Fix Ice Dam Roof Leak

Ice dams are a common sight in northern new england winters and home partners has dealt with quite a few.

Fix ice dam roof leak.

An ice dam can damage both your roof and the inside of your home. Snow melts on the warm roof and then freezes on the cold eaves. And that is a covering of an ice and water shield a rubbery membrane that prevents dammed water from getting. First get rid of any built up snow using a roof rake used for single family homes with pitched roofs or shoveling it off on flat roofs or when there s a significant amount.

This roof leaks during the snowy part of winter and during storms in the summer certainly due to poor flashing. Severe roof ice dam backups caused leaks into areas of this home. A dam will grow on the parts of the roof that are below freezing. Hacking away at ice dams with a hammer chisel or shovel is bad for your roofing and dangerous for you.

Poor ventilation and temperature control in the attic can also cause ice dams. Ask this old house general contractor tom silva explains the best ways to keep your roof and gutters free from those dreaded ice dams. It will put gutters and downspouts at risk too. This solution allows you to equalize your roof s temperature by heating it from the outside instead of blowing in cold air from the inside as we mention next in fast fixes.

Ice accumulates along the eaves forming a dam. In the photo you can still see signs of an ice dam. A correct diagnosis of where leaks are occurring is helpful in making the right repair to stop ice dam leaks in the future. Attached with clips along the roof s edge in a zigzag pattern heated cables help prevent ice dams that lift shingles and cause leaks.

For an ice dam to form there must be snow on the roof. The soffit that meets the roof is one of the toughest areas to waterproof. The higher surfaces of the roof s surface must be above 32 f and lower surfaces below 32 f. This article illustrates the successful control of an ice dam leak on an older home.

What causes ice dams. Emergency procedures to stop indoor water leaks from a sloped roof roof ice dam. The lower roof formed ice dams that sent so much water leaking into the roof wall over a window that water was entering the home interior. This article describes illustrates the steps in pinpointing the point of water entry from a roof ice dam leak.

5 steps to handling ice dam damage if you suspect an ice dam developed on your roof there are things you can do right away to minimize the damage. An ice dam is a hump of ice that forms at the edge of a roof under certain wintertime conditions. See below for a shopp. Here we describe the steps in getting the water under control and stopping the ice dam leak.

Meltwater from the warm roof backs up behind it flows under the shingles and into the house.