When it comes to the winter months in Denver, Colorado, residents expect to see snow, ice, and freezing cold temperatures. They are prepared to put on multiple layers of clothing, boots, hats, scarfs, and anything else designed to keep them warm and toasty while out in the harsh weather.
Your home, however, does not have a collection of warm clothing to put on as a way of preventing the freeze from affecting its exterior walls, any portion of the roof, roof decking, eaves, gutters, or foundation. One of the hazards associated with snow accumulation on your roof is the potential for it to freeze from the heat transfer (attic to the roof) and have water stream down beneath the frozen portion and into the gutters. This is the point when ice dams form and begin to cause problems during snowy winters.
At HotEdge®, we provide homeowners with the solutions they need to keep ice dam formation from happening. Although icicles hanging down from the eaves make look very pretty as they glisten in the sun, ice dam problems can be very damaging to the roof as well as the interior of the home, including the attic space. With our ice dam prevention solutions, you can relax during the winter season knowing that your home’s roof is safe.
What Is an Ice Dam?
When there is heavy snowfall, you will likely see a good amount of snow accumulating on the roof and icicles forming from the eaves. Ice dams can be damaging to the roofing material and cause interior damage as well.
An ice dam is a buildup of ice that forms a ridge along the edge of the roof. Ice dams occur when melting snow trickles down the icy roof and re-freezes when there is no longer any warm air leakage coming from the attic. Generally, ice dams develop along the roof edge or in the gutter.
With the ice dam formation in place, further melted snow will continue to flow down the roof but will begin to pool when it encounters the ice dam. At this point, the water has nowhere else to go and will begin to penetrate beneath the shingles and flow into the attic insulation and down the interior walls.
Why Is It Important to Prevent Ice Dams from Forming?
When it comes to the structural integrity of your home, preventing ice dams is essential. As the snow melts due to the heat transfer of warm air rising onto the roof’s surface, the melted water seeps into the attic space and down the walls. Over time, it will soak into the studs and insulation.
Water infiltrating from ice dams is unlike other types of roof leaks because that water is usually unseen for a long time. During that time, it will wreak havoc on the interior of your home until it can finally be seen on the walls themselves. In the meantime, the water is very likely to have caused the mold growth and damage to your roof, roof deck, interior, and exterior wall areas, and insulation.
Additionally, ice dams are known to become very heavy. They can weigh anywhere from a few hundred pounds to a few thousand, and all of that weight will be settled on the eave of your roof. This area is not designed to handle that amount of weight, and there will likely be severe ice dam damage. If that weight should fall, it will definitely cause damage to anything below it.
When you have an ice dam problem on your roof surface, it is essential that you contact an expert in removing ice dams as well as ice dam prevention techniques and products. For homeowners and business owners in Denver, CO, those experts can be found at HotEdge®.
How to Figure Out if Your Home Has Ice Dams
Now that you understand the danger that an ice dam poses to your roof, you need to know how to figure out if you actually have an ice dam forming on your roof or eave. The first step is to remove snow that has accumulated so that you can actually see the roof edge. We recommend using a roof rake to scrape the snow off the roof or rock salt to melt it. Do not attempt to get onto the roof surface while there is snow and ice present. It is too dangerous.
Once you have removed the snow, you can determine if any icicles (precursors to ice dams) have grown into the gutter and turned back into the roof. If you see this, ice dam removal will be your number one priority.
You can also look at the interior of your home and inspect the attic space for stains from water along the edges of the roof. Remember, water will be seeping into the interior walls of your home as it penetrates below the shingles. Water damage in this area is a sure sign that you have an ice dam issue that will need to be addressed.
If you are still not sure about the presence of an ice dam, simply call the professionals. Most ice dams will be pretty easy to spot, especially the large ones along the cold edge of the eaves. At HotEdge®, our team is here to assess your roof and the potential it has for ice dam development. We can also recommend the best ways to get rid of ice dams from your entire roof.
Contact Our Ice Dam Removal Experts
If you are a resident or business owner in the Denver, Colorado, area and you are looking for a way to eliminate ice dams from your roof, contact HotEdge®. We have the most advanced, state-of-the-art ice dam prevention systems available, and we are happy to discuss all of your options.
No matter what type of roof you have, we can recommend a great product that melts snow and prevents it from refreezing into a deadly ice dam. Call us today to find out more!
