Ice Damming – Winter Time Water Damage
It looks like something from a postcard, doesn’t it? Giant icicles hanging from the roof, the family inside snuggled up with hot cocoa. But the reality is that behind this beautiful icicle there could be hiding a small disaster just waiting to happen.
What Is an Ice Dam?
Ice damming refers to the build-up of ice on a roof due to the rapid melting and subsequent re-freezing of snow. Generally when this happens, the building will have “hotspot” – an area where insulation is thin, or where an appliance vents. In either scenario, warm air melts snow on the roof, and flows down the roof under the insulating snow layer.
When the melted snow meets a point where it is exposed to cold air again, it freezes. Generally, this will happen at the eaves of the building, which is what leads to the magnificent icicles hanging from the gutter.
What Damage Can Ice Damming Cause?
The problem is that when this ice dam begins to form, water continues to melt at the hotspot and can’t escape. As a result, it piles up behind the dam.
As we all know, water always takes the route of least resistance – in this case, the route of least resistance is the roof. This problem can be compounded when the building has another existing condition, such as a blocked gutter.
Once the water begins to back up, it can penetrate the water barriers on the building and leak into the roof, ceilings, walls, or roof structure. What’s worse, is that this damage often continues to accumulate with little to no warning signs until it’s too late.
How Do You Prevent Ice Damming?
The best way to prevent ice damming is to ensure that your home or building has proper insulation installed. This will help to prevent the hot spots that cause the snow melt. Another thing to look at is to make sure that any dryer vents, gas fireplace ducting, or any other vent that exhausts hot air out of the building is airtight and not leaking warm air into the attic or roof insulation. Improper ventilation can often times be a contributing factor as well.
I Think I May Have Ice Damming – What Do I Do?
Please do not attempt to get on the roof when snow or ice is present. You may fall and injure yourself. Also, do not attempt to remove the ice dam without proper equipment as it may seriously damage the gutter or roof.
Determining the root cause of ice damming is a job best left to the professionals. SPCS can come to your building and help to determine the root cause of the problem and make sure that no damage has taken place. If damage has occurred, one of our team members will work with you to figure out the extent of the damage and arrange to bring in an engineer to evaluate the situation and propose a plan to address the issue. In most cases, the ventilation and insulation will also need to be evaluated by the engineer.
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