In cold climates, ice dams are a major risk for homeowners. The symptoms of ice dams are innocuous enough. Icicles hanging from your eaves—a sight many people love to see—are actually a sign that ice dams could be forming. Failing to address ice dams could lead to major damage to your roof and your home. To keep the worst from happening to your roof, follow these tips for protecting your home from ice dams:
Add Adequate Insulation
Ice dams are caused when the roof directly above the house is warm, causing snow to melt and then refreeze on the cold overhangs. Sufficient insulation will help prevent the heat from your house from warming the roof and causing this kind of melting. The trick is to maintain enough insulation without preventing proper ventilation. Professional roofers can install additional insulation and set up any additional ventilation that may be required.
Seal Roof and Attic Gaps
Even small cracks and gaps can allow heat to escape from your house and into your attic, then out to your roof to melt the snow. This problem becomes even worse if you have a furnace in your attic. Before the snow comes, inspect your home and repair any cracks. You can also call professional roofers to perform an inspection for you and do the repairs before the cold weather comes.
Rake the Roof
You can prevent snow from melting off of your roof by using a roof rake to remove it. These rakes are typically made of aluminum and have long handles to allow you to access the roof. They have wheels on them that prevent roof damage.
At Apex Exteriors, Inc., our roofers can help you with ice dam prevention and any necessary repairs that occur if ice dams do appear. We offer roof replacement, and we’re experts at repairing roof storm damage. If you need a new roof or need a repair on an existing roof, call our Northbrook roofers today at (847) 961-4601.
Last Updated on February 23, 2018 by ApexRoofingServices
