When the snow starts to fall, everyone gets excited about a white wonderland. But if you are a homeowner, that snowfall fills you with dread and that is because of one thing; ice dams.
If you live in a snowy region of the country, then you will be knowledgeable about the damaging affect that snow and ice dams can have for your property. An ice dam forms on the edge of your roof, when the heat from your attic rises and melts the initial layer of snow. When the water trickles down, it freezes on the cold eaves of the roof. As the ice dam grows, there is nowhere for the water to drain and this damages your roof, as well as the inside of your house. That is when you suddenly have a costly bill for ceiling, wall and roof repairs; great!
While there are plenty of ice dam solutions available on the market, companies are always telling you what their advantages are or why to use certain products, but never their drawbacks. Yet, a lot of these solutions are only temporary. Read on to find out the real disadvantages of common ice dam solutions on the market today.
Roof Rakes
While it can be easy to purchase a roof rake, it is not so easy to use one. Sure; it can remove some of the snow from your roof and chip away at ice dams, but it is often too late to prevent damage to your roof. After all, ice dams form very quickly and it is not until you discover the damage that you realize you have one. In addition, it can be dangerous to get the ice down from such a height and you risk causing damage to surrounding vehicles, gardens and people; that’s not worth it
Ice Melting Products
There are plenty ice-melting products out there, such as rock salt, sodium chloride and blended products. But, they all have one thing in common; they aren’t permanent ice dam solutions and are not always as effective as they seem. Plus, how are you going to get it up there?
Ice Dam Removal Companies
People often choose professional companies because it appears the safest and quickest option. Yet, this is still only a temporary solution to the problem and an expensive one. A professional often uses a high-pressure power washer or steamer that can melt ice dams, but can also cause damage to your shingles. This will only deal with the problem once it starts to cause problems and doesn’t stop them from forming in the first place. What’s more, you will be paying for repeat services in bad weather; your finances will take a hit!
