meaning they won’t work properly to direct water flow around your home and cause potential damage to your foundation.
Ice Dams
These are especially common issues that homeowners in Minneapolis are faced with. Because they can melt and leak water into your roof and home, these ridges of ice that build up at the roof edge above the gutter can cause roofing to be pushed up and cause further issues with the inside of the home. This then causes water damage and mold to build up inside the attic space. Although the cause of ice dams is complicated and has a lot to do with attic ventilation and insulation, clogged gutters contribute to the problem. When water gets trapped in the gutters it will freeze, resulting in even more ice build-up.
Excessive Snow
Since Minnesota is a state that sees a large amount of annual snow, this is one of the biggest issues to think about. Minneapolis gets on average ap 45.3 inches of snow each year, and there are years where the city has over 100 days with at least one inch of snow cover. That’s more than one-fourth of the year!
This weight that is put on a home from all that snow and ice can cause further issues to happen in the house. You don’t want this to weigh down the roof and end up coming through. It’s important to take steps to limit snow build-up. But there’s also a problem when all that snow begins to melt on a warm, sunny day. Your gutters may not be able to handle all that water at once, especially if they are already bent or clogged with leaves and debris left over from the fall. Water can leak behind the gutters, rotting the fascia boards.
Conclusion
Winter is hard on homes in Minneapolis, and gutter problems often arise in tandem. But when you do the proper maintenance throughout the year on the home, and you stay up on snow removal, you shouldn’t have to worry too much about any of these issues. Clean the gutters, reduce the chances of ice dams by having adequate attic ventilation and take down icicles when they are noticed. Call Gutter Maids in Minneapolis if you need further help with gutters. Get a good inspection as a part of your spring maintenance, and then get them repaired or replaced before the heavy spring rains start!