When you live somewhere that gets a lot of ice and snow, like New York, you have to worry about ice damming. Ice damming can lead to a host of other issues so it’s important to be proactive and try to prevent it or remove it if you can.
Check out these tips for dealing with ice damming in New York – or anywhere else, for that matter.
What is Ice Damming?
When there is snow or ice outside and heat inside, this can lead to ice damming. What happens is on the roof, the temperatures are reaching above freezing, while everywhere else is freezing. This generally happens because of heat loss at roof level.
This causes some of the snow or ice to melt and the water to flow downward. But when it reaches that area that is below freezing, the melted water freezes again. This creates a dam and the melting water builds up behind it.
Why do you want to avoid ice damming? When the water builds up behind the dam, it searches for other places to go. So any type of crack or opening in the roof will have water coming in. This could lead to water damage or mold and mildew.
Tips for Dealing with Ice Damming
Take a look at these tips for both preventing ice damming and proactively avoiding it when the snow and ice hit.
Additional Insulation
One of the causes of ice damming is the heat escaping from the roof. A good plan of action to help contend with this is to add some additional insulation in your attic. The heat can leak through the insulation there.
You can also fill in gaps and cracks to try to retain as much heat within the home as possible.
Roofing Updates
It might be time to consider getting a new roof. If your roof is pretty old or falling into disrepair, this could be part of the problem.
As part of your roofing update, you should also make sure that your ventilation in the attic and on the roof are sufficient and that they are properly sealed and attached.
Clear Snow and Ice
It’s a good idea to clear snow and ice from the roof when it starts to pile up. If you don’t feel comfortable doing this yourself, you can always bring in a professional to help clear things.
Keeping the roof clear of snow and ice might be challenging, but this is one of the best things you can do immediately to help with preventing ice damming.
What If Water is Coming In?
If you’re in a situation where water is coming in, you need to act fast to avoid damage.
Try taking a box fan into your attic and directing it where water is coming in. Remember that water is coming in because one spot on your roof is getting warm so this could help reduce the temperature in that area and stop the leak!
If you’re experiencing issues related to ice damming or even have water damage from it, give us a call at Redeeming Restoration. We are here to help!
