Ice Damming: Causes and Solutions
Ice damming occurs from the
expansion of water forming into ice. The water
comes from melting snow, normally during the day
when temperatures are higher, then freezing at
night when the temperatures dip. Since the water
drains towards gutters, the problem of leakage
occurs, in most cases, closer to the exterior
walls where the cold edge of the roof is. There
are solutions to ice damming, short term and
long term:
Short Term:
- If access is safe – chip off the ice at
leakage areas. Be careful not to damage roof
and gutters
- Salt the ice dam area . . . Slower
results but it does work
- Wait for the thaw . . . This is 100%
reliable, but can be very slow.
Mr Roof recommends putting
out buckets & plastic immediately if dam leakage
occurs.
Important Note: Poke a hole (or multiple
holes) in the ceiling where leakage occurs. This
will allow water to quickly escape out of the
ceiling, allow a predicted drainage path and
will greatly lessen the severity of ceiling
damage . . . Small holes are easy to patch vs.
sagging drywall or plaster.
Long Term:
- Check and update attic and soffit
ventilation. A properly ventilated attic means
the outside temperature is equal to the attic
temperature. (That is why insulation is laid on
the ceiling or attic floor). A cold attic means
less snow melting from beneath and refreezing at
night.
- Install ice and weather underlayment beneath
shingles at the eaves. Ice and weather
underlayment is a sticky rolled roofing that
goes beneath the shingles directly on the wood
decking. Shingles are applied over the material.
When a nail is placed through the ice and
weather underlayment it forms a tight seal to
prevent water entry around the nails.
- Rubber membrane in problem areas or low slope
areas means no areas for ice to back up.
On flat roofs, there are different measures
of installing the roof to prevent ice dams.
Do not necessarily blame your roofer for the
ice dams. If it didn’t leak during the rain but
it leaks now, it is probably not the roofers
fault.
Each ice dam situation is different. Mr Roof suggests calling in a professional.
Contact Mr Roof Today.
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