Why Gutters Sag or Pull Away from Western Nebraska Homes in Winter

Gutters sag or pull away in winter mainly because of weight: ice that builds up in the trough and snow that slides off the roof into it, pressing on hangers that are spaced too far apart or screwed into fascia that has gone soft. Once a gutter starts to sag, it holds more ice, and the problem feeds itself. This guide is for homeowners in Scottsbluff, Gering, Terrytown, Mitchell, Minatare, and Bayard.

Winter weight is the main cause

An empty aluminum gutter is light. A gutter packed with ice is not. In the Panhandle, snow can sit on a roof for days, melt a little each afternoon, and drain into a gutter that refreezes overnight. Each cycle adds another layer. By mid-winter, a long run along the front of a ranch-style home can be carrying a lot more weight than it was hung to hold.

Sliding snow adds to it. When a sheet of snow lets go from the roof, it can land on the front lip of the gutter and lever it outward. Steeper roof sections and metal roofs shed snow faster, so gutters under them take more of these hits.

Why the sag keeps getting worse

A gutter is supposed to slope gently toward its downspout. When one section dips, water collects in that low spot instead of draining. That water freezes, the extra ice pulls the section down a little more, and the next melt collects there again. A small belly in December can be a pulled-away section by February.

Hangers and fascia: where the gutter lets go

The gutter is only as strong as what holds it to the house.

• Hanger spacing. If hangers are far apart, each one carries a longer stretch of heavy gutter, and the gutter can bend between them.
• Fastener grip. Spikes and screws can loosen over years of hot summers and cold winters, until they no longer hold tight.
• Soft fascia. When melt water gets behind the gutter season after season, the fascia board can rot. A sound hanger in soft wood will still pull out.
• Downspouts that cannot drain. A downspout outlet buried in drifted snow or frozen at the ground backs water up into the gutter, where it freezes and adds weight.

What you can safely check from the ground

Stand somewhere dry and clear, away from the drip line, and take a slow look.

• Sight down the length of each gutter. A straight line is good. A dip, belly, or wavy line means the gutter has moved.
• Look for ice sitting in one low spot, or a section where the front edge sits lower than the back.
• Look for a gap between the back of the gutter and the fascia board, or hangers you can see hanging loose.
• Check the fascia under the gutter for dark streaks, peeling paint, or wood that looks broken.
• Find each downspout outlet. If it is buried in snow, clearing the snow away from the outlet at ground level is a safe, simple step.

What not to do

• Do not get on a ladder in icy or snowy conditions, and never lean a ladder against a sagging gutter.
• Do not chip or hammer ice out of the gutter, and do not hang on the gutter to pull ice loose.
• If you use a long-handled roof rake from the ground, stay out of the path of falling snow and do not drag the rake across the gutter.
• Keep people, pets, and vehicles out from under heavy ice and sagging sections.

When to call

Call when a section has a clear sag, has pulled away from the fascia, or is hanging by a few hangers. Call too if the fascia looks rotted, if water or stains are showing up inside along an outside wall, or if the same section gives you trouble every winter. Trouble in the same place year after year can mean the roof edge needs a look, not just the gutter.

The Scottsbluff office still sells and repairs gutters.

To read more about our roofing work, visit our Scottsbluff roofing contractor page or the Pete’s Builders Nebraska home page.

Frequently asked questions

Why is my gutter sagging in the middle?

Most often, ice and snow weight between hangers that are too far apart, or a low spot that keeps collecting and freezing water.

Can I fix a sagging gutter myself in winter?

Ladder work on ice and snow is risky. From the ground, you can clear snow from downspout outlets and keep people out from under heavy sections, then call for a look.

Does a sagging gutter mean my roof is damaged?

Not always. But water getting behind the gutter can rot the fascia and the roof edge, so it is worth having the roof checked.