The thought of a winter wonderland is the subject of countless holiday hits and Christmas carols. But while it can be enchanting and beautiful, snow and ice can wreak havoc on your home, especially its roof, gutters, and siding. Anytime icicles start to form on the edge of your roof, it’s a sign that your home most likely has destructive ice dams.
Although the damage from ice dams can cost homeowners a pretty penny, it is also some of the most preventable damage you’ll have to deal with. In this post, Michigan’s top roofing contractors at J&J Roofing are sharing our best ice dam solutions to help you keep your roof in good shape all winter long. Here’s what you need to know.
Ice Dam Basics
The first thing to understand about ice dams is how they form. With an understanding of what causes them, it’s much easier to prevent them from forming at all, thus protecting your home.
During the winter months, snow and ice will invariably end up on most Michigan roofs. It’s what happens next, though, that determines how well your roof will fare through the frosty season. When the heat from a home comes into contact with this snow and ice, it melts before refreezing at the cold edges of the roof. Once there, it begins to build up, quickly creating a dam made of ice along the area of a roof where water should be draining into the gutter system.
With nowhere to go, the snowmelt remains on the roof, where it can seep into the roof underlayment and create extensive damage inside your home and roof structure. Worse, the seeped-in water can refreeze under your shingles, causing them to pop up and loosen.
These are just a few of the problems that ice dams can cause:
- Lifted shingles
- Ripped-off gutters
- Attic insulation damage
- Mold growth
- Ceiling damage
- Wall staining and peeling
- Wood rot
- And more
Dealing With Ice Dams
The best way to handle ice dams is to maintain a consistent roof temperature by making sure your attic insulation and roof are up to the task of winter in Michigan.
Here are a few more strategies for handling ice dams:
- Use a snow rake to remove snow from your roof before ice dams can form.
- Have your attic ventilation system professionally checked.
- Add ice-belt panels to your roof.
- Install a water-repellant roofing material.
- Install insulated caps over any attic heat sources.
- Seal any air leaks around attic vents.
- Have your chimney flashing upgraded.
- Have your ice dams professionally removed.
- Install ice-melting cables.
- Use calcium chloride to melt snow and ice.
Call J&J Roofing in Roseville, Michigan Today!
If you see icicles hanging from the edge of your roof, you can bet you’ve got an ice dam problem. At J&J Roofing, we can remove those worrisome ice dams and help you stop ice dams before they form with high-performance insulation and roofing materials. Get your roof and attic inspection started by calling 586-445-6455 or contact us online today.