Whether we want to admit it or not, winter is upon us. There’s a chill in the air and most days require a winter jacket as we bundle up to keep warm. You’ve probably winterized your home’s exterior, doing things to protect it from freezes and harsh winter weather proactively. While you’re getting your exterior prepped for the frigid temps ahead, add winter gutter maintenance to your checklist – you’ll be glad you did!
Gutter systems are a quintessential home component, working hard to protect from water damage. They collect rainwater and snowmelt from the roof, carry it toward the downspouts, and disperse the water away from the home. This prevents water damage like roof leaks, damage to the soffit and fascia, and even basement leaks during extreme weather. However, failing to take care of your gutters during winter can cause water damage. Continue reading for a winter gutter maintenance checklist to learn how to protect your home from water damage this winter and every one after.
What Happens if I Don’t Perform Winter Gutter Maintenance?
Like other parts of your home’s exterior, gutters need some TLC to prepare for the harsh winters in Kansas City. Each winter, gutters are exposed to a lot: temperatures that dip below freezing, freezing rain, snowstorms, and cold, dry air. These harsh winter events affect gutter systems, especially if they’re not made from durable aluminum like K-Guard Gutters.
Damage to the Gutters
Winter air is dry and contains little humidity, causing cracks and paint chips in previously damaged gutter systems. Freezing rain can cause traditional gutter systems to crack, potentially ruining your entire system and causing leaks. Snowstorms, especially those that dump more than a few inches, put excess weight on your gutter system, causing it to pull or tear away from the home and damage other home components.
Ice Dams
Winter can also cause some gutter systems to form ice dams, a dangerous yet common issue. Ice dams are thick pieces of ice that form on a gutter system. They form when the water left to sit inside a gutter freezes and unfreezes, increasing in size each freeze-thaw cycle. With fluctuating temperatures in Kansas City, ice dams are common during the winter months. They’re heavy and dangerous, potentially causing extreme injury. They can also cause a gutter system to sag and pull away from the home or damage the roof, soffit, and fascia.
Excess Weight on the Gutters/Roof
Snow and ice are heavy; snow can weigh 4 pounds per sq. ft,. while ice can weigh over 50 pounds per cubic ft. Imagine how much weight your roof or gutters are supporting if a snow or ice storm dumps several inches or even feet of snow, which isn’t uncommon in Kansas City. Snow and ice accumulation is heavy, putting excess weight on gutters and roofs. Gutters must be kept clean and free of clogs so ice melt and snowmelt can be collected and carried away to avoid the freeze-thaw cycle. Therefore, gutter cleaning is crucial to prevent excess weight on the gutters and roof.
Winter Gutter Maintenance Checklist
Follow our winter gutter maintenance checklist below to prevent your gutter system from forming ice dams and other damages this winter:
- Clean your gutters to remove clogs & debris
- Routinely remove snow and ice that forms inside the gutters or on gutter covers
- Inspect your gutters and gutter covers for leaks
- Add a warming cable
- Check your attic insulation
- Replace your gutter system with K-Guard
Clean gutters are less likely to form ice dams and cause water damage. Snowmelt and ice melt can move freely through a clean gutter system, ensuring other home components stay drier and protected. Likewise, keeping up with snow and ice removal is paramount to maintaining the structural integrity of your roof and gutter system. If you notice ice dams on your gutter system or ice and snow aren’t budging, contact a professional snow removal service to remove snow and ice safely. You could also add warming cables as a preventative measure to quickly melt snow and ice and keep it moving through the gutters.
The Ultimate Protection During Winter is K-Guard
Though following the winter gutter maintenance checklist above is a great idea for an existing gutter system, nothing better prepares you for harsh winters than installing the K-Guard Leaf Free Gutter System. Our gutter product is a seamless system with multiple components to keep water flowing rapidly through the gutters and downspouts while keeping all debris out. The result? Gutters that will never clog or overflow even in extreme Kansas City winters.
Our heavy-duty aluminum gutters will never sag from heavy snowfall because of how durable our gutter material is. Traditional gutters are made from 0.27 gauge aluminum, while K-Guard is made from 0.32 gauge aluminum, a thick aluminum coil. They’ll never pull away or tear away from the home, supporting the gutters and downspouts even during heavy snow and ice accumulation. Furthermore, our curved hood allows snow and ice to simply slide off, ridding the system and roof of excess weight. Our aluminum gutters are so durable that we offer three-lifetime warranties, including a lifetime no-clog warranty, a paint warranty, and a workmanship warranty.
Our gutters are also sleek, adding curb appeal to any home. Whether you have a multiple-story colonial, new construction, historic home, or a single-story ranch, K-Guard will complement the beauty of your home and add value. Our gutters are available in many colors including earthy neutrals to vibrant blues and greens. We have plenty of color options in stock and have access to 25 extra color options, making it easy to customize your K-Guard Gutters.
We also have a convenient estimation calculator that gives you a ballpark estimate for installing K-Guard Gutters. In just minutes, you can get a free quote without having to schedule an estimate to get a feel for the installation cost. Our installation process is simple, with three easy steps to get lifetime gutters. Contact K-Guard Heartland today for a free estimate, a detailed analysis of your current gutter system, and estimated costs for installing K-Guard on your home.
