Ice Dam Page
Many homeowners in the area have
experienced
a winter storm condition called "ice damming." Ice dams occur when a
sequence
of weather conditions take place during a brief time frame. Due to our
relatively mild winters, the Quad City area experiences this sequence
of
weather conditions usually only every four to five years.
Ice Dam Questions
Ice
Dam Picture
What Is An Ice Dam?
Ice dams are formed when the heat escaping
from
your house through your attic and roof melts the snow off your roof
much
faster than the normal outdoor conditions would. The melting snow then
freezes on the eaves of the house where there is an absence of heat
forming
a "dam" at the eve of the roof. When additional water from melting snow
runs down the roof it is unable to run off due to the "dam" at the
eaves,
this water backs up under the shingles and sometimes into your home
especially
if your roof overhang is not very wide. Homes with wide overhangs are
still
susceptible to ice dams but the water has a harder time backing up into
the house because the ice dam forms farther away from the interior of
the
house. Your homes shingles are designed to be waterproof only when able
to shed water completely. Ice dam conditions usually occur after a
heavy
snow followed by an extended period of cold weather.
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What Causes My Home To Leak?
Ice dam related leaks occur when warm,
heated
air from the home begins to migrate through the insulation and into the
attic area of the house. Without proper ventilation and insulation.
this
warm air collects in the attic area and warms the underside of the roof
decking.
With outside temperatures keeping the top
of the snow frozen, the warm decking melts the bottom of the snow
turning
it into water. This water will run down the shingles until it meets the
"dam" at the eaves. With no escape route, the water pools, then backs
up
underneath the shingles and enters the attic area through nail holes
and
seams in the roof decking.
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Why Doesn't My Roof Keep The Water Out?
Shingle roof systems are designed to channel
water from the high points of the roof to the lower sections where it
should
exit the roof either into a gutter system or simply onto the ground.
Shingle
roof systems are not designed to hold water or prevent water from
entering
that runs or is blown uphill.
Ice dam related leaks are caused simply
because
the water could not escape from the shingled roof area. This is not a
design
flaw with the roofing system or an indication of a poorly installed
roof.
Ice dams are winter storm conditions which prevent the shingle roof
system
from shedding water as designed.
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What Do I Do When An Ice Dam Happens?
The only corrective action that can be taken
is to remove the barrier of ice at the gutter line or to remove the ice
build-up on the roof area before it melts from underneath. It must be
noted
that working on a roof under these conditions is extremely dangerous.
The risk of injury should always be weighed against the cost of water
damage
repair.
Also, in removing ice from the gutter and
roof, you may cause damage to these areas that will require
professional
repair. Again, the cost of water damage repair may be less than the
cost
of a roof or gutter repair.
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What Can I Do To Prevent Ice Dams?
While there is no "cure" for ice damming,
the
following steps can minimize
the chance your home will be affected:
Make sure your attic area has adequate
insulation
and ventilation.
Make sure your attic insulation does not
cover your soffit air intake vents.
Add soffit vents if your home currently
does not have any.
Make sure your attic area has sufficient
air exhaust outlets and
that the airflow is distributed
throughout
the attic space.
Peak mounted ridge vents maximize air flow
in attic areas.
Products such as an ice & water
shield
can be installed at the eaves of the home and in valley areas under the
shingles which will prevent water from entering the home unless it dams
higher than the protection provides or enters through the fascia board
and soffit areas.
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Who Is Responsible For Ice Dams And The
Resulting
Leaks?
Ice dams are the result of winter storm
conditions.
Because they are storm related, and not a roof flaw, damage caused by
water
is not covered by a shingle manufacturer's or roofing company warranty.
Remember, roofs are designed to shed water to the ground.
There are many products on the market to
improve the capability of established homes to fend off ice dam leaks.
Roofing contractors are able to provide an ever increasing number of
products
and information for re-roofing clients to choose from.
The final responsibility remains with the
homeowner when re-roofing to weigh the cost of prevention and
protection
products against the possible cost of damage if an ice dam leak occurs.
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