Many people live and work in areas that have a substantial portion of rainfall each year. But others reside in the regions that go through outrageous winter seasons. In these places, homeowners must make certain that they are doing a fantastic job overall to protect themselves in these environments.
They must ensure that they are clearing their driveways, keeping themselves alert while out on the roads, and staying careful in general so that they do not slip and fall while they are moving around about town.
But you must also think about your house and potential issues like ice dams that may form due to lack of proper housing design or other factors. Many experts and professionals would ask you to look further into the value of proper insulation and other aspects to prevent ice dam issues within your property.
Remember that ice dam issues can be a problem because they will cause further issues that can affect your health, your property and bring issues like mold, structural damage, and more. These issues can affect your physical and financial health.
That is why it is best to refer to the most effective ways for preventing ice dams within your area. With that, let us get started with a few of the fundamentals of ice dams and then go into some most effective ways to prevent ice dams on your property today.
What Are Ice Dams and How Do They Occur?
Ice dams are this barrier that forms on your roof or places like eaves that can prevent water from flowing as it should thus causing it to flow into your property interiors instead. They form because of several factors.
These factors include cold temperatures and regular snow, improper insulation on your roof, and a few other interactions that come together to create this issue of the ice dam. Indeed, If your roof temperature and overall system are not in line with the cold temperatures outside, you will be beckoning further troubles for your property.
But what kind of problems might head your way?
Well, the fact of the matter is that snow will accumulate on your roof, and then it will undergo a process where it starts to melt and then freeze at a certain point. This will be an ongoing process that occurs regularly, which will result in the formation of an ice dam.
Indeed, certain areas that experience snow will have temperatures that will increase throughout the daytime and then decline throughout the darker hours of the day. An increase in warm areas on the roof due to the lack of the right installation or home design can encourage only patches of snow to melt.
The key point here is that one can see an increase in a few warm areas but not necessarily warm areas all around. That means that some snow will melt while other snow remains and accumulates.
When day turns back tonight, the melting snow will refreeze at another point and slowly start to form a dam.
Ice dams are an issue because of the extent of the damage that they can cause to your home. If homeowners are not aware of the issues that are present within the situation, they can face plenty of problems.
Did you know that one ice dam issue can cause over a thousand dollars worth of repair sometimes? The further issue is that it may take quite a while to repair depending on the extent of the damage.
Whether you are dealing with these ice dams for your primary property or your home out in Aspen or another wintery area, you must be aware of ice dams and how to prevent them in the right way.
Obtain The Right Insulation
The first step is to ensure that you are conducting the right insulation for your property. Did you know that insulation may be useful in helping keep your indoors warm but it can also assist in keeping your roof cold? You might wonder why you should care about keeping the roof cold. You might wonder how it helps to maintain the integrity and overall value of your property.
Here is a simple reason.
Did you know that if you have the right barriers placed within your property that it can help to ensure a stable climate for your roof? This will be in line with the general temperature outside and will help you to avoid issues. Recall that ice dams only form if certain conditions come together and create this situation. If one of the elements is missing, then ice dams cannot occur.
One of the primary issues the varying temperatures that exist on the roof, these differing temperatures are part of the reason for these dams. If you seek to have one of the best solutions for overall prevention, then seek the best insulation professionals. The right strategy is to ensure minimal heat transfer from inside the property, to minimize moisture build-up on the roof, then to make sure that your roof has regular maintenance and care.
But remember that this is all about thinking about the long-term and designing your place to minimize ice dams. If you are facing ice dam issues right now, you should call us at HotEdge today to help you resolve it quickly. We always suggest long-term solutions so that you do not have to deal with the same ice dam issues over and again. If the situation revolves around heat, then you should look toward insulation. Many homes may come without the right form of insulation. This is especially true if they were made over 40 years ago. Remember that insulation standards revolve around an R-value.
Homes that experience snowfall consistently must have attic insulation with R-values that range over 50. Yes, insulation can also degrade over time and require maintenance and replacement. The core suggestion here is to inspect your insulation and replace it or add more if you notice that it is in quality condition. You must also think about other areas such as exterior walls, chimneys, and other parts of your home. Think about air leaks and other factors that lead to varying degrees.
A thorough inspection by professionals at places such as HotEdge can be beneficial in identifying system-wide issues and resolving them before they contribute to ice dams. Another part of your home to watch out for and secure is the vents and the overall ventilation system. These vents can contribute to an increase in hot air that goes to your attic and roof. The idea here is to keep the vents but resolve issues dealing with hot air.
Changes To Make To Your Exterior
You can conduct internal improvements with professionals, but they may also suggest external improvements. These external improvements will revolve around ensuring that the roof is in proper order and fixing any issues with it. A homeowner should also ensure to install the right materials that would be more in line with ice dam prevention. Call a professional or check by yourself if all roof vents are clear and are set appropriately to protect you and your family.
Install Metal Roofs
A few professionals even suggest installing metal roofs as these roofs can help mitigate ice dam formation. They are able to do so because there are fewer indentations, shapes, and other factors that make it to where they can easily let the snowfall and move where it should. A few homeowners will also request roofing professionals to install ice or moisture barriers when they replace the roof.
Remember that metal roofs are not fully resistant to ice dams and other issues but they may be better overall in winter climates. You may even think about adding an ice belt in the area near your soffits. Others may also turn to heat tape or heating cables, and other accessories that bring about the heat to encourage the free flow of water.
Conduct Bi-Annual Roof Maintenance
One of the simple activities you must keep on your yearly agenda is to ensure that you conduct regular roof maintenance and inspections. You can reach out to professionals to ensure that everything within your present roof is working fine and is how it should be.
If you are able to ensure that you do not have missing shingles or any other negative factors on your roof, then you are going to be in a great position to defend against the wintery conditions that will come your way. The more foundational issues that you may have on your roof, the more likely it that you will have ice dams and other issues that can wreak havoc on your health and your wallet.
These professionals can come out and conduct an inspection. They can also perform the necessary maintenance tasks that are crucial to keeping your roof in the best shape possible. You might want to pay attention to eaves, gutters, and other parts of your roof that many homeowners may not think about in general. Finally, think about trees that may be getting close to your roof and keeping them at a nice distance from your roof by trimming them.
These are all simple and effective ways to minimize ice dams on your roof. If you have any questions or concerns, remember to reach out to us at HotEdge today.
