Getting Your Gutters and Downspouts Ready for Winter

A brown roof with rainwater falling from its shingles

Is your home a victim of overflowing gutters after a fierce downpour? You’re not alone. Preparing your gutters and roof for incoming rain, storms, or snow during the winter season is always the smart thing to do. But if you’re planning to climb up a ladder to do some gutter repair, think again.

Research has shown that 500,000 people are treated annually for ladder-related injuries. The damage to your home after a heavy shower is tremendous, especially if your sewer drains are old and malfunctioning.

Here’s how you can prepare your gutters and downspouts before the beginning of winter.

Clearing Out Debris

Come rain or shine, gutters and downspouts are frequently home to falling debris and leaves. Clearing them of this clutter with plastic spatulas can ensure your sewer lines don’t get clogged.

This problem is magnified in the winter because if the water cannot flow freely and away from your home, it will freeze in sub-zero temperatures. Eventually, ice layers will build up in your roof’s shingles and damage your home’s interior with water. You can also get gutter guards installed to prevent rubble and other fragments from camping out in your downspouts.

Inspecting For Loose Ends

Examining your gutter for cracks and loose clasps can go a long way. If you’re living in an area prone to extreme climates, whether hot or cold, it can lead to cracked sewer lines and malfunctioning pipes. Cleaning the end caps with a brush and rinsing it with water can eliminate any rust or residual particles before closing them.

Checking joints and sealing any cracks on your downspouts can save you from a torrential disaster as well as increase your family’s safety from a bursting drain. Incurring the financial cost of water damage is one thing, but risking a life is, obviously, out of the question.

Frozen icicles hanging on a roof’s edge

Extending Downspouts

If your sewer line is not leading water away from your home, it’s useless in fulfilling its primary purpose. Adding downspout extensions to your gutters will help the water descend to the ground without making a mess. This technique is especially useful when your gutter is at an unreachable distance from sewer drains, or if the water is collecting at the grounds of your house. You can also straighten your gutters so that water doesn’t stay standing in the pipes.

Installing Roof Heating Products

Roof cables run along your gutter’s inside and through the downspout. If your roof is warmed with heated wires in place, ice won’t build up during the winter season. How does this help? For one thing, your pipes won’t freeze and end up cracking in glacial temperatures. This leakage can damage your property and risk your family’s safety as well, which is not something you want to incur.

Ready to get your downspouts fixed before winter? We offer reliable and professional drainage repair in Fort Worth, including residential plumbing, water heater installation, and plumbing accessories at affordable rates and 100% satisfaction guaranteed! Get in touch with us today for high-quality 24/7 plumbing services!