Ice and the icicles that form on the sides of homes might look beautiful, but they can actually be a sign of danger for a home. And we don’t just mean the danger of falling icicles.
We’re talking about ice dams. Ice dams form on the sides of many roofs and can lead to serious and long-lasting damage to your home. And, unfortunately, they’re quite common here in New England. As professional roofers in the area, we’ve seen quite a few.
So what is an ice dam, exactly? How do they form? What damage can they cause?
We’re going to answer all of those questions in this post and give you some actionable ice dam prevention tips.
What Is an Ice Dam?
An ice dam is ice that forms a ridge at the edges of your roof. This forms a sort of hump or ledge of ice that prevents water and debris from draining off of your roof properly.
What Causes Ice Dams to Form?
Ice dams form under specific snowy or freezing conditions. When there is snowfall, it will accumulate on your roof. The heat from inside your home and attic can then cause the lowermost layer of snow to melt.
As this melted snow trickles down your roof to the eaves, it gets farther away from the home’s heat. The eaves and ridges of the roof are much colder than other points on your roof because they extend away from the home, avoiding the heat and staying the cold temperature of the air outside.
This results in that melted snow refreezing at the very edge of the roof as ice. Over time, the ice will accumulate into an ice dam. You can see a diagram of this here.
What Damage Can an Ice Dam Cause?
When the heat from the home causes the snow to melt on your roof, the water often is trapped under the rest of the snow that didn’t melt. Excess water can pool, seep, and leak into your home.
Internally, this can result in water, paint, and drywall damage, leading to mold and mildew growth in the home.
Externally, your roof, gutters, plants, walls, and exterior paint can be damaged. Ice dams and the excess water that causes them can also lead to lifted or damaged shingles, which bring a whole slew of issues.
If the ice dam or accompanying icicles come loose, not only can they tear down and damage window sills, chimneys, gutters, and shingles — they can also severely injure someone if it falls on them.
Ice Dam Prevention Tips: Short-Term
You should know that one thing you should NOT do is remove ice dams once they form with a hammer, chisel or any other tool. This could cause serious injury to yourself or others.
That said, the good news is there are ice dam prevention methods to keep your roof dam-free.
Ice Dam Removal
You might be wondering why we haven’t suggested simply removing the dams when they form with a hammer, chisel, ax, or another tool. That’s because you should not do that under any circumstances.
Using a tool to remove the ice yourself can cause serious damage to your room and home. It’s also dangerous as the ice can fall on you, leading to serious injury. This type of work takes skill and is dangerous for non-professionals.
Luckily, there are professionals that can remove ice dams for you. Contact us today to learn more about roof ice dam removal.
Clear Roof and Gutters of Snow
This takes some dedication, but it’s worth it to prevent ice dam formation if you have a roof prone to ice dam formation. Each time there’s a snowstorm or snowfall, try to take the time to remove the snow from the roof. This will prevent the snow from melting and forming an ice dam.
However, you need to be careful doing this. Inexperience can cause you to accidentally rip off shingles or damage your roof while attempting to remove the snow. You could also injure yourself by pulling the snow on top of you if you’re on the ground, or you could fall off the roof if you do it from above.
A roofing expert will be able to do this skillfully without damaging your roof.
Heated Cables
Heated cables can equalize the temperature on your roof, which can prevent in unequal melting that causes ice dams. Install heated cables in a wide and zig-zagging pattern throughout the roof to ensure that the temperature is evenly distributed.
Also keep in mind that this needs to be done before any storms or snowfall.
Ice Dam Prevention Tips: Long-Term
The methods we mentioned above are temporary, quick fixes. The following are long-term fixes that will prevent ice dam formation in years to come, not just prevent a current one from getting worse.
Improved Roof Ventilation and Insulation
Improving your ventilation and insulation systems in your roof and your house in general will lead to more temperature equality on your roof. This prevents unequal heating from melting snow on the roof, which will, in turn, prevent ice dam formation.
Certain roof repair methods can allow for cold air to be ventilated under the roof, reducing the risk of snow melting because of the home’s heat. Attic ventilation is another method to improve ventilation as well as other natural roof ventilation techniques.
Increasing your roof and/or attic insulation has the same effect. This keeps the heat from the home insulated inside, which reduces the amount of heat transferred to the home’s exterior. Less heat escaping your home means less heat to melt the snow on your roof which, yes, means ice dam prevention.
Seal, Caulk, and Weatherstrip
Sealing, caulking, and weatherstripping serves to further insulate the heat in your home. As we said earlier, this insulation prevents heat from reaching the snow on the roof, which can prevent melting and ice dam formation.
Be sure to do this for ducts, vents, chimneys, skylights, HVAC areas, areas with electrical wiring, and lights.
Roof Ice Dam Removal and Prevention: Talk to Professionals
If your home is prone to ice dam formation, it’s 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 home’s ice dams, don’t hesitate to contact us.