Ice Dam Control

1/22/2020 (Permalink)

A snowy roof with ice crystals hanging off the gutters.

You may not see it on your roof, but in the wintertime, ice dams can form and cause serious damage.

An ice dam is a ridge of ice that forms at the edge of a roof and prevents melting snow from draining off the roof. The water that backs up can leak into homes, causing water damage on ceilings, walls, insulation and other materials.

Long term suggestions or immediate action on how to avoid an ice dam:

Short-term action:

• Remove snow from your roof.
• Use a roof rake or push broom. But be careful, it may damage roof materials.
• If you find water flowing into your house creating areas that water can drain off the roof is important.
  • Hose down the roof with tap water on a warm day.
  • Work upward from the lower edge of the dam.

Long-term action:

• Make the ceiling air tight so no warm, moist air can flow from the house into the attic space.
• After sealing air leakage paths between the house and attic space, consider increasing the ceiling or roof insulation to cut down on heat loss by conduction.

Roof & Attic Ventilation

Natural roof ventilation can help with uniform temperatures. If all other attic issues have been properly corrected, only a small amount of ventilation will be needed to prevent excess warmth in the attic.

If an ice dam has caused water damage within your home, SERVPRO of Casper is always here to help. Feel free to contact us anytime for a damage assessment and consultation.