How to Prevent Ice Damming on Your Roof
Winter comes with lots of demerits, and not only will you be battling to keep yourself warm, you will also be trying to prevent ice damming on your roof. Ice dams, which form when melted snow refreezes at roof edge, is not good at all. It prevents melting water from flowing off the roof, and in trying to find an escape route, it may flow into your home through the roof.
Luckily, this article talks about how you can prevent ice damming on your roof, which usually involves insulation, ventilation and sealing of air leaks. Below are helpful ways of preventing ice damming:
Insulate your attic properly
It is advisable to properly insulate your attic, and in addition, ensure it is properly ventilated. It is advisable to hire an expert for this. Also, never forget to check all combustion appliances for back drafting. These appliances include water heater, gas, and furnace, amongst others. This is because these appliances can deposit dangerous waste products like Carbon Monoxide if they are not drafting properly.
Seal attic leakages
Typically, heat loss in a home is usually through the attic ceiling. This is mostly caused by air leaks, mostly caused by cracks around lighting fixtures, gaps in the drywall, and other leakages in the ceiling. It is difficult to figure out these cracks, but you should endeavor to find out if there is any and fill them up.
Install Soffit and roof vents
You can make the temperature on the roof even and consistent with the outside temperature. This can be achieved through adding a ridge vent paired with continuous Soffit vents, as this allows air to circulate under the whole roof.
Inspect insulations
It is a wise idea to inspect insulation around sensitive areas like dormers and skylights, since they easily allow heat to escape. Such sensitive areas may be insulated poorly, so ensure that they are checked properly.
Change your roofing strategy
If it happens that you will be reroofing your home, or you are building a new one, then it is best that you include a special kind of adhesive barrier that is resistant to both ice and water. Adding an ice and water resistant barrier helps a lot.
Climb up and work
You may want to throw off the snow on your roof after a heavy snowfall. To do this, however, you need to make use of a special type of snow rake made for this purpose. Don’t use chainsaws, hatchets, ice picks or other similar tools because they may damage your shingles, making the situation worse. Never try this when standing on a ladder, and you should only use this option if you stay in a single-story home.
Conclusion
Ice damming on the roof can be frustrating, but as you try to get rid of them, ensure that you address the underlying cause, which mostly is heat loss from the house. All the tips above will surely help you get rid of them. If you can’t do things yourself, it is advisable to seek help from an expert.
