How to Avoid and Get Rid of Ice Dams

Posted on March 4, 2010 by Dana

If you live in an area where snow is a regular part of winter, then you have undoubtedly experienced ice dams on your roof. Ice dams can be very damaging to your roof and one of the leading problems homeowners face during the winter months. Therefore, it is important that you learn how to prevent ice dams from forming on your roof.

Leaky roofs can be created by snow accumulating on your roof that does not melt while temperatures remain quite cold. When snow accumulates on your roof and stays there for a decent amount of time, even the strongest of roofs can end up leaking. But roof ice dams pose an even more common danger to your roof.
Ice dams are either formed as icicles, or a wall of ice.

They form at the roofs edge, where the roof overhang and gutters are located. Ice dams can be very dangerous as these sharp pieces of ice can fall from the roof’s edge and seriously injure anyone standing underneath them. Basically, the ice dam’s life begins when snow that has accumulated on your roof beings to melt. It then flows down the roof and onto the eaves and into the rain gutters. By the time this melted snow gets to the cold gutters and eaves, the water freezes, turning into ice along the roof’s edge.

Ice dams can form as the result of improper insulation in one’s attic, as well as inadequate attic and roof ventilation. When the insulation in your attic is faulty, heat escapes from the home through the attic and roof. This, in turn, causes the snow on the roof to melt rapidly, which then gets trapped under the heavy snow. The result is a leaking roof.

What can you do to ensure that your roof does not form ice dams? The work starts before the onset of winter. Conduct an inspection to ensure that you have the proper amount of insulation in your roof and that there are enough vents. Moreover, confirm that your roof ventilation is not being blocked by the insulation in your attic.

Check your attic for air leaks and if any are found, seal them so that warm air will not escape through your roof and attic. Finally, perform a good rain gutter cleaning before winter weather hits by extracting leaves and any other debris found there.

If you already have ice dams, you will have to get rid of them. How? You can do this yourself, but only if you have experience in performing this type of work. Otherwise, you can really hurt yourself. Also take caution to never climb a roof that has snow or ice on it. You will want to remove most of the snow from the roof using a roof rake, or hiring a professional to do so.

Be careful not to break the roof shingles. You may also try to chip away ice that has formed in the gutters.