Ice Damming Tips for Dutchess County!

2/27/2017 (Permalink)

Explanation of how ice damming occurs in your home.

Water Coming into your home in Dutchess County? It may be ice damming! SERVPRO can help!

What is ice damming?

What is an ice dam? Ice dams form when heated air melts roof snow   downward into water dammed behind still frozen ice. When the water that is trapped cannot flow or run through the gutter system in can back flow under the roofs shingles and into your home's interior areas

When will ice dams occur?

• The right weather conditions for ice damming is usally when outside air temperatures are in the low 20s (F) for several days with several inches of snow on the roof.
• If you have poor attic insulation, your chances of ice damming drastically increases.

How do I prevent ice dams?

• Keep the attic air temperature below freezing when the outside air temperature is in the low 20s. This can reduce the occurance of ice dams.
• Lay more insulation down on the attic floor to prevent the warm household air to penetrate  into the attic. 
• Provide good attic ventilation to replace warm air in the attic with cold outside air.
• Keep the bottom four feet of the roof clear of snow. Be careful not to damage the shingles

What NOT to do!

• DO NOT attempt to “chip away” the ice of an ice dam. It will likely lead to shingle damage
• DO NOT install mechanical equipment or water heaters in attics, especially in cold climates.
• DO NOT use salt or calcium chloride to melt snow on a roof. These chemicals are very corrosive and cam shorten the life of metal gutters, downspouts and flashings. Runoff that contains high concentrations of these chemicals can damage nearby grass and plants.

Call our SERVPRO of Western Dutchess County office today if you have any questions or concerns about ice damming! We are available 24/7 at 845-831-3600!