The Best Gutter Guard System for Icicles

The Problem

• When the heat from the interior of your home escapes to the roof, it melts the snow cover on top. This snow melt drips down the eaves of your roof and onto your gutters. Because the gutters are at the furthest point from the interior heat they are closer to the freezing temperatures outdoors. As the snow melt runs into the colder gutters, it freezes again. This ice collects in uncovered gutters, often sight unseen. Unheated gutter guards create a solid, freezing surface. The snow melt drips over and off of the guards and creates hazardous icicles.

Heated Gutter Guards

• Heated gutter guards are fitted with a heat cable that runs through the interior of the gutter guard. Once the temperature drops below a certain temperature, the heat cable cycles on. The heated gutter guards keep the snow melt from your roof above freezing. Instead of solidifying and forming icicles, the snow melt drips to the ground beneath the gutter guards. When temperatures rise again, the heat cable cycles off without any necessary action on the homeowner's part.

Disadvantages

• Heated gutter guards are significantly more expensive than unheated models. The unit and installation cost rises significantly in homes with more than one story or roof lines with many corners. Added to the installation and unit cost is the electrical cost. The heat cable must be plugged into your home's electrical supply and when it cycles on, it may remain running for quite some time until temperatures rise again. Homeowners in areas with high levels of precipitation may want to contact a contractor before installing heated gutter guards. Heated gutter guards create a significant amount of run-off. This water may collect near the foundation of the home and cause moisture damage.

Other Options

• The heat cable in heated gutter guards is the key to preventing icicle formation. Roof heat cables may be purchased at many home and garden centers and applied above the gutter line to prevent ice dams or icicle formation. A poorly insulated attic contributes significantly to the snow melt that causes icicle formation. Properly insulating your roof may be enough to prevent icicle formation even on unheated gutter guards.