Winter is approaching in Michigan, and with it can come plenty of snow and ice. The mix of these elements and the freeze-thaw cycle can impact your roof, causing ice dams to form. Ice dams can cause extensive damage to your roof and the interior of your home, which can cost a lot of money to repair.
As experienced residential roofing contractors, we have some essential tips for ice prevention on your roof.
If you don’t know what we are talking about, you are about to find out!
What Is an Ice Dam?
Ice dams typically form after the snow starts to melt and refreeze. The refrozen elements prevent the water from running off your roof and trap it, forcing it back under your shingles. Once the moisture gets under your shingles, it can damage your roof’s decking and allow water to enter your home.
This could lead to leaks in your ceilings and within your walls, which could also lead to mold. Besides the moisture that could get into your home, the heavy ice that forms on the exterior of your home can damage your roof shingles, the gutter, and the siding of your home.
How Roofs Get Ice Dams
As you use your HVAC system to heat your home in winter, much of this heat will flow upward to your attic. If your attic isn’t fully insulated, the warm air will cause the accumulated snow on your roof to melt. The melted snow will run down your roof toward the edges, sometimes forming icicles on the roof’s edge and the gutters.
Once the temperatures cool again, the melting snow will freeze, turning into heavy ice on your roof. The heat from the sun can also create these conditions. However, most ice dams are formed by rising heat in a poorly insulated attic.
Ways to Prevent Ice Dams on Your Roof
Ice dams can cause substantial damage to your roof and the exterior of your home. However, the destruction doesn’t stop there. If left unchecked, the moisture in your home can harm the interior walls. The best way to prevent this occurrence is to deter the warm air trapped in your home from heating the roof and causing the snow to melt.
One of the best ways to keep your roof cool is to seal any cracks that may allow heat to escape and melt the snow. Another way is to ensure that the attic is adequately insulated. An attic that is properly insulated will keep the heat in the home within and not allow it to flow directly to the roof, causing snow to melt.
Raking your roof after a massive snowfall can also help prevent ice dams. If snow is removed, it will eliminate the possibility of snow melting and forming ice.
Another option is to install ice-melting cables. These strips can be installed along the roof’s eaves, ensuring an uninterrupted water flow to the gutters, keeping ice from forming, and pushing the water back toward the roof shingles.
How to Eliminate Ice Dams Once They Form on Your Roof
If you’ve never had problems with ice dams, suddenly seeing them this winter may take you by surprise. Here are some ways to eliminate them.
Use an ice melt.
Just as salt melts snow on the ground, it can also melt snow accumulating on the roof. Stuffing salt formulated for melting snow into old socks and tossing them onto the roof can help with melting snow on the roof.
Call out professionals.
Another way to eliminate ice dams is to call a roofing company. While roofing services may cost some money, they are a surefire way to prevent further damage to your roof and save you money in the long run. Living in a state with ample snowfall like Michigan, means you’ve got to be proactive and stay on top of the condition of your roof.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I let ice dams naturally dissolve on their own?
No. Allowing sunlight to melt the ice away could do more harm than good. It would help if you tried more proactive ways to eliminate ice dams or hire professionals to remove them.
Does the appearance of ice dams mean I need a new roof?
No. However, it usually indicates that your attic needs proper insulation. Or it could indicate that cracks in your roof need to be sealed.
Does insurance cover ice dam damage?
Since every home insurance policy is different, it is best to review your policy to see if it covers ice dam damage. Ice dam formation is entirely preventable. Therefore, some insurance policies may not cover them, and an adjuster may discover that a homeowner’s neglect led to the problem. As a result, this may be the basis for an adjuster to reject a claim.
Live Comfortably with a Secure Roof
Level Up Improvement is a Dearborn Michigan roofing and siding company that knows how to make your home efficient, safe and comfortable. Our roof installation and siding installation services are known and preferred throughout the Detroit Metro area.
We want every homeowner we work with to feel good about investing in their home so that they can live with peace of mind that what’s over their head and surrounding them will keep them warm, safe and dry. Whether you are looking to replace your roof, need new insulation or siding installation, we are the ones to call. Get in touch with one of our home improvement experts and schedule a No-Obligation exterior home inspection today!