Best Way To Thaw Gutters And Down Spouts

The wrong way to thaw gutters.

Best way to thaw gutters and down spouts.

Gutter cleaners say a little prevention goes a long way to save you from frozen folly. I ve got a frozen downspout on the corner of my house due to multiple high snowfalls this year crazy low temps from polar vortexes indiana. Looks like the freezing is backing up to the gutter making me concerned the ice build up could overload the gutter with weight and cause it to pull away from the roof. The reason for the weight of ice is that debris in the downspout is getting wet.

For starters it s prudent to list some of the ways not to thaw iced over gutters. This could cause more damage than good. This should be good enough to thaw minor ice buildup and break up the blockage. A downspout is an integral part of a home s gutter system.

Over time the ice can back up into your gutters creating additional weight on your entire gutter system. The best thing to do is make sure your system is cleaned regularly every six months says brad ladner owner of atlanta s best gutter cleaners in roswell georgia. Whether some of your downspouts remained clogged with debris when winter hit or your gutters are just reacting to all the snow and cold here s how to manage them until it warms up again. The downspout is responsible for taking the water collected by the gutters and dispersing it out and away from the home s foundation.

Should i try to thaw out the downspout. This is very time consuming. The easiest way to do this is to use a hose and run hot water through it onto the gutters. Another way you can thaw is by running hot water down the outside of the downspout near the blocked area.

2x3 and 3x4 downspout gutter elbows choose from 30 degree 45 degree 75 degree 90 degree 30 degree style a 2x3 low gloss white 4 7 out of 5 stars 75 19 60 19 65. Attempting to break up the ice with a hammer this can dent your gutters or cause them to separate from the roof using a hatchet axe or shovel to break up the ice see 1. Consistently frozen downspouts require immediate attention. However you might not have a hose to do this method.

You can fill pitchers or buckets full of hot water and pour them over your gutters. The best way to thaw gutters that are completely frozen is by using hot water or steam. Strategies to safely thaw a frozen gutter don t get out your hammers ice picks or axes.