Bruce Andrews Seamless Gutters and Roofing has published two resources on its website ahead of winter: an October 1, 2026, explainer on choosing between 5-inch and 6-inch gutters, and a September 1, 2026, account of how heated gutters prevent ice dams in the Upper Midwest. The Bay City, Wisconsin, company says the two posts together make the case for completing seamless gutter installation in the weeks between leaf drop and the first hard freeze.
The company gives two reasons for that window. Sealant at the end caps and corners sets as intended in mild temperatures, and new runs can be hung at the correct slope before meltwater has a chance to freeze in place. In the September post, the company describes heavy snow, sub-zero overnight temperatures, and daytime sun that melts snow near the ridge, with the meltwater refreezing at the cold overhang above the gutters until water backs up under the shingles and into insulation, ceilings, and walls.
Slope is where new gutters come in. A gutter installed at the correct pitch drains toward the downspout, while one that is off by even a small amount holds standing water that adds weight, speeds corrosion, and freezes when temperatures drop, according to the company's resource on sagging gutters. Its gutter installation page states that securely installed gutters with the right slope help minimize winter ice dams, and the company adds that gutters are one factor among several, since its pre-winter consultations also look at the roofline, insulation, and drainage to find where ice is most likely to build.
"Fall is the best time to hang gutters. The sealant at the end caps and corners needs mild weather to set the way it should, and once the ground is frozen and the eaves are iced, the job gets harder and slower," said Bruce Andrews, owner of Bruce Andrews Seamless Gutters and Roofing.
A fall gutter replacement follows the same sequence the company uses year-round: an inspection of the roofline and fascia, removal of the old gutters with a check for rotted fascia or soffit, forming of the new runs on site, and a water test of every run to confirm that water reaches the downspouts. The company says the work typically wraps up in a day for most homes, with timing depending on the length of the roofline and any fascia repairs found along the way.
Sizing is settled before the roll-forming machine is unloaded. The October post outlines how roof pitch, drainage area, and regional rainfall intensity determine whether a home needs 5-inch or 6-inch gutters. It says published sizing tables show a substantial capacity increase from one size to the other, with the exact figure depending on the conditions used in the calculation, and notes that the company pairs 6-inch systems with 3-by-4-inch downspouts so the outlet does not become the bottleneck. The post adds that a 5-inch gutter that handles summer storms can be overwhelmed by spring runoff once an ice dam is added.
The September post also covers the heated gutter systems the company installs on properties with recurring ice dams. Self-regulating heat cable runs along the roof edge, inside the gutter channel and down the downspouts, drawing more power in the cold and less as temperatures rise so a drainage path stays open when the rest of the roof is snow-covered. Most residential heated gutter and cover installations take one day, weather permitting, according to the company.
"If a gutter has sagged or pulled away from the fascia, winter weather and temperatures usually finish the job. We tell people to look at the eaves now, while there is still time to fix the pitch or replace the run before the snow sits on it," Andrews said.
The same reasoning applies to commercial buildings, where the company calculates gutter profile and capacity for larger roof areas before fabricating the runs on site. For existing systems, its seasonal maintenance resource, published in January 2026, lists sagging, leaks, separation from the fascia and rust as the items to check in fall so repairs are complete before the freeze.
Founded in 2000 by Bruce Andrews as a one-man operation working from his home shop, Bruce Andrews Seamless Gutters and Roofing moved to Bay City, Wisconsin, after the shop burned in 2015. The family-owned company installs seamless gutters, LeafLock gutter protection, asphalt shingle and standing seam metal roofing, siding, soffit, and fascia for residential and commercial properties, and provides snow and ice treatments such as heat tape, roof clearing, and snow bars. Bruce Andrews has served as owner and operator since the company's founding.
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For more information about Bruce Andrews Seamless Gutters, contact the company here:
Bruce Andrews Seamless Gutters
Bruce Andrews
877-594-7449
office@thebestgutters.com
W6418 WI-35, Bay City, WI 54723
