Water Damage - Dealing With Ice Dams
11315 Sunrise Gold Circle
Rancho Cordova, CA 95742
With Ice Dams on Roofs
A phenomenon that can occur from Autumn through Spring
is ice dams on the roofs of homes. Ice dams can cause
damage to structures that can be very severe. Following
is some important information about ice dams, how they
can be prevented, and who to call if one should cause
damage to your home.
What is an ice dam, and how does it form?
When snow accumulates on a roof, a cycle of melting
and refreezing occurs. In a perfect world, the snow
would melt off the roof, enter the gutters, and flow
harmlessly to the ground. However, two key factors can
interact to cause problems: the outside air temperature
and the temperature of the inside of your attic.
The warmer your attic is, the more melting will occur.
Normally, the resulting water would flow off the edge
of the roof. Under certain conditions, though, when
outside air temperature is very low, the edge of the
roof stays below freezing and the water refreezes when
it gets to that point. This ice then forms a line, or
"dam," at the edge of the roof. As more snow
melts, it also refreezes when it gets to the "ice
dam," and the dam keeps getting bigger.
Once this dam gets large enough, the melted snow that
pools up behind it can force its way back under the
roof shingles and then leak into your home!
Contrary to some popular opinions, gutters do not cause
ice dams. However, an ice dam can extend into a gutter
if weather conditions permit.
How can ice dams be prevented in the first place?
In many instances, the answer is... insulation and
Since the main cause of ice dams is an overly warm
attic, a good start in preventing ice dams is to lower
the attic temperature. Installing additional insulation
in the attic area is as easy as laying additional layers
across the existing ones, or having more insulation
blown in. However, there are limits to the usefulness
of this procedure (diminishing returns), and a professional
roofer or insulation person should be consulted if you
have any questions.
If you notice bare sections on your roof while the
rest of the roof has snow, it is an indication there
may be insufficient insulation under the bare areas
and an inspection of the attic area should be made to
confirm this - and then to remedy the situation if necessary.
And, finally, you should also inspect the weather-stripping
and/or insulation on attic stairways or hatchways to
be sure it is in good shape and seals well. This will
help seal the warmth out of the attic area and help
prevent ice dams.
Even with optimal insulation, there is still heat leakage
into the attic. This is when the value of attic ventilation
becomes apparent. Without adequate ventilation, heat
will build up regardless of the amount of insulation.
First of all, inspect your attic to be sure that the
existing vents have not been covered by insulation or
other materials or objects. If this has occurred, it
is necessary to remove the insulation (or other material)
from the soffits so air can move through them freely.
The usual recommendation for venting is 1 square foot
of vent for every 150 feet of attic floor area. If your
home does not have that ratio (many older homes do not),
then you should contact a Contractor to remedy the problem.
If your home does not have vents, consider adding a
ridge vent. Again, a professional Roofer or Contractor
can give sound advice on the procedure.
If you are not sure about the condition of your roof,
you should contact a professional Roofer in your area
for advice or assistance.
What are the indicators of an ice dam?
If you notice water damage (marks, drips or lines)
on ceilings or exterior walls, it can be an indication
that an ice dam has formed, and ice and water have forced
their way into your attic area. In addition to fixing
the cause of the ice dam, it is important to recognize
that this is a true water damage situation that should
be remediated by trained professionals, such as PuroClean,
to prevent additional damage to the structure (such
as rotting), and to prevent the development of mold
- a health hazard to people inside of the structure.
Regardless of the circumstances - if water damage occurs
from freezing or other sources, call PuroClean Home
Rescue (866-722-7876). For all water damage, or damage
from fire or smoke, PuroClean professionals will mitigate
the loss to prevent further damage and then provide
restoration services to return the property to a pre-loss
condition as quickly as possible. All PuroClean offices
have professional, well-trained and certified Technicians
who provide the latest state-of-the-science services
to all property damaged from water, fire, smoke, mold,
and other disasters.
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