Owning your own home can be fraught with issues in the winter months, as in cold, snowy conditions, ice dams can form.
Ice dams occur when snow melts on your roof and runs down the roof slope, settling underneath other non-melted snow, then refreezes at the edge of the roof creating what is known as a dam. This is dangerous to your property as when more snow melts on your roof, it can often collect against the dam, and leak into your house via your roof.
Ice dams can cause a huge number of expensive issues, including causing damage to exterior and interior walls, window sills, and ceilings. Ice dams can even go as far as leading to pulling gutters or shingles coming off. If the damaged property is not taken care off, it can also lead to mold buildup.
Now you know all about ice dams, take a look at these 5 ways of preventing them:
- Install an attic fan. This will ensure you have a continuous flow of air within your attic, thus meaning there is less likelihood of ice forming on your roof
- Keep your gutters and roof clean. Ensure that your downspouts, scuppers, drains, and gutters are well maintained and clear at all times, particularly during the fall, before the winter weather arrives.
- Ventilate the ridge of the roof, and the eaves. This is imperative to ensure the circulation of air under your roof, and through your entire attic. Good ventilation can be achieved by installing continuous soffit vents, along with a ridge vent.
- Install flashing around your chimney. Doing this between the frame of the house, and the chimney will enable you to stop leaks in their tracks
- Exhaust outside. Make sure that any roof ducts that lead to dryer, bathroom, or kitchen vents are exhausted outside, through either the walls or the roof. Never allow exhaust ducts to go through the soffits, as this can cause air flow issues, and encourage the formation of ice dams
Removing Ice Dams
Remember, if you spot an ice dam, simply remove it by raking it off with a blunt object, or by filling old panty hose with calcium chloride, and simply leaving it across the ice dam to melt the ice. Having said this, it’s always better to hire a professional roofing company to take care of ice dam issues.
As ice dams are a serious problem, by following the tips above you can save your home from being damaged, and can save your bank balance from being hit negatively too.
Be sure to talk to use here at bolt insurance Agency about having a homeowners insurance policy that keeps you protected against the financial repercussions of ice dams.
