Why Is It Important To Prevent Ice Dams From Forming
When it comes to the structural integrity of your home, preventing ice dams is essential. As the snow melts due to the heat transfer of warm air rising onto the roofs surface, the melted water seeps into the attic space and down the walls. Over time, it will soak into the studs and insulation.
Water infiltrating from ice dams is unlike other types of roof leaks because that water is usually unseen for a long time. During that time, it will wreak havoc on the interior of your home until it can finally be seen on the walls themselves. In the meantime, the water is very likely to have caused the mold growth and damage to your roof, roof deck, interior, and exterior wall areas, and insulation.
Additionally, ice dams are known to become very heavy. They can weigh anywhere from a few hundred pounds to a few thousand, and all of that weight will be settled on the eave of your roof. This area is not designed to handle that amount of weight, and there will likely be severe ice dam damage. If that weight should fall, it will definitely cause damage to anything below it.
When you have an ice dam problem on your roof surface, it is essential that you contact an expert in removing ice dams as well as ice dam prevention techniques and products. For homeowners and business owners in Denver, CO, those experts can be found at HotEdge®.
How To Get Rid Of Them
If you have an ice dam on your roof, you can try using a de-icing product or hire someone who can repair it for you quickly before further damage occurs.
In the meantime, you can take a few precautions to keep this from happening in the future.
Make sure your roof is properly insulated with snow guards and ice shields. Snow guards are installed on top of your gutters to prevent snow from falling off too quickly.
Ice Shields are placed under the shingles to create a small barrier between them and the snow.
In addition, you can clear your roof of snow as soon as it falls and keep a close eye out for ice dams.
If you see one start to form, make a plan of action before it gets too large and causes damage. Once the ice dam is relatively small, you can take a few steps yourself to remove it:
- Climb onto your roof to remove the dam with a hand-held ice pick.
- Use your garden hose to spray down the dam, creating cracks in it so you can chip away at it.
The best way to prevent ice dams is by making sure your attic has plenty of ventilation. Add or replace insulation thats compact and lacks air pockets, which can act as an insulator.
Make sure any vents near the peak of your roof are clear of obstructions like piles of snow.
- If you have existing ice damming problems on your roof, your best option is to call a professional roofer.
- This will ensure the problem gets fixed right away before it can cause more damage or be expensive to fix later on down the line.
Ice Dams Cause Damage In Several Ways:
1. An ice dam can block the path that melting snow travels over the edge of your roof and back to the ground.
If water is unable to make it over the roofs edge, it can back-up underneath shingles and stain them .
2. An ice dam can cause the shingles beneath to buckle and warp.
If water is not readily available at your roofs edge, it will flow under your shingles until it reaches a place where it can exit.
This path of least resistance may be right over the insulation in your attic or through a rafter. Moisture in a roof cavity can turn to ice and cause rot, fungus growth and corrosion.
3. An ice dam can prevent your shingles from draining off the roof properly which causes pooling of water beneath them.
Water pooling beneath shingles can seep into sidewalls or even leak through nails holes.
Do not try to remove an ice dam on your own because it can cause even more damage. The best way to deal with ice dams is to prevent them from forming in the first place.
There are four things you should do before winter arrives:
1. Make sure all roof, soffit and gutter vents are open to allow melting snow to escape.
2. Install roof cable to hold your shingles down in high wind areas. Use clips instead of nails because theyre less likely to tear out your shingles when the wind blows.
3. Make sure attic vents are open and clear of debris so warm air can circulate freely throughout the homes structure. You can calculate how many vents you need.
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Roof Ice Dam Removal And Prevention: Talk To Professionals
If your home is prone to ice dam formation, its best to speak with a professional roofer to determine the best way to prevent or remove them.
Every roof is different what works for one home to prevent ice dams might not work for another. The problem could be as simple as needing more insulation, or it could be as complex as needing a roof replacement.
Hopefully this article has helped you answer what is an ice dam and more. If you still have questions, need more information, or want a consultation on your homes ice dams, dont hesitate to contact us.
