Last winter the Mid-Atlantic region was hit by a series of monster snow storms known as “Snowmageddon.” The storms dumped two to four feet of snow on much of Maryland, Delaware, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia, left hundreds of thousand of residents without electricity, and caused extensive property damage. One of the most dramatic effects of the extreme weather was the series of homes left with gutters dangling from their eaves. The ripped-off gutter syndrome was the result of ice build-up and gigantic icicles that dripped from gutters around the Mid-Atlantic region.

Beautiful and deceptive, icicles are one of the more dangerous hazards of winter and, according to Richard Armstrong of the National Snow and Ice Data Center, the climate of the Mid-Atlantic is perfectly primed for creating mammoth ones. Winter temperatures in this region often hover around the freezing point, warming just enough during the day to allow the sun to melt snow and ice up on the roof. Then, Armstrong says, “the melt water drips down along edge surfaces and refreezes in the cool air, forming a column of ice.” Poised to break at any time, icicles are a threat to people, animals, and vehicles passing underneath. They are the cause of one the most common wintertime accidents—people falling from roofs and ladders while trying to remove icicles and snow. And they are very heavy, causing gutters to rip off of roofs.

The Farmer’s Almanac predicts another cold and snowy year, and this year, savvy homeowners in the Mid-Atlantic region are preparing ahead. According to Del Thebaud, owner of Gutter Helmet Systems, there has been a surge of interest this season in products that protect gutters and eaves from ice and snow. Gutter Helmet Systems serves the Maryland, Delaware, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia regions—states that were hit hard by last year’s snowstorms. “We’ve had a lot of recent interest in our new Helmet Heat product on top of our normal autumn orders for Gutter Helmet guards,” said Thebaud. “After last year’s snow, customers are very concerned about protecting their gutters and roof from snow buildup and ice dams.”

Because Helmet Heat regulates its own temperature, meaning that it does not need to be turned on or off, it has become a favorite for homeowners who flee to the warmer states for the winter. “Snowbirds love our product,” said Thebaud, “they can leave for the winter knowing that their roof and gutters will still be there when they return in the Spring.”

About Gutter Helmet Systems:

Gutter Helmet Systems is a full service dealership of Gutter Helmet products and services in the Mid-Atlantic areas of Maryland, Virginia, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, and West Virginia. Custom fitted by professional installers, Gutter Helmet installs over your home’s existing rain gutters to offer gutter protection from leaves and other debris. For more information on Helmet Heat or Gutter Helmet gutter protection, please go to:www.harryhelmet.com or contact us at (410) 987-7180.