Question: Robert, we moved from the heart of Santa Clarita out to Leona Valley, happy to have some land. We are not skilled in winter weather, but I know we will see snow and ice here. Our home has gutters but I’m not sure what to do to keep them from getting impacted with snow and ice. Can you help with this?   I know I have a bit of time but I want to prevent any issues ahead of time. Doesn’t look like the previous owner has anything there, so not sure what they did. We haven’t met neighbors yet to ask what they do, so thought I’d ask you, first. Any tricks up your sleeve?   – Gunter S.  Answer: Gunter, you will definitely see some snow, so this is a great question. There are a couple of things you can do, depending on the type of roof you have.   There are snow stops – bars that can be attached to the roof and stop the snow from crashing into the gutters. The bottom one-third of your roof can have heat tape  installed, which will melt the snow and allow it to enter the gutters. The heat tape should extend to the gutter and downspout also, which will keep it flowing to the ground level, where it can run off. You may need to keep an eye on the area of runoff, but generally the daytime temps will help with this.   Even Leona Valley doesn’t hold below freezing temps for long periods of time. The stops and tape will help prevent any gutter backups or breakage, so this should help significantly. Best of luck in your new home.  Robert Lamoureux has more than 40 years of experience as a general contractor, with separate licenses in electrical and plumbing contracting. He owns IMS Construction Inc. in Valencia. His opinions are his own, not necessarily those of The Signal. Opinions expressed in this column are not meant to replace the recommendations of a qualified contractor after that contractor has made a thorough visual inspection. Email questions to Robert at [email protected].                    The post Robert Lamoureux | Tips for living where there’s actual winter weather  appeared first on Santa Clarita Valley Signal.