Snow On Roof Ice Dams

This scenario is often the result of a warm attic.

Snow on roof ice dams.

An ice dam forms when the roof over the attic gets warm enough to melt the underside of the layer of snow on the roof. Now that you know how ice dams form here s a quick and easy way to prevent them. Ice dams form when the snow melts on an upper warmer part of a roof. Call us at 1 800 ice dams if you have an ice dam on your roof and live anywhere in the lower 48 including in hard hit minnesota illinois and wisconsin.

The water trickles down between the layer of snow and the shingles until it reaches the eave of the roof which stays cold because it extends beyond the side of the house. Keep in mind that heating cables and snow rakes are just temporary measures and at some point you will probably want to have your attic space adequately insulated and ventilated as part of your long term ice dam prevention and heat loss strategy. Ice dams and icicles form when the snow melts runs down your roof and refreezes near the edge. An ice dam is an ice build up on the eaves of sloped roofs of heated buildings that results from melting snow under a snow pack reaching the eave and freezing there.

Finally ice accumulates along the eaves forming a dam. As the ice accumulates it forms a blockage that prevents the snowmelt from flowing off the roof. Ask this old house general contractor tom silva explains the best ways to keep your roof and gutters free from those dreaded ice dams. Nonuniform roof surface temperatures lead to ice dams.

This only occurs when part of your roof warms to above 32 degrees f warm enough to melt the snow while the roof edge remains below freezing. We are properly licensed bonded and insured and are the top rated ice dam removal company in the us. Meltwater from the warm roof backs up behind it flows under the shingles and into the house. The meltwater then runs down toward the colder eave overhang where it freezes.

You can use the snow rakes to push up and clean up the snow on your roof which should help you stop the ice dams from forming. Heat loss from a house snow cover and outside temperatures interact to form ice dams. Stop ice dams with a cold roof. Freezing at the eave impedes the drainage of meltwater which adds to the ice dam and causes backup of the meltwater which may cause water leakage into the roof and consequent damage to the building and its contents if the water.

For ice dams to form there must be snow on the roof and at the same time higher portions of the roof s outside surface must be above 32 degrees f freezing while lower surfaces are below 32f. Next snow melts on the warm roof and then freezes on the cold eaves. You can end the leaks with a phone call to ice dam guys.