Preventing Ice Dam Formation

Ice Dams: Winter Is Upon Us

With winter upon us already, it’s wise to take precautionary measures now to prevent the formation of ice dams. Not sure how to prevent ice dams? There are a few different ways. Some are more extensive and take more forethought than others, but there are definitely ways to combat the formation of ice dams as the cold weather settles in for the long haul.

ICE DAMS: THE ENEMY

Ice dams are not something you want on your roof. They can lead to roof damage, resulting in leaks into the home and damaging your gutters by pulling them away from the home. These ridges of ice and snow accumulate at the edge of your roof because there’s no heat to warm up the roof at that juncture.

This build-up prevents melting snow from running off the roof, where it gets stuck at the ice dam. What happens? It backs up slowly until that water starts to leak and damage your walls and ceilings.

PREVENT THEM FROM HAPPENING

Yes, there are ways you can prevent ice dams from forming. First off, keep the roof the same temperature as the eaves underneath, says This Old House. By adding more insulation to the attic and sealing up any air leaks around the home, you can take many strides towards achieving this. Warm air leaks are essentially heating up the underside of your roof, which leads to melting and pooling of water.

You want to keep your roof as cold as possible to discourage melting. This is an important area of concern, as you lose one-third of your heat through the attic. Go through the home and caulk any leaks around light fixtures, telephone jacks, doors, windows, drywall gaps, pipes, and chimneys. Use extra insulation where you see fit and increase ventilation with more roof and soffit vents.