What Can I Do About Ice Dams On My Roof

If you don t have an attic completely insulate the rafters.

What can i do about ice dams on my roof.

Up the roof from the edge the next time you reroof fig. And this may cause water to leak into your attic ceiling or wall soaking your insulation drywall and paint. These vents help to circulate cold air under the entire roof eliminating the hot spots and cold spots that cause ice dams. Run special ice dam prevention products adhesive ice and water barrier from 3 to 6 ft.

Just keep the entire roof the same temperature as the eaves. Your roof will remain below freezing preventing ice dams from forming. You do that by increasing ventilation adding insulation and sealing off every possible air leak that might warm the underside of the roof. And some sections of the roof may be impossible to keep cold.

And throwing salt on them will do more to harm to your plantings than to the ice. This eliminates one of the ingredients necessary for the formation of an ice dam. Hacking away at ice dams with a hammer chisel or shovel is bad for your roofing and dangerous for you. Getting rid of ice dams for good is simple in principle.

Ice and water protectors sometimes called ice and snow shields in cold climates are made with polymer modified bitumen. A roof rake and push broom can be used to remove snow but may damage the roofing materials. Short of praying for warm weather here are two stop gap measures we recommend. There are several things you can do to avoid getting an ice dam or to reduce the risk of damage after one has formed but there s really only one cure.

The problem is these ice dams can force water up under your roof s shingles. A combination of better sealing insulation and venting in the attic and eaves. That s when you have to call on secondary strategies and ice dam prevention products to prevent ice dam damage. Adequate insulation will keep the warm temperatures in your home and the cold temperatures outside.

In an emergency situation where water is flowing into the house structure making channels through the ice dam allows the water behind the dam to drain off the roof. You can keep your entire roof at an equal temperature by installing a ridge vent and soffit vents around your roof. If left alone the ice dam will continue to be built up by the snow and ice up on your roof. Ice dams can also damage your roof and gutters.

Make sure you use soffit and ridge vents that have the same size of opening. Ice and water barrier is a type of self sealing underlayment that adheres to the roof decking and waterproofs it. The best thing you can do is to take steps to help prevent future ice dams from forming.