Permanent Fixes For Ice Dams
Getting rid of ice dams for good is simple, in principle: Just keep the entire roof the same temperature as the eaves. You do that by increasing ventilation, adding insulation, and sealing off every possible air leak that might warm the underside of the roof.
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Where Does Ice Damming Show Up On Your Roof
Remember, ice damming shows up at your gutter line. When it happens at your gutters, the thawed snow/ice will back up until the water gets underneath your roofing materials. This causes water to come through your ceiling and even down your wall.
You can also see ice damming in your roof valleys, around a roof cricket , and where a valley comes in against a wall . Your roof valleys are crucial to keeping water flowing in the right direction down your roof.
When this pathway to the gutters gets blocked by ice, it backs up the thawed out snow/ice in an area that isnt meant to have sitting water. This leads to water dripping into your home wherever the valley is located.
How To Permanently Fix An Ice Dam Roof Leak
Removing ice dams from the roof using a roof rake or fan box seems pretty simple, but it doesnt solve the problem permanently. For that reason, its essential to invest in techniques that can stop the formation of ice dams and prevent ice dam leaks.
Here are the methods to permanently stop the leaks resulting from ice dams.
Ventilating the space under the roof deck helps to keep the colder air outside circulating in the attic space. So, it prevents the space from warming up, preventing the snow on the roof from melting. For that reason, install soffit and ridge vents on the roof.
Another strategy is to add insulation to the living space to prevent heat from rising to the attic space. For example, insulating the attic floor will stop the living spaces heat from passing through the ceiling. That way, youll maintain cooler temperatures in the attic.
Consider eliminating or blocking all the heat sources that may increase the temperature in the attic space. These include the ducts connected to your kitchen, dryer vents, and bathroom. Instead, exhaust the heat from these sources to the outside.
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The Dangers Of Ice Dams To Your Roof
Icicles are usually considered a beautiful staple of winter. But they could point to a serious problem on your roof ice dams! Ice dams are ridges of ice that form at the edge of your roof and prevent melting snow from draining off. During the winter months, particularly after a massive snowstorm, ice dams can form.
Things To Know About Ice Dams Including How To Get Rid Of Them
With a weekend forecast of snow and freezing rain, many roofs may be at risk of developing ice dams. Here’s what you need to know about them including how to get rid of them:
What is an ice dam?
Ice dams are the shelves of ice that often build up on the edges roofs after snowstorms, when freezing temperatures move in, according to the Federal Emergency Management Agency. They can cause damage to roofs and water leaks inside your home. Ice dams also prevent snow from sliding off roofs, allowing it to pile up more.
What causes ice dams to form?
Ice dams are caused by snow, heat and cold. First snow falls on the roof. Then heat from inside a home melts some of the snow. The melting snow runs down the roof and the outside cold refreezes it. This builds up and forms an ice dam.
How do you prevent ice dams?
The best way to prevent ice dams is with adequate attic insulation and roof ventilation, and to make sure air leaks in the attic are sealed, according to FEMA. Ideally, this should be taken care of when the house is built. It can be done at later points by professionals, especially as part of roof repair or remodeling.
How do you remove ice dams?
Clearing a roof of ice and snow can be dangerous, so it’s important to be cautious and use the proper equipment such as a ladder with a stabilizer bar. Here are some things you can do to address ice dams:
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Quick Tips Forice Dam Prevention
- HeatCables
Heated cables are insulated hot wires that heat up targeted areas of the exterior part of your roof. This allows the temperature of your entire roof andeaveto stay regulated to discourage ice from forming.
We dont recommend taking onheat cablesas aDIYproject. Since some are electric, its vital to have a professional safely install this prevention method for you.
- Venting Your Ridge andEaves
You canprevent ice damsby adding consistent ventilation to the edge of your roof. This allows cold air to evenly distribute and will prevent uneven snowmelt which leads to ice dams.
- Completely Seal Entryways To Your Attic
- Ensure Exhaust Is Not Escaping Through Your Soffit
Exhaust ducts should only be provided with an escape route through your ceiling or wall, but never the soffit. If you sense an ice dam, ensure these ducts are not leaking or trailing out to the wrong area of the home.
