Winter snowfall may be lovely to behold as it coats your home in sparkly white. But it can lead to disaster in the wrong conditions, forming ice dams on your roofline that damage gutters and roofing and can be a safety hazard to your household.
Some Kansas City homeowners may assume ice dams are an inevitable part of winter, but there are steps you can take to stop them from forming in the first place. Instead of watching your roof turn into an ice palace, read on to learn what causes ice dams, and what can be done to prevent them.
What are Ice Dams?
Ice dams are ridges of thick ice that form along the roof’s edge in cold climates, blocking snow and water from draining into gutters. As melting snow and water pour down the roof and stall behind ice dams, they eventually freeze and continue to build up a bigger dam.
What Causes Ice Dams?
Ice dams occur when snow atop your roof melts, moves down the roof, and then freezes into mounds of ice as temperatures drop again. This can happen as natural temperatures fluctuate from warmer during the day to colder at night, but they can also be caused by heat escaping your home through the attic and roof.
Heavy snowfall may cause ice dams to form more quickly, but they can occur even under light snow or freezing rain.
Why are Ice Dams Dangerous?
If the cycle of melting and freezing is allowed to go on for multiple days, forming a large and heavy ice dam, it can lead to significant roof, gutter, and even attic damage. Ice dams can lead to:
- Damaged shingles, gutter systems, attic insulation, and drywall
- Attic leaks (or ice formation inside of your attic)
- Mold and mildew growth
- Peeling paint
- Sagging ceilings
- Warped floors
How to Prevent Ice Dams
Winter storms may have you worried about the possibility of ice dams, but don’t worry! There are many things you can do to reduce the chances of ice dams forming and protect your home all winter long.
1. Seal Up Air Leaks
Wherever warm air is leaking out of your home in the winter months can become a prime location for the melting and refreezing that leads to ice dams. This is especially common in attics and attic bypasses, where you may not notice heat escaping through unblocked walls, drywall gaps, access hatches, or gaps around light fixtures, chimneys, and plumbing pipes.
It may just take a little inspecting and caulking to solve most air leaks—which will also boost energy efficiency and lower your utility bills—but you’ll have to move insulation out of the way to get a really thorough look at possible problem areas. Be sure to protect your skin from itchy insulation and wear a dust mask while you work!
Adding additional attic insulation is often very helpful to reduce heat loss. Many homes are under-insulated and adding insulation and adding more intake ventilation (via soffit vents) can make a big impact.
2. Reduce Humidity
Because some homes in Kansas City have a whole-house humidifier mounted on the furnace, homes in our area are more susceptible to damaging attic humidity in the winter! This humidifier should be turned down significantly in cold weather conditions to prevent damage from excess moisture in the attic that can move out to the roof and form ice dams.
3. Install Roof Ventilation
Proper roof ventilation helps balance the temperature disparity between your attic and the outdoor air in the wintertime. This will prevent ice damming by keeping air escaping from the attic at a similar temperature so it doesn’t cause snow to melt and refreeze. If you’re interested in roof ventilation to solve your ice damming woes, be sure to work with a certified roofing company!
4. Repair and Maintain Your Roof
If your roof is missing shingles, or otherwise damaged, this can lead to more air leaks and create uneven areas where melting snow can collect and freeze. Keeping your roof maintained and in good repair will go a long way toward preventing ice dams!
It may also help to rake significant snowfall off of your roof, but this is dangerous work due to the height and slippery nature of snow-covered roofs, so we recommend hiring a professional rather than attempting this on your own.
5. Upgrade Your Gutters
If your gutters are damaged or prone to clogging, this can also cause ice damming. Having seamless gutters that effectively divert melting snow and other precipitation away from your roof will help prevent ice dams and many other common water damage problems.
6. Replace Your Old Roof
If all else fails, it may be time to replace your roof. Standard asphalt roofing lasts around 20 years, so if your roof is getting on in years then that could be the cause of your ice damming issues. Your roof may also need to be replaced if it has severe weather-related damage that goes beyond the scope of what can be repaired.
If you’re considering an alternative roofing material to prevent ice dams, metal tends to be the least likely to cause issues. That said—any new roof whether asphalt, metal, or even solar—will go a long way toward protecting your home against ice dams versus an old or damaged roof.
Ice Dams? Christian Brothers Roofing Can Help!
If you’re worried about ice dams or are already dealing with them, Christian Brothers Roofing has what you need for a stress-free winter. As the only roofer in Kansas and Missouri to earn GAF’s highest Master Elite Award for our performance, reliability, and service, you can count on us to assess your roof and provide the winter maintenance and repairs it needs or advise on replacement. We’re committed to roofing installation that surpasses your expectations.
