For those who live in colder areas, ice dams are nothing short of a nightmare scenario. If not controlled in time, these formations of ice not only cause physical damage to your roof but also pave the way for a world of repair costs. In addition to these problems, the icicles that often trickle out of ice dams can also risk injuries.
That is why prevention is considered the best way to steer clear of these unwanted gifts of snow. In addition to protecting you from potential injury and damage, a little care also goes a long way towards saving your rainy day funds.
To help you achieve this feat, here is how you can save your roof from hazardous ice dam formations this winter.
If you are looking to prevent ice dams, then work with our professional team at HotEdge today. We are pleased to take on various activities to ensure that you do not have the problem of accumulated snow that causes a great deal of damage. If you are looking for a free estimate and would like to have awareness and more knowledge of your current roofing situation, reach out to us today.
Ensure Proper Insulation
A major reason behind ice dams is poor insulation under your roof. It creates a haphazard combination of hot and cold spots, where snow melts, water trickles, and then re-freezes, respectively. It leads to ice dam formation across the edges of your roof.
Due to these effects, a simple yet productive solution to prevent ice dams is to ensure proper roof insulation. You can have this checked via a contractor or roofer in Denver, who can then guide you through the process of insulation installation, if necessary.
Insulation can be an extensive task, which is why you must speak to a seasoned professional regarding it as an option. It helps you steer clear of unnecessary issues.
Inspect Roofing Eaves
When it comes to ice dam formation, eaves on your roof are another cause of concern. When these eaves do not have ideal ventilation, they can open doors to ice blocks to start forming over them. That also leads the way towards icicle formation.
By looking at proper eave ventilation, you can prevent this part of the roof from becoming too cold or too hot. As a result, you may lower the chances of ice dams or icicles appearing out of nowhere at the edge of your roof.
It is always better to call a seasoned professional who can help you identify and resolve any issues you face with your roofing eaves. It ensures that you are leaving no stones unturned in solving this problem.
Check the Vents
Roofing vents play an important part in preventing ice dams. This category includes the ridge vent, which is located at the peak of your roof. It also comprises the soffit vent, which is just below the side of your roof.
If there is a problem or blockage in either of these vents, they cannot allow proper ventilation in your attic. It could cause problems with the temperature of your roof and make way for ice dams to form. To resolve this issue, you should get a proper inspection for these vents.
In many cases, a roofing expert can tell you right away what kind of measures are required and how soon they can complete vent repair on your roof. It helps you to make an informed decision.
Look for Drafts and Leaks
Proper insulation through vents is a great thing, but stray air from drafts is not. It can be a major contributor to turning your roof’s temperature upside down. As a result, it can play a major role in forming ice dams over your top.
It is one aspect where you can easily inspect the issue by yourself before getting professional help. Look for areas on your roof where you can feel drafts or sunlight pouring into the attic. In case you detect these tough spots, it would be time to get them fixed.
Fixing drafts and leaks can be as easy as a few minutes’ worths of work to as difficult as a few hours of labor. Make sure you discuss the repair costs beforehand so it doesn’t cause any misunderstandings between you and your contractor later.
Install Chimney Flashing
The area around your chimney is yet another vulnerable spot for turning snow water into ice dams. An effective way to do so is through chimney flashing, a metal covering installed between your chimney and roofing material.
You can install a chimney flashing by yourself. By simply being there, this flashing can prevent the flow of water that has fluctuating temperatures. As a result, this leads to lowering the risk of ice dams forming over your chimney and roof areas below the chimney, but please get a professional to do it for excellent safety and efficacy.
Chimney flashing is not an expensive solution, but it is an effective one nonetheless. By speaking with an expert, you can determine if it is a suitable fixture for your roof.
Explore Ice Melt Solutions
Ice melt solutions such as self-regulating heating cables or panels are an excellent way to keep ice dams at bay. These solutions are strategically installed around the edges and valleys of your roof. If snow melts and water starts re-freezing, these solutions emanate heat and ensure that the melted water doesn’t turn into ice dams.
You can find plenty of ice melt solutions in the market. Whichever provider you contact, make sure that they come with BBB endorsement, good customer reviews, reliable solutions, and noticeable experience behind them.
You can then get these solutions installed as a permanent fixture on your roof. While energy bills are involved with using these roof ice melt systems, self-regulating cables combined with specially designed edge and valley panels cut that expense noticeably.
By keeping an eye on these tips, you can easily evade the formation of ice dams over your home. In turn, you can leave all the worries behind that this irritating wintertime guest brings to the table every year.
If you are currently facing the problem of ice dams or planning to stay away from this issue for good, don’t hesitate to contact an expert at HotEdge today. Through our ice dam prevention solutions, we will help you protect your home from these risks.
Our team will find out what is causing your roof ice problems and place the necessary designs to prevent ice dams from forming. If you are looking for help to minimize problems in the colder months, reach out to us today.
