What Makes a Roof Prone to Ice Dams?
There are few winter images as iconic as a picturesque Minnesota street lined with snow-topped roofs. But just because it’s beautiful doesn’t mean it’s great for your home. And unfortunately, snow can be devastating for your roof if you’ve got ice dams.
Ice dams can create a whole set of problems that impact your roof’s performance and allow moisture to get into your home and wreak havoc. In this post, our pros at Budget Exteriors are breaking down everything you need to better protect your ice dam-prone roof. We’ll look at the causes of ice dams and how you can stop them in their tracks. Our roofing pros are always ready to help homeowners with ice dam prevention and more.
Basic Facts to Know About Ice Dams
A little ice on your roof might not seem like that big of an issue, but they can actually be quite devastating to the health of your roof. And once your roof starts to have trouble, your home becomes vulnerable to energy loss and moisture infiltration, both of which can lead to serious problems.
An ice dam is essentially a small dam made of ice that forms on the edge of your roof. There, it blocks snowmelt and rain from running off of your roof through the gutter system and away from your home as it should normally travel. When that moisture is
Stopping ice dams from forming begins with understanding how ice dams begin to form. Here’s a quick breakdown of the ice dam formation process:
1. The head inside a home rises through its roof, melting the snow on top.
2. Water from snowmelt refreezes as it hits the cold eaves of your roof.
3. Over time, the ice on the edge of your roof grows as more water runs into it, forming an ice dam.
4. Once the ice dam has formed, water has nowhere to go and runs back onto the roof.
5. Water seeps under the roof shingles where it refreezes, causing shingles to pop up.
6. From there, water leaks into the home, leading to interior damage, mold growth, and more.
Vulnerability to Ice Dams
Although ice dams can lead to some expensive problems for a home, there are a number of steps homeowners can take to mitigate this damage.
These are just a few of the things that can make a roof prone to ice dams:
● Inadequate roof insulation
● Poor roof ventilation
● Poorly maintained gutters
● Lack of airtightness in the roofing material.
Prevent Ice Dams on Your Minnesota Roof
If you’ve got icicles at the edge of your roof, there’s a good chance you’ve also got ice dams. Don’t wait until you’ve got a serious ceiling leak or mold growth problem to address them. Instead, call Budget Exteriors today at 952.887.1613 or contact us online to get a quote on insulation installation and roofing repair services. We can’t wait to help you enjoy a safer, more efficient home.