How to Remove Snow From Your Roof

All Aluminum Gutters
531 Sunrise Highway, West Babylon, New York 11704
(631) 816-2498

Allowing excessive amounts of snow to accumulate on your roof can put your home at risk for structural and gutter damage as well as flooding. When snow piles up and begins to melt it becomes very heavy, weighing down on your home with enough pressure to cause a ton of costly destruction. If your area has just been hit with a ton of snow, like the Long Island area after the recent storm Jonas, it’s important that you take the time to survey your roof and remove any excess snow as soon as possible. 

The Time - Snow is most easily moved when it’s fresh because it hasn’t has a chance to become compacted or heavier from melting. Ideally, removing snow from your roof as it falls is your best option, but sometimes weather conditions will not allow you to do so. If that’s the case, getting out there as soon as the storm has passed is recommended.

The Tools - A long-handled snow rake, or roof rake is your best snow removal tool when it comes to your roof. In fact, if you’ve got a sturdy, telescoping model you might be able to remove all of the snow from the ground, without even having to set foot on a ladder.

The Goal - Remember that your roof does not need to be spotless. Your objective is to relieve the excess weight from accumulated snow. In fact, scraping too close to the roof’s surface can actually cause damage to your shingles.

Even with the most diligent snow removal plan, your gutters can still be susceptible to sagging, cracking and detachment due to the extra weight. If you find that your gutters have been damaged due to inclement weather conditions, just give All Aluminum Gutters a call. We offer gutter installation and repair at an affordable price to customers in the Long island, Queens, Westchester and Bronx areas.

To learn more about our services, click here or call 631-816-2498 for a free in-home estimate!

Prepare Your Business for Winter Weather

All Aluminum Gutters
531 Sunrise Highway, West Babylon, New York 11704

(631) 816-2498

Residential properties aren’t the only ones that need a little bit of TLC to make it through the winter. If you’re a business owner it’s important to prepare your office building for the perils of winter as well. To get you started, here are a few tips to keep your office structurally sound throughout the season.

Determine how much your roof can handle. The amount of weight that a roof can take is dependent on the building’s overall structure. It’s a good idea to let a structural engineer come take a look to determine how much snow is too much, especially if the building and roof are dated.

Inspect and repair your gutter system. The weight of winter snow can also cause damage to your gutters, so it’s important to be inspecting them regularly. Should you find any issues with your gutters -- leaky or detached seams, broken fasteners, loosened downspouts, etc. -- make sure to have them repaired by a professional right away.

Keep your roof and gutters clean. Dirt and debris can become lodged on your roof and in your gutters, trapping snow and ice inside. This can put your business at serious risk for water damage, so keeping your gutters clear throughout the winter is essential.

Watch out for ice dams. The best way to prevent ice dams is by keeping snow off your roof and out of your gutters, and making sure that the attic of your office building is properly insulated. When heat escapes the building, it warms the roof and causes snow to melt run down the roof and refreeze at the gutters forming dangerous dams.

We know that running a business is hard work, so if you don’t have the time to tend to your roof and gutters on your own don’t worry! All Aluminum Gutters offers gutter installation and repair at an affordable price to customers in the Long island, Queens, Westchester and Bronx areas.

To learn more about our services, click here or call 631-816-2498 for a free estimate!

Winter Gutter Maintenance Tips

All Aluminum Gutters
531 Sunrise Highway, West Babylon, New York 11704

(631) 816-2498

Traditionally, high season for gutter maintenance is during the fall, when leaves and debris are blowing about. However, while it’s imperative that you perform seasonal gutter cleaning and repairs in the fall, remember that gutter maintenance is not a “set it and forget it” feature of your home! In order to keep your gutters functioning properly all year long you’ll have to find time to carry out maintenance duties on a regular basis. To help you get through the winter without interruption and damage to your home’s drainage system, here are some of the most important gutter maintenance tips to follow:

Remove all debris. Failing to keep your gutters clean can cause a great deal of damage to your home, especially come winter time. While soggy fall leaves can certainly cause a clog, frozen solid leaf piles can be even more difficult to deal with. Checking your gutters regularly for built up debris is key during the winter months.

Inspect gutters thoroughly. Should debris build up and gutters freeze over, the possibility for cracked systems and leaking seams increases. As the weather worsens and snow falls it can gather in your gutters causing them to become heavy and detached from your fascia.

Double check for damage. After each heavy rain, snow and even hail storm that mother nature throws your way this winter you must make sure to check your home for structural damage. Keep an eye on staining, rotting or cracking in your foundation and siding. Should you detect any damage, identify the source and repair it right away.

Redirect where necessary. While your gutters might be clean and clear, your downspouts and diverters may not be. Keep them in mind as a regular part of your cleaning ritual and be sure that any water flow is being redirected at least ten feet from your home’s foundation.

Inspected your property and found some items that need repairing? All Aluminum Gutters offers gutter and siding installation and repair at an affordable price to customers in the Long island, Queens, Westchester and Bronx areas.

To learn more about our services, click here or call 631-816-2498 for a free in-home estimate!

How to Prevent Ice Dam Damage

All Aluminum Gutters
531 Sunrise Highway, West Babylon, New York 11704

(631) 816-2498

As we head further into the winter season snow will inevitably fall, landing on and around our homes and likely settling on our rooftops. While a soft blanket of white might seem quaint and cozy, it can really cause some costly damage if ice dams begin to form. Ice dams result from a combination of snow melt and unregulated temperatures. Read on to learn more about these dangerous frosted formations and how you can prevent them.

What is an ice dam?
Many homes, especially older ones, have insufficient insulation in the attic which allows heat to escape and warm the roof. This causes the snow up top to melt and drip down towards the eaves and gutters. Once the melt reaches the eaves the temperature will be significantly colder and can cause the melt to refreeze. Over time a dam of ice is formed and water from melting snow will begin to pool, causing roof and gutter damage and potential flooding.

What can I do to prevent ice dams from forming?

1. Ventilate - Adding vents to your roof's ridge and soffits will create a constant flow of cold air underneath the roof. This will keep the temperature regulated to help balance the melt-to-freeze ratio.
2. Exhaust - Make sure that any and all exhaust fans and ducts lead directly outdoors and not into the attic. Exhaust should exit through walls or out the roof, but never through the soffit.
3. Insulate - Additional insulation in the attic can work wonders to keep hot air from escaping and warming your roof. There are a wide variety of insulation types, so it’s best to check with your local home improvement professionals if you’re unsure which to use.

As the season progresses, if you find that your gutters or eaves have been damaged due to the formation of ice dams, All Aluminum Gutters can help! Serving Long island, Queens, Westchester and the Bronx for over 30 years, there’s no gutter job we can’t handle!

To learn more about our gutter cleaning and repair services, click here or call 631-816-2498. We even offer free in-home consultations and estimates!