Eavestroughs, ice & snow management
The parts of the roof that fight winter
In Toronto, the eaves are where roofs fail. Meltwater refreezes, ice dams lift shingles, gutters tear away under the weight, and a sheet of snow slides onto the front step. We design the eave as a system: drainage, heat, restraint and ventilation working together.
Eavestroughs
Half-round copper and zinc, hung to last
Aluminum K-style gutters are the GTA default because they are cheap and quick. On a slate or copper roof they are simply the wrong answer: they dent under ice, they fade, and they look like an afterthought. We form half-round and custom-profile eavestroughs in 16-oz copper, zinc and lead-coated copper, hung on cast-bronze or stainless brackets at 600 mm centres, with soldered seams rather than a bead of caulk.
Downpipes are round, sized to Toronto's 100-year rainfall intensity, and discharged well away from foundations, with optional rain chains and copper leader heads where the architecture invites them.
Winter systems
Ice and snow, engineered
Ice dam prevention
Root cause first: attic air sealing, insulation top-up to R-60 and balanced ventilation so the roof deck stays cold. Then belt-and-braces: high-temperature ice-and-water membrane and copper eave flashing.
Engineered heat cable
Where geometry defeats passive fixes (north-facing valleys, dormers over eaves), self-regulating heat cable in eavestroughs, downpipes and valleys, on a moisture-and-temperature controller so it only runs when it should.
Snow guards & retention
Architectural pad-style or rail snow guards on slate, tile and metal roofs above entrances, walkways, lower roofs and mechanical equipment. Colour-matched or in copper to disappear into the roof.
Winter roof service
Steam ice-dam removal (never chipping or salt), safe roof snow-load relief for flat and low-slope roofs, and post-storm eave inspections for Care Plan clients.
Questions
Winter systems, answered
Do heat cables fix ice dams?
They manage the symptom by keeping a melt channel open. They do not address the heat loss that creates the dam. We install them where geometry leaves no alternative, always alongside insulation and ventilation corrections.
Do I need gutter guards in Toronto?
Under mature trees, yes. We install stainless micro-mesh guards on copper and zinc systems that keep leaves out without holding ice. We avoid foam and brush inserts, which freeze solid.
Can snow guards be added to my existing roof?
Usually. On slate and tile we use hook-style guards that need no penetration; on standing-seam metal, clamp-on guards attach to the seams. Asphalt roofs take screw-down pad guards sealed under the shingle.
Begin
Let's talk about your roof
A consultation with a project director is complimentary and without obligation. We'll walk the property, survey the roof by drone and tell you honestly what it needs.