3 Ways to Prevent Ice and Water Damage this Winter
The accessibility of your rain gutters will make a big difference in how your house manages melting ice and snow.

At Rainman Seamless Rain Gutters , our focus is on rain gutters. But we also know that rain gutters are only one aspect of how your home receives and diverts water.
The accumulation of ice and snow during the winter months can cause major issues for your roof and rain gutter system. It is not the frozen bits on their own that cause the most damage, but rather, the water that flows by the tens of gallons when everything frozen begins to melt.
Here are 3 ways to prevent ice and water damage this winter:
1. Check your attic or roof-side insulation to ensure your home is not losing excessive heat. If heat is escaping from your house and melting frozen precipitation residing on the roof before the gutters have a chance to thaw, ice damming and icicles will likely occur. When this happens, the snow on your roof melts, refreezes, and melts again, causing the potential for water to penetrate your roof and leak through your ceiling. Plus, those large icicles and inches of ice result in an incredible—issue prone—weight resting on your gutters. Insulation throughout your home, especially directly below your roof, will help ensure the heat stays in and melting ice flows properly through your rain gutter system and away from your home.
2. Consider using a roof rake to remove accumulating snow from the last 3-5 feet of your roof line prior to your rain gutters or roof edge. A roof rake will gently push and pull snow off your roof without causing damage to shingles, eaves, or gutters. Some people even choose to install snow guards or brakes —a system of long rows, often made of metal, that can be as large as the length of your full roof line. These systems help protect your roof from the hazards of extreme freezing and lack of sunlight, but stopping melt before it has a chance to refreeze at the edge of your roof.
3. If you’ve tried the first two ways to prevent ice and water damage this winter, you may want to consider installing heat cables. Heat cables are generally a homeowner’s go-to when they are experiencing excessive ice buildup. However, we want you to be aware that if poor insulation and excessive melting and refreezing are your main issues, heat cables are really just a band aid. Instead, we encourage the installation of heat cables only after all other options have been explored. In the event that your home requires a little extra help to stem the flow of runoff and snow melt in cold weather, heat cables are a strong, complimentary tool to proper insulation or consistent roof raking.
Founded in 1992 as a local family owned and operated business, Rainman Seamless Rain Gutters protect you and your investment with a strong business that backs up our 10-year workmanship warranty. As lifelong residents of Spokane, we are active in the community through business, civic and charitable involvement and support. Contact our team to learn more about heat cable installation and to determine if it is the right choice for your home.









