The first day of winter marks the beginning of the season’s chill. We only get about 5 inches of snow per year on average, which isn’t much compared to other parts of the country. While it may not seem like much, the average annual rainfall here is a little over 45 inches. Throughout the winter, we often see wet days accompanied by sleet, which may be just as inconvenient as snow.
Storms in the winter can cause a lot of damage to the outside of our houses, especially the gutters. It works 24/7 to keep our houses free from drainage issues by collecting and transporting melt water and rainfall. One of the worst things that can happen to your gutters in the winter is an ice blockage. Keep reading to learn about the potential expenses associated with ice dams and gutter backups, as well as some potential solutions.
So how do these ice dams form?
Ice dams are common in Sydney and other states with climates that experience winter precipitation and seasonal temperature change. For the uninitiated, an ice dam is a massive, weighty slab of ice that forms in a gutter and eventually hangs over the side of a building. Ice dams can cause significant structural damage to a home. Now is the time when selecting Same Day Plumber Service is crucial.
As warm air from within a building exit, it may melt snow or other precipitation, which then pools in a gutter and creates an ice dam. Once outside temperatures drop below freezing, the thawed water will once again solidify, but it will thaw once inside temperatures rise above freezing or the heat escapes from the house. Large chunks of ice will continually accumulate in your gutters throughout the winter due to a cyclical process.
What Potential Problems Can Ice Dams Cause?
Ice dams are not only an eyesore, but they can also be dangerous to people and their property. Ice dams prevent water from draining away from your roof and can cause water to pool on top of your roof or even seep under your shingles. Ice dams can cause structural damage to a roof. Water damage may occur if water is allowed to pool in a gutter system and then seep out.
The added weight of ice dams can pull gutters away from the house and even damage the roof. There is danger to the siding, fascia boards, soffit, and gutters. Someone you care about could get hurt if they were nearby when an ice dam broke. If an ice dam broke away from the gutters and caused injury, it would be dreadful. A professional Sydney plumbing service seems like a must-have in this situation.
Can ice dams be prevented?
An ice dam poses a significant risk to the structure of your house as well as the safety of anybody living within. You may be wondering whether there is anything you can do to avoid ice dams this winter. The good news is that they may be avoided altogether, and your gutters can be maintained to last as long as possible.
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