Roof Damage From Ice

After one ice dam occurrence shingle seals that have been lifted by expanding ice may not reseal causing future failures earlier with smaller amounts of ice and water.

Roof damage from ice.

Remove snow from your roof if the loads you estimate based on the thickness of the various types of snow and ice exceed 20 25 per square foot you should consider removing snow from your roof. Pull up shingles or material allowing melted water into your home that will lead to roof leaks and water damage. When water gets backed up against the ice dam it may leak through the roof and cause water damage. Use a box fan to blow cold air at any leaky spots in the roof.

If you aren t familiar with an ice dam here s a brief explanation. When an ice dam occurs there are some maintenance options to remove it. Once the sun warms the roof shingles and gutters ice can detach and fall off. Ice dams are the single largest cause of snow damage to roofs and shingles.

Water trapped behind an ice dam can flow under roof shingles and leak into the house damaging walls floors and other materials. To be successful the entire roof must be shoveled. Run into gutters and refreeze leaving massive and heavy blocks of ice in the gutters. Several conditions must exist for ice dam damage to occur.

Dwelling coverage may help pay to repair damage from an ice dam. There are signs to look for when you believe there may have been damage to your roof. Start by climbing into the. Ice dams are not known to cause damage to anything other than the immediate roof area.

This creates the potential for liability and damage to persons or property below. Ice dams cannot crack unseal or damage roof shingles. For safe removal that won t endanger you or damage your roof hire a snow removal contractor. We have found that the only way to cure an ice dam and prevent one in the first place is to.

Insulate the living space well enough to prevent conduction and convection of heat. Ice dams may result when ice forms on the edge of a roof and stops melting water from running off. Check for leaks underneath roof shingles and insulation. This will very easily lead to gutter damage or gutter collapse.

How to prevent roof ice build up method 1 of 3. The heat causes snow against the roof to melt. If all these conditions are present it s likely that some water will leak into your house. Please be safe when inspecting your roof possibly view from a window inside the house or use binoculars from the ground.

An ice dam begins when heat escapes from a home through its roof. Seal all points where warm air leaks from the living space into the spaces immediately below the roof sheathing. While your roof is designed to withstand the elements some storms are more intense than others. Removal of snow from a roof with a special tool called a roof rake.