We’ve had a couple of calls lately regarding leaks coming from the ceiling.
An ice dam forms when the roof over the attic gets warm enough to melt the bottom layer of snow on the roof. The water trickles down until it reaches the eave of the roof, which stays cold because it extends beyond the side of the house. There, the water freezes, gradually growing into a mound of ice. When the ice dam gets big enough, the melted water backs up behind it and seeps under the shingles.
Eventually, this water will find itself coming through vents in the ceiling, light fixtures or into drywall – either way causing damage to your home.
How do you fix/prevent?
- Use a deicer that is safe for your roof, metal and paint – there are products at your local hardware store specifically formulated for melting ice dams
- With each snowfall carefully brush snow off the roof and away from gutters and downspouts
An ice dam forms when the roof over the attic gets warm enough to melt the underside of the layer of snow on the roof. The water trickles down between the layer of snow and the shingles until it reaches the eave of the roof, which stays cold because it extends beyond the side of the house. There, the water freezes, gradually growing into a mound of ice.
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