Ice Dams Wreak Havoc on Roofs and Interiors

Ice dams are very damaging to shingles and gutters. In severe cases they can cause leaking roofs that can damage the entire upper structure of your home. Ice dams can’t be prevented just by installing new shingles. In fact, if all you do is replace shingles and don’t address the cause of ice dams, you’re almost guaranteed to quickly ruin another roof.

There are 3 main causes of ice dams:

Poor ventilation
Under-insulated attic
Snow rapidly melting, then re-freezing at roof edge

There are 3 solutions to this potentially damaging problem

Pay someone to come out and clear off the snow and ice
Homeowner clears the roof with a roof rake
Permanent Solution: Install heat trace cables along edges of roof

Excel Roofing can assess your roof system and provide you a plan of attack to eliminate costly and messy ice dams once and for all. Give us a call at (303) 761-1229 or email us using the form above for a no-obligation evaluation. Excel can clear your roof at $130/hour with a minimum charge of $300.

When it comes to eliminating harmful ice dams, you can Expect the Very Best with Excel Roofing.

Ice Dams Are a Wintertime Nightmare

Large snowfalls or blizzards lead to ice dams – which then can lead to big problems with your roof. Here is how they happen:

First comes the snow, which piles up on your roof. Rising heat from a poorly insulated attic heats up the roof, but not the overhanging eaves. A sunny day only adds to the problem. As the snow melts, the water runs down the roof, where it’s stopped by the snow that hasn’t melted on the cold overhang. The result: an ice dam at the overhang that backs up the water, sending it under shingles, through nail holes and into your house.

Gutters can suffer the same fate. Ice builds up on gutters, forcing water up and under roofing material and shingles. It’s not uncommon to see gutters collapse as the weight of the ice breaks them loose from the fascia board.

There’s only one effective way to prevent ice dams:

Attic insulation should be added to cut the amount of heat that escapes through the roof. Bathroom vents, electrical outlets, plumbing vents, furnace stacks and access doors are culprits in heat escape, and should be insulated in the attic as well. Ideally, the temperature in an attic space should be close to the same temperature as the outside air. A properly insulated attic goes a long way toward assuring this.
If it’s well planned and installed, roof ventilation will do it’s job of allowing air to circulate through the attic, and in winter allows heat to escape the attic space, preventing the roof deck from warming. The crippling freeze-thaw process isn’t likely to occur.
Underlayments, including the Owens Corning WeatherLock ice and water guard that Excel Roofing recommends, adhere directly to the roof deck, creating a water tight barrier between the roof deck and the shingles. An ice and water shield is installed to protect the areas where the overhangs exist and at roof penetrations. It’s important to note that the use of ice and water guard will protect the roof deck from ice dams, but can’t do the job alone. Proper attic insulation and ventilation are needed to prevent an ice dam from occurring.

Excel Roofing insulation and ventilation experts can help prevent ice dams that can damage your roof. Call us now at (303) 761-1229 or email us using the form above for a no-obligation evaluation of your attic and roof system – and Expect the Very Best.