Frozen Gutter Drain

Unfortunately dealing with frozen gutters is rarely simple or inexpensive.

Frozen gutter drain.

The only sure fire way to melt the ice in frozen gutters is to hire a professional. When winter storms hit gutters and downspouts sometimes freeze into solid blocks of ice and homeowners understandably worry about gutters pulling away from the roofs or ice dams forming. Striking frozen downspouts with a hammer or baseball bat in the hopes of breaking up the ice inside them may cause more damage and make the situation worse. Consistently frozen downspouts require immediate attention.

It s important to nip such problems in the bud. Once the ice has melted it will drop the remaining ice through the spout. For best results start near the bottom of the downspout and work upward. Step 1 get out the hair dryer.

Your pvc pipes can get damaged and any frozen water in your pipes can clog your drain. First resist the urge to go after the ice with a hammer or axe. When drains are clogged the water may find its way into your foundation exactly where you don t want it to be. Over time the ice can back up into your gutters creating additional weight on your entire gutter system.

Many contractors employ equipment that injects steam and or hot water into your gutters and through your downspouts to get rid of ice. Instead use a hair dryer or consumer grade heat gun to heat up the outside of the downspout near the ice blockage.