Winter has taken a toll on buildings this year, the wild winter weather is prompting concerns about potential structural damage from snow and ice buildup. Although snow and ice can be harmless, it also can create problems for a lot of home owners.

 

If you have signs of roofing issues, its best to take care of it before things get worse. An accumulation of ice means that as snow melts, the water has nowhere to go, causing is to seep under shingles, and resulting in damage. A good way to tell if you have roof problems is if you have icicles forming. If the icicles hanging off your roof are an inch or longer, you probably have an ice dam.

 

When snow accumulates on a rooftop, an unevenly heated attic can melt pockets of snow high on the roof. That moisture then trickles sown the roof into the gutter, where it refreezes, creating a dense clog of ice. This can cause water to back up under the shingles and cause leaks in your home.

 

Most of the time, ice dams are nothing to fret over. But when a large chunk of ice falls on something or someone, or an imperfect roof lets water in, an ice dam can become costly.

 

The most common way ice dams form is by poor heat distribution in an attic. They also can form when gutters or downspouts are clogged with debris, not allowing the gutters to drain properly. Which is why you should get in the habit of cleaning out any leaves or debris from your gutters in the fall.

 

When a roof has an ice dam, water can find its way into imperfections in a roof. In roofs that don’t have a weather shield or have cracks or open nail holes, water can seep in and freeze, expand and cause damage. Eventually, that water can leak into your house and cause further damage.

 

The best way to prevent ice dams from forming is to keep eaves free of ice, and keep as much snow off roofs as possible to prevent problems, especially as the weather warms in the spring. Checking for proper attic insulation and exterior ventilation and confirming that your roof has an ice and water shield are also steps you should take.

 

If you don’t have the proper equipment or insurance, it’s not worth risking the fall to try and break up an ice dam once it has formed. With the amount of snow accumulated over the winter, you should call in the professionals to assess the situation. Contact Dykstra Knight today for all your roofing and renovation needs.