Ice Dam On Low Slope Roof

Damage to the interior walls.

Ice dam on low slope roof.

This only occurs when part of your roof warms to above 32 degrees f warm enough to melt the snow while the roof edge remains below freezing. Remove snow from the roof when you notice snow building up on your roof it is advised. Curved or cracked shingles. The areas in question are a low slope roof 3 12 pitch east west side of the ridge and a cathedral style roof 8 12 pitch inside the home there is a sloping ceiling that is covered by drywall.

Ice dams are a sign of heat loss in the attic and this lost heat is money you throw out the window. That s what we found at the home shown at left. With slopes from 2 12 to 4 12 use a double layer of no. The lower slope also allows any ice dam that does develop to climb higher up the roof.

Ice dams prevention ventilation of low slope roofs. Water leaks in the attic. How should ice and water protector be installed on a roof. When the snow melts and becomes water it can reach the soffit and refreeze causing ice dams on your roof resulting in the following roofing problems.

Ice dams can cause very serious and expensive to fix problems and are usually caused by improper ventilation of your attic space and inadequate insulation of your roof. A 4 12 roof slope means the roof rises 4 feet for every 12 feet of horizontal roof span. Most likely the first notice you will see of a snow or ice related roof leak will be water dripping from a ceiling or a puddle on the floor. Rise of the roof to the horizontal run and is expressed as a fraction.

Roof slopes between 2 12 and 4 12 can use shingles but require roof application techniques to take into account a greater potential for ice dam water backup. If necessary use a long handled garden rake or hoe to push it into position. Ice dams are more likely to occur on roofing systems with low slopes as ventilation is often a issue. If you wish to get rid of ice dams on your roof you must adhere to the following.

15 felt underlayment as shown in figure 2 3above. This scenario is often the result of a warm attic. Fill the leg of discarded pair of panty hose with a calcium chloride ice melter. For low slope roofs in cold climates where ice dams and ice dam leaks are likely bliss recommends a double layer of no.

Ice dams may seem harmless at first but they are known to cause thousands of dollars in roof leaks structural damages and repairs of your home. Each winter i have to deal with ice damming along 2 sides of the roof no where else. 15 underlayment as shown. Ice dams and icicles form when the snow melts runs down your roof and refreezes near the edge.

Lay the hose onto the roof so it crosses the ice dam and overhangs the gutter. While there may be a small risk proper ventilation is vital in the prevention of ice dams and the protection of your roofing system.