Preventing Ice Dam Leaks

February 22nd, 2008 — Consumer Roof Info


Ice Dam at Roof Eave

In our previous article, we learned about the cause & effects of ice damming. Let’s continue with possible solutions for ice damming problems

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What Can I Do When An Ice Dam Happens?

The only corrective action that can be taken is to remove the barrier of ice at the gutter line or to remove the ice build-up on the roof area before it melts from underneath. It must be noted that working on a roof under these conditions is extremely dangerous. The risk of injury should always be weighed against the cost of water damage repair. Your best move may be to call a professional roofing contractor who is experienced in ice dam removal.

Also, in removing ice from the gutter and roof, you may cause damage to these areas that will require professional repair. Again, the cost of water damage repair may be less than the cost of a roof, gutter repair or professional help.

What Can I Do To Prevent Ice Dams?

Like the common cold there is no cure for ice damming, but there are steps you can take to minimize the chances of your home or building becoming affected:

  • The best prevention of ice dams is a well-ventilated roof, also known as a cool roof. Make sure your attic area has sufficient air exhaust outlets (gable vents, ridge vents and free air vents) and that the airflow is distributed throughout the attic space. Peak mounted ridge vents such as Shingle Vent II maximize airflow in attic areas.
  • Make sure your attic area has adequate insulation and that it does not cover your soffit air in-take vents. Add soffit vents if your home currently does not have any.
  • Additional protection can be provided with the installation of impermeable membranes such as the Grace Ice & Water Shield. The membranes are installed on top of the decking and under the roofing material. Typical locations for application are at the eaves of the home, around dormers and in the valley areas. Membranes will help prevent water from entering the home unless it dams higher than the protection itself.
  • Electric heat tapes can be installed in the gutter system or in extreme cases, can be installed on the lower sections of the roof to melt the ice before dams are formed.
  • Homes and buildings with cathedral or open ceilings may want to consider installing ceiling fans near the peak of the ceiling to help push the warmer air away from these areas.

Who Is Responsible For Ice Dams And The Resulting Leaks?

Ice dams are the result of winter storm conditions and not considered to be a roof design flaw. Therefore, damage caused from ice damming is not covered by a shingle manufacturer’s warranty. Remember, sloped roofs are designed to shed water — not hold water.

There are many products on the market to improve the capability of established homes to fend off ice dam leaks. Roofing Contractors are able to provide an ever-increasing number of products and information for re-roofing clients to choose from.

The final responsibility remains with the homeowner when re-roofing to weigh the cost of prevention and protection products against the possible cost of damage and inconvenience if an ice dam leak occurs.

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This entry was posted on Friday, February 22nd, 2008 at 6:39 am and is filed under Consumer Roof Info. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.


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2 Comments so far

  1. Ice Dams - Cause and Effect | Roof Info on February 22, 2008 6:46 am

    [...] Preventing Ice Dam Leaks [...]

  2. Rod Pennington on December 29, 2009 2:20 pm

    If you live in the north you are going to get ice dams. The first thing to do when you have an ice dam is to open a channel in the ice to drain away the water and stop leaks into the house. A refillable snow melt sock or ice melt sock thrown on the roof and pulled into place will open a channel in minutes.

    Insulating properly goes along way to prevention of ice dams and there are many other expensive engineering solutions, but most of them kinda make you think about the story of the truck wedged under the bridge and how nobody could figure out how to pull it out until a little boy said, “Why dont you just let some air out of the tires and drive it out.” Well, why don’t you just melt a hole with an ice melt sock so the water can drain off the roof instead of backing up to leak into the house?

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