During an ice storm, you likely are a bit worried about your roof and other things ice can damage. Sometimes, there is only so much you can do to prevent ice dams from occurring but you can always learn how to identify them and prevent a problem from becoming bigger.
What Are Ice Dams?
Ice dams tend to form at the edge of roof lines. The occur when water from melting snow freezes to the edge. This can happen when the snow from the roof is not removed. This is not just an eye sore. It can grown to be so big that it will actually prevent water from properly draining off of your roof. when this happens, it will back up underneath the shingles on your roof and it may start to drip inside your home.
How Can You Identify Them?
If you think you have an ice dam, you should examine it to make sure that is what it is. Once you have identified the ice dam, you can proceed with the next steps and attempt to have it removed from your roof line. Another thing to keep in mind is that ice dams do not always form on the roof line. They may be in other places as well. If you have icicles around your home, you will want to examine these to make sure they are not ice dams. If the icicles are only around the gutters and no water is trapped by them, you likely do not yet have an ice dam. However, icicles can lead to ice dams and other dangers so you will want to get these properly removed. Another way to search for a potential ice dam is by looking inside the home for any water stains or moisture coming from the ceiling or exterior walls. If you do have these, it may be an ice dam causing the excess water coming into your home.
What Do You Do When You Have One?
If you have an ice dam or you have identified a potential ice dam, you will want to get it removed as soon as possible. The longer the ice dam is present on your roof, the more damage it could possibly cause. That is why it is important to get it taken care of right away before it becomes a much more costly repair. When using a ladder to get to these areas during the winter, you should exercise extreme caution. It can be very dangerous to remove these without experience so we always recommend that you call an expert to come examine and remove any potential ice dams for you.
Contact ADN today for more information or to come remove an ice dam from your home.
