Remove Ice from Gutters

If you live somewhere that gets a lot of snow and ice during the winter, you’ve probably had to deal with ice clogging up your gutters. Removing ice from your gutters is possible, but you should use methods that are careful and mostly risk-free. These include using a snow rake, getting some deicer into your gutters, or pounding away at the ice with a flat mallet. You can also ask a professional to take care of your gutters or just let them melt on their own. You can also address ice in your gutters by taking steps to prevent ice from happening in the first place.

Steps

Clearing Out Your Gutters

1. Pull it off with a snow rake. Snow rakes are usually made of metal, with a flat edge. They’re long enough that you can far enough away from the roof to prevent getting buried in snow and ice when it comes down. Extend the handle of the rake so that it reaches the gutter. Place the rake head horizontally at the edge of your gutter and roof. Then pull down toward the ground, scooping ice and snow out of your gutters.
2. Fill pantyhose with deicer. You should use a calcium chloride deicer, rather than salt. Salt will eventually melt and can damage any grass or plants below your gutters. Lay the filled pantyhose horizontally on the ice in your gutter.
   • Make sure you check the pantyhose in your gutters frequently – once the ice melts, you don’t want it to block the water from flowing.
3. Use a flat mallet. Securely lean a ladder against your house so that you can reach the gutters, then pound the ice with a flat mallet until it breaks apart. Throw the chunks of ice to the ground to clear out the gutters.
   • Be careful about how hard you're pounding the ice - you don't want to tear your gutter off the house.
4. Check your downspout. You might have ice build up in your gutters because melting water can’t flow through the downspout and out. Look for leaves and other debris in your downspout and pull it out. There might also be snow piled up in front of the downspout. Remove this snow to let water flow more freely.
5. Hire a professional. If your gutters are really packed with ice, you might need to hire a professional to clear them out. They have the proper experience and equipment to remove the ice without injuring themselves or wrecking your gutters or roof.
6. Leave it alone. Sometimes it’s best to just leave the ice in your gutters alone, especially if your roof is not easily accessible or has a steep incline. As long as the ice is not causing your gutters to sag, it’s probably okay to let them melt naturally.

Preventing Ice in Your Gutters

1. Clean out your gutters in the fall. You can prevent ice buildup by making sure your gutters are Clean Aluminum Gutters before the cold weather sets in. Use a ladder to reach your gutters and pull out any leaves or other debris. This allows melting water to flow more easily and prevents ice buildup.
2. Make sure your roof is well insulated. This prevents the warm air in your house from escaping through the roof, partially melting snow on the roof and creating an ice dam in your gutters. You should have a roofing professional check your roof insulation during the fall.
3. Install heated cables on your roof. These are available in a lot of home improvement stores. They are electric, and work by heating up and melting any snow or ice on your roof. Lay the cables vertically or horizontally across the length and width of your roof. Unless the packaging for the cables says it's okay to do so, don't lay cables on top of one another.

Warnings

• Using blowtorches, ice picks, or axes are all dangerous. They can damage your roof and cause you to injure yourself so just don’t do it.

Sources and Citations

See also

• Install Rain Gutters
• Drain Water Away from Your Home
• Patch a Gutter Leak
• Install Vinyl Gutters
• Install Gutters
• Fix a Sagging Gutter