Do Gutter Guards Cause Ice Dams

This can also prevent the drainage flow of melted snow and ice through your gutters which can lead to water damage.

Do gutter guards cause ice dams. They don t as i ve written. These large masses can cause your gutter system to tear down or other damages dangers to the surrounding areas. It is possible for some gutter protection systems to be the cause of an ice dam. Different from normal icicles ice dams are large buildups of ice on your gutter.

This constant refreezing can cause ice dams and icicles to form along the gutters. Before the weather drops there are a few things you should know about your gutters your roof. Traditional gutter guards are typically installed to your roof and attached to your existing gutter system. Gutters do not cause ice dams.

Watch out a common sign of water damage caused from ice damming are water spots on the ceiling. Gutter guard ice dams and icicles are the biggest issues if you are dealing with a section of gutter near an entranceway a stoop or above a garage door. If it doesn t rethaw the next day you have an ice filled gutter and conditions that start to cause water to build up behind the previously frozen thaw the start of an ice dam. Gutter guards will prevent debris from getting in your gutters which can alleviate ice dams but they still often freeze during the year s coldest months.

It is a common experience for customers in northern climates to experience ice dams and severe icicle formation after installing gutter guards or gutter screens. Here are some reasons why. This allows the thick heavy ridges of ice along your roof s eaves to form. Gutter guards are designed to prevent these clogs and subsequent ice damning from happening.

But if the combination of poor attic insulation poor ventilation and heavy snow causes an ice dam as so often happens you may rue the day you gave your gutters a hat. If the gutter guards are not strong enough to withstand this weight they will buckle into the gutter system creating an obstacle. If people try to tell you otherwise either politely correct them or slam the door in their face and let them use the money they make from their revolutionary no ice dam gutter system to have a surgeon un flatten their nose. If not properly taken care of the ice will begin to build up under the shingles which may lead to water damage in the home.

They may have a lack of durability. The first response by worried homeowners is to call the gutter guard installation company and ask why this is happening. However in some cases gutter guards can actually be the cause of the ice damn in your gutters. A cubic foot of ice weighs approximately 60 lbs.

It s not that gutters and or gutter guards cause ice dams. This in turn adds to the ice sickle or ice dam and will cause it to grow.