- Insulate Your Attic
Finally, sealing your attic from the inside involves more than just making sure the interior entryways are closed. Adding extra insulation to your attic floor and ceiling not only ensures that excess warmth doesnt enter your attic it also helps prevent it from getting out and affecting your roof or creating ice dams.
- Make Sure YourGuttersAre Clean Before A Snow
What Causes Different Roof Surface Temperatures
Since most ice dams form at the edge of the roof, there must be a heat source warming the roof elsewhere. This heat primarily comes from the house. In rare instances, increased heat from the sun may cause these temperature differences.
It is primarily heat flowing from the house that causes the nonuniform temperatures of the roof surface leading to ice dams.
Heat from the house travels to the roof surface in three ways: conduction, convection and radiation.
- Conduction is heat energy traveling through a solid. A good example of this is the heating of a cast iron frying pan. The heat moves from the bottom of the pan to the handle by conduction.
- If you put your hand above the frying pan, heat will reach it by the other two methods. The air right above the frying pan is heated and rises. The rising air carries heat/energy to your hand. This is heat transfer by convection.
- Heat also transfers from the hot pan to your hand by electromagnetic waves and this is called radiation. Another example of radiation is to stand outside on a bright sunny day and feel the heat from the sun. This heat transfers from the sun to you by radiation.
Adding insulation
In a house, heat moves through the ceiling and insulation by conduction through the slanted portion of the ceiling. In many homes, there is little space in regions like this for insulation, so it is important to use insulation with high R-value per inch to reduce heat loss by conduction.
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Are Ice Dams Dangerous
Aside from all of the damage to your home ice dams can cause, they are also incredibly dangerous to have hanging from the overhangs and gutters of your home. Theres been a handful of cases of people actually losing their lives from falling icicles, and ice dams are even bigger and heavier.
The weight of the ice dam on your gutter can cause it to fall and risk hitting you or your loved ones walking along the sidewalk or driveway. Theyre so heavy they can easily break bones, or worse. So removing them is essential to avoid both property damage and severe injury to yourself!
How To Prevent Further Ice Damming On Roofs
On a day when temperatures are above freezing, you can use a water hose to create channels and allow the melted water to flow off your roof, preventing further ice buildup and protecting your interior from water damage. Nonetheless, you should clean out your ice dams as soon as possible since they will only function for a few days.
Summer may be just around the corner, but winter will surely return. Now you can prepare for the harshest winters Chicago can bring you if you plan appropriately for your roof.
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Dealing With Existing Ice Dams
1. Remove the ice dam by breaking it free in small chucks. Do NOT use an ax or other sharp tool! Youll cut through the shingles. Instead, tap lightly with a blunt mallet. This is slow, dangerous work, so hire someone experienced at roofing. Even if you do it safely, the chunks of ice can take pieces of shingle with them.
2. Clear out gutters and downspouts. Again, this is ladder work and an easy way to damage either plastic or metal gutters and spouts.
3. Melt troughs through the ice dam with calcium chloride ice melter. Do NOT use rock salt! It will damage paint, metals, and plants beneath the eave and wherever the salty water drains.
A good trough-maker is a tube of cloth . Fill it with calcium chloride, tie off the top, and lay it vertically across the ice dam. It will slowly melt its way down through the dam, clearing a path for the underlying water to flow free.
What Damage Do Ice Dams Cause
When an ice dam gets big enough, melted water backs up behind it and seeps underneath the shingles. Eventually, it will drip into the insulation and down into the ceilings and exterior walls beneath the eave, ruining sheetrock and paint. If the ice dam breaks free, it can pull shingles and gutters off with it, and it will damage anything it falls on: shrubs, windowsills, cars, pets, and people. If the roof sheathing stays wet, it can form mildew and start to rot.
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How Do You Know If You Have Ice Dams
Identifying ice dams is important as it is the first step to fixing them. Fortunately, you can tell the existence of an ice dam by checking the physical appearance and confirming indoors. Below are suggestions on how to go about it.
