There are many ways to deal with or prevent ice dams along your gutters and the roofline. Some homeowners chip them away using a hammer and chisel (which is always a bad choice) while some just drench the affected area with hot water. And then there’s that old favorite–using rock salt. You’ve probably seen what salt can do to roads and vehicles during winter, so it’s not a solution you’ll want to try on something as costly and important as your roof and gutter system.
Gutter Helmet® of Minnesota, the trusted source of the best gutter guard system in the area, details why you should never use to fix ice dams:
- It’s not effective. Rock salt can only melt ice at temperatures down to 20° F. This means it only works if the temperature is on the ‘warm side’ of freezing. Using rock salt to anything lower than that will just be a waste of your time. What’s more, it is not exactly practical since ice dams are made of hundreds of gallons of water. It will take excess pounds of rock salt to clear the sheer volume of ice and snow on your roof and gutters.
- It can damage your roofing. While rock salt itself won’t damage your shingles, it does cause corrosion to the nails attaching them to the roof system. When the nails rust through and break, the shingles will become loose, creating openings where water can leak in. Not only that–rusted nails can also cause unsightly streaks and stains in your roof.
- It weakens your gutters. Corrosion resulting from rock salt is also common in gutters. This allows for holes and cracks that compromise the system’s draining performance. Over time, the rust will cover the entire system and will need to be replaced.
A Safer and More Effective Fix
If you’re looking for a better way to keep your roof and gutters undamaged from ice buildup, you only need to turn to Gutter Helmet® of Minnesota. We’re not just your source of the best gutter guard system, we also prevent ice damming through our Helmet Heat® Ice Reduction Systems. It can be mounted on any home that uses our Gutter Helmet® gutter protection system, effectively melting any snow and ice on your roofline before it can start building up. Its heavy-duty commercial-grade, self-regulating heating cable increases its heat output when the temperatures drop and decreases it when the temperature becomes warmer. In fact, it creates just enough heat to melt ice, but will not cause the cables to overheat.
Keep your roof and gutters intact by turning to Gutter Helmet® of Minnesota for unmatched solutions. We serve Monticello, MN, and the surrounding areas. Call us today at (866) 200-5339 or fill out this contact form to schedule your consultation.
