Roof Damage From Ice

Several conditions must exist for ice dam damage to occur.

Roof damage from ice.

To be successful the entire roof must be shoveled. Ice dams cannot crack unseal or damage roof shingles. Insulate the living space well enough to prevent conduction and convection of heat. When an ice dam occurs there are some maintenance options to remove it.

Ice dams are not known to cause damage to anything other than the immediate roof area. Run into gutters and refreeze leaving massive and heavy blocks of ice in the gutters. Signs of storm damage. While your roof is designed to withstand the elements some storms are more intense than others.

Start by climbing into the. An ice dam begins when heat escapes from a home through its roof. For safe removal that won t endanger you or damage your roof hire a snow removal contractor. Once the sun warms the roof shingles and gutters ice can detach and fall off.

If you aren t familiar with an ice dam here s a brief explanation. Pull up shingles or material allowing melted water into your home that will lead to roof leaks and water damage. This will very easily lead to gutter damage or gutter collapse. Use a box fan to blow cold air at any leaky spots in the roof.

There are signs to look for when you believe there may have been damage to your roof. Check for leaks underneath roof shingles and insulation. Ice dams may result when ice forms on the edge of a roof and stops melting water from running off. Please be safe when inspecting your roof possibly view from a window inside the house or use binoculars from the ground.

The heat causes snow against the roof to melt. Removal of ice buildup on a roof can be completed by trained professionals that use special steam equipment. When water gets backed up against the ice dam it may leak through the roof and cause water damage. Ice dams are the single largest cause of snow damage to roofs and shingles.

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. If all these conditions are present it s likely that some water will leak into your house. Seal all points where warm air leaks from the living space into the spaces immediately below the roof sheathing. Dwelling coverage may help pay to repair damage from an ice dam.

How to prevent roof ice build up method 1 of 3. 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. We have found that the only way to cure an ice dam and prevent one in the first place is to. Removal of snow from a roof with a special tool called a roof rake.