What You Need To Know About Ice Dams

12/2/2021 (Permalink)

Ice Dams: Everything You Need To Know

When winter weather hits, you must take additional steps to keep your home in good condition. Unfortunately, if an ice dam forms, your roof could leak. Here are a few things you need to know about ice dams.

Understanding Ice Dams

Ice dams are blocks of ice that form near the edges of your roof. When temperatures are low, these dams don’t cause much trouble. When roof temperatures rise, however, melted water pools behind the dam. As you may suspect, this water can seep under your shingles and into your attic. If you have problem with ice dams, your home could sustain significant damage to the following:

• Shingles
  
• Rafters
  
• Decking
  
• Insulation
  
• Drywall
  
• Ceilings

Keeping Your Roof Cold

If your roofing system isn’t cold enough to keep the water on top of it frozen, you could notice a roof leak from an ice dam. To keep your roof cold, you must control the temperature of your attic. Perhaps the most successful way to keep heat out of your attic is to seal off the space. This prevents warm air from the living areas of your home from entering the attic and warming the roof. You may also want to check your insulation. If it isn’t in good shape, insulation may not keep your exterior roof cool. Finally, consider adding soffit vents in your attic to adequately vent the space.

Starting Cleanup Immediately

If ice dams cause water damage in your Berlin, NJ, home, you must act quickly to mitigate damage. As you likely know, standing water can damage walls, floors, foundations and furnishings. Even worse, mold can begin to grow in as few as 24 hours. By working with a reputable water cleanup service, you take advantage of professional equipment and expertise to restore your home to its pre-leak condition.

Having an ice dam is a recipe for disaster. By understanding these dams and knowing how to prevent them, you can protect the comfort, value and appearance of your home.