Ice Dams: How to identify and prevent them

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What is an ice dam?

Short answer: An ice dam is the ridge of ice that forms at the edge of a roof which prevents melting snow from draining as it should. The water that backs up behind the ice dam can leak into the home and cause damage to walls, floors, ceilings, insulation, and other areas. See a basic illustration of an ice dam below.

What causes ice dams?

Short answer: Roof ice and ice dams result from the escape of heat into the attic or roof space. This heat builds up and eventually melts snow on the roof, which, as described above runs to the cold edge of the roof and forms an ice dam. Factors such as ventilation, insulation, solar orientation, tree coverage, home architecture, snow cover, home owner lifestyle and of course weather conditions all interact to determine ice dam activity on every home. Because no two houses are the same, it is common to have neighbouring homes on two ends of the ice dam spectrum; one may have major leaking, while the other is virtually unaffected.

Tips on preventing damage: Preventing damage from an ice dam is pretty straight forward. It’s all about being proactive. If your home is prone to ice dams forming, it is best to contract a company to keep the snow on your roof to a minimum by utilizing rooftop snow removal techniques such as those seen here in this video

Removal of Ice Dams

If you think you may already have an ice dam problem, it’s time to call a professional before the dam creates a leak into your roof. Our Professional team melt ice dams from your roofline using Steam to completely remove the dam and prevent damage to your roof.

If you have any further questions bout Ice Dams or would like to book an appointment to have one removed, please don’t hesitate to call or email.

 

 

 

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