Ice Dam On Roof Edge

Ice dams and icicles form when the snow melts runs down your roof and refreezes near the edge.

Ice dam on roof edge.

They occur in climates with cold winter temperatures and regular snowfall. Unfortunately this well intended approach creates a new set of problems that causes leaks and property damage. Once this thick ice forms it prevents melting snow from running off the roof. This scenario is often the result of a warm attic.

An ice dam is a solid ridge of ice that forms along the edges of your roof. Snow starts to melt in certain areas of the roof which are warmer than others due to heat loss from the attic. Attached with clips along the roof s edge in a zigzag pattern heated cables help prevent ice dams that lift shingles and cause leaks. 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.

See below for a shopp. An ice dam is a ridge of ice that forms at the edge of a roof and prevents melting snow water from draining off the roof. It will put gutters and downspouts at risk too. With the code recommended installation of the ice barrier over the drip edge water can back up at the eaves edge and get behind the vertical leg of the drip edge where it can end up flowing into the joint between the fascia and the roof sheathing.

Ice dams are a common sight in northern new england winters and home partners has dealt with quite a few. The water that backs up behind the dam can leak into a home and cause damage to walls ceilings insulation and other areas. 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. I would absolutely recommend this to anyone with an ice dam problem or even if they get a buildup of snow and are worried it will fall on someone garry lake ontario ny we are very happy with our hotedge roof ice melt system.

It s doing what we want it to do dave b. Metal edging aka skirting along roof eaves is often used to prevent damage from ice formations. An ice dam is a hump of ice that forms at the edge of a roof under certain wintertime conditions. Severe ice dams can weigh many hundreds of pounds compromising the structure of the roof eaves.

An ice dam can damage both your roof and the inside of your home. It is keeping the roof edge clear of ice just as advertised. More critically ice dams can cause meltwater to back up under the shingles where it can flow down and ruin ceiling and wall surfaces. Ask this old house general contractor tom silva explains the best ways to keep your roof and gutters free from those dreaded ice dams.