The last winter season broke records left, right, and center, leading the U.S. to record its coldest February in more than three decades. With that being said, the overall winter was still considered to be warm across various areas of the country. If this fluctuation of temperatures is anything to go by, you can expect the weather to play various games this upcoming winter as well.
While the news is concerning enough on its own, it is even more stressful for those who deal with ice dams over their roof right after snowfall. If you happen to belong to that group, you might already be hearing the alarm bells going off in your mind.
In order to make sure that your winter season is not plagued with stubborn walls of ice on your roof, you need to invest in ice dam prevention products. This ensures that your roof doesn’t sag, destruct, or leak under ice dams or the excess water that they hold within their makeshift boundary.
A wide variety of people reach out to HotEdge to deal with these issues. They (ice dam matters) can become more of a problem over time, especially when winters become more tough. Regular ice dam removal through the property manager or homeowner becomes tedious. Indeed, the truth is that regular ice dam removal by the homeowner or property manager can even become dangerous as well if not done properly.
While homeowners may turn to heat cables, or other elements to prevent ice dams, they may see a wide range of issues that may occur. HotEdge is an ice dam company that understands the need to prevent ice dams to minimize ice dam problems that can have a significant financial and health impact on homeowners.
If you are looking for ice dam prevention and need help in preventing ice dams in a more holistic way, reach out to HotEdge today.
In the meantime, to help you deal with this challenge, here’s a list of some popular ice dam prevention products to protect your roof this winter.
Salt Helps to Prevent Ice Dams
As a widely available staple, salt can be found in every home. When ice dams form, this essential mineral turns from a kitchen flavoring to an ice-melting solution. Most particularly, rock salt is known to be effective for melting ice dams whenever they form after a snowstorm or regular snowfall.
With that being said, it is important to note that using salt on your roof can lead to various problems on its own. For instance, when salt mixes in with the melted ice water, it can lead to discoloration and corrosion of roofing materials.
Keeping this in mind, use this as a last-minute ice dam removal remedy when you have no other avenue to move forward with. You can also consult with a roofing expert at HotEdge to help you determine if it is a safe solution for your roofing material. We understand that ice dam removal is important and that ice dams are frustrating in more ways than one and that is why we quickly respond to ice dam matters.
We can advise you on ice dam prevention and provide you with necessary solutions to prevent ice dams and make your life a bit easier. Reach out to HotEdge today to resolve your ice dam issues.
Calcium Chloride Ice Melt
Calcium chloride is technically a type of salt. But it is inorganic and classified as a chemical. You can find it across various stores quite easily and cheaply. Instead of sprinkling it across the ice, you can put it in a small baggie and place it right beside the offending ice dams. As the water melts, the calcium chloride can cut through the ice and let the water flow.
This gives you an affordable solution to a pesky problem. But doing this routine on an everyday basis can be extremely tiresome. If you are using a ladder to perform these daily gymnastics, it may also become dangerous on slippery grounds. The approach is not always effective. But when it works, it can save you from ice dams in quite an affordable way.
If you need further assistance with your roof eaves, roof edges, soffit vents, air leaks, and other matters related to your ice dam issue, reach out to Hotedge. Our experts understand how ice dams occur and will ensure to look at the melted snow problem. They will offer ice dam solutions and offer ice damage mitigation solutions that help you avoid injuries.
Ice Melting Panels
Due to being one of the most effective solutions, ice melting panels take one of the top spots on this list. While they are considered a considerably hefty investment especially when put side to side with elements such as salt, they are the more convenient and effective solution to the stubborn problem of ice dams. You can also find various deals across vendors to discover affordable options.
Electric-powered ice melting panels can be installed at the edge and slopes of your roof. From there, they perform a heat-inducing function that melts any gathered snow right before it turns into ice dams. You can also use the same method on ice dams that have formed on top of these panels, and see the ice turn into water without any problem. Instead of repeated physical labor, the process only requires you to press a button.
Heating Cables
Heating cables are also an electric-powered solution to painful ice dams. These cables are usually installed across the roof’s edges in a zig-zag formation and emanate heat whenever they are put to work. But unlike the heating cables that power ice melting panels, heating cables work on their own. However, they also use the plug-and-play mechanism where you don’t need to set them up after every use.
With that being said, heating cables are still a pricey solution that sometimes remains on par with ice melt panels and often goes beyond their budget. But more often than not, they prove to be worth the expense by melting off ice blocks without requiring you to climb on top of the roof. This makes them a convenient product for getting rid of ice dams.
But remember that traditional solutions can also create issues with roof eaves and other aspects of your roofing system. It is necessary to make sure that you are implementing holistic solutions that range from a metal roof to more effective attic insulation over mere blown in attic insulation and other aspects provide a more holistic solution to your ice melt issues.
Chimney Flashing
Chimneys are not just Santa’s favorite spot on the roof: they also catch the eye of ice dams quite instantly. But the latter is not a fact to be celebrated, which is why you should take active measures to prevent the formation of ice dams across the base of chimneys. The method simply asks for you to install steel flashing around the base.
The overall procedure is quick to complete, but it can provide you with significant protection in terms of chimney protection. However, it is important to note that since the flashing only works for the chimney itself, it leaves other areas of your roof to be vulnerable. That is why, this is just a partial protection mechanism that still needs a supporting measure across the other parts of your roof, especially its edges.
Metal Roofing
If you are looking for a major overhaul, looking into metal roofing can reduce your chances of seeing ice dams at your home ever again. Apart from their sleek material that lets snow slide right off, the installation structure of these roofs also plays a part in making them a good preventative measure against ice dam formation.
This makes a metal roof a mightily expensive solution to the ice dam problem, but their high efficacy as well as environmentally friendly benefits may justify this investment.
Many individuals may opt to minimize stress and hassles of melting snow and other snow related issues by investing in these metal roofs. While they may be expensive initially, they can make a significant difference over the long term.
With that being said, there are times where cold spots could affect a metal roof. This usually happens right above the edge of the roofing structure. That is where you might need to invest in an external measure such as the usage of salt or the installation of targeted ice melting panels.
Reach Out to HotEdge Today
By looking into these solutions, you can find an effective solution to your ice dam problem. To make sure that you are choosing a route that works for you, don’t hesitate to contact HotEdge today.
We will be pleased to understand your concerns and offer a set of solutions that resolve your ice dam problem for the long haul.
From our metal roof solutions to other aspects that we use to mitigate ice dam damage, we are certain that our solutions will help to decrease roofing and related issues that you face in the winter. Contact HotEdge today to get started on your ice buildup solutions.
