When the temperature outside starts to drop, your home’s roof is put to the test. Ice dams can form when snow on the roof melts and then refreezes along the eaves and gables of the house. This can cause water damage to your roof, ceilings, and walls. Follow these 10 tips to help prevent ice dams from forming on your roof this winter.
1. Improve Vents
If your home has ridge or soffit vents, you need to make sure they are unobstructed. Ice dams can form when warm air becomes trapped in the attic and melts snow on your roof, but is unable to escape through the vents. Check that all of your vents are clear before winter arrives.
2. Gutter and Downspout Extensions
Gutter and downspout extensions prevent melted snow from reaching your roof by directing it to the ground away from the house. A hose can be used to test how well these extensions work. Simply attach one end of a hose to the downspout and place the other end in a pail full of water. If you notice that water is not draining, you need new extensions.
3. Ice and Water Shield
Ice and water shield comes in either roll or membrane forms and is nailed directly over your existing shingles before winter begins. This helps prevent ice dams by preventing melting snow from ever touching your roof in the first place. In particular, nail ice and water shield around roof valleys and other areas where snow tends to pile up.
4. Remove the Snow from Your Roof
Rather than allowing snow on your roof to melt and then refreeze, remove it as soon as possible. This can be done using an ice chopper or a flat shovel. This is one of the most effective way to keep your roof in good condition.
5. Replace Cracked and Missing Shingles
Cracked and missing shingles is one of the most common causes of roof damage due to ice dams. Check for cracks and missing shingles before winter arrives, and replace them if necessary. Otherwise, this might result in water damage to beams, insulation, and rafters inside your attic once they start melting from below.
6. Vent Pipe Flashings
Flashings are used around vent pipes to prevent melted snow from reaching the roof through these openings. Look for any existing flashings that might need replacing, and install new flashings if necessary.
7. Trim Tree Limbs
If your roof is located near trees, keep in mind that tree limbs can drop ice and snow on the roof when they melt. Remove any tree limbs that hang over or near your roof to prevent them from dropping their contents onto the house during winter months.
8. Keep Your Roof Clean
Melted snow from higher up on your roof can accumulate around heat registers and exhaust vents at the lower areas of a roof during winter months. Make sure these registers and vents are unobstructed so melted snow cannot reach them while it continues downward towards the eaves where ice dams form.
9. Install a Heat Cable
A heat cable is a heat source that runs along your roof designed to prevent ice dams from forming. If you have a metal or flat tile roof, you might want to install a heat cable.
10. Clogged Gutters and Downspouts
If your gutters and downspouts are clogged with leaves and other debris, they will not be able to carry melted snow from your roof away from the house. Remove any obstructions, such as leaves and twigs, from your gutter system before winter arrives to prevent this from occurring.
11. Keep Warm
If you are worried about ice dams forming on your roof, wear layers of clothes to keep warm during the winter months.
12. Fix Leaks
Leaks in roof can cause damage inside your home if they aren’t taken care of immediately. If water is leaking through your ceiling or coming up through the floor, make sure repairs are carried out as soon as possible to prevent further problems from occurring.
13. Ice Dams Can’t Form if There is No Snow on Your Roof
If you remove all snow from your roof, ice dams cannot form. Since this is not a practical solution for preventing ice dams, look into other options such as heat cables and ridge shingles.
14. Use Chimney Caps
Installing a chimney cap is one of the most inexpensive and effective ways to prevent ice dams. A chimney cap works by providing a barrier between your roof and any snow that may accumulate on or around it.
15. Ice Dams Form When Snow Melts and Refreezes
This is why ice dams can cause such devastating damage to homes – when they melt, water gets under shingles and causes damage to insulation, roof beams, and the roof’s substructure over time. Ice dams can also allow debris such as twigs and leaves to enter vents in your house which may lead to mold growing inside your walls. It’s always best to prevent these problems from occurring.
