Walking past the icicles on your roof that look beautiful, you may not be aware of the fact that they actually introduce a possibly reducer concern: ice dams. For the homeowners in Northern Michigan, the necessity of ice dam understanding and prevention is life preserving their houses during the fight of the elements in ice and snow.
What Ice Dams Are and Their Roaring Threats
When snow melts on your warm roof and then the water flows to the colder roof edges and freezes again this is how ice dams are formed – they create a barrier of ice that doesn’t allow drainage. The following are principal scenarios which could result from this process:
- Water seeps into the insulation, walls, and ceilings
- Growth of mold and mildew
- Wood rot as well as damaged gutters
- Getting to the Root of the Problem
The major cause of the ice dam development is the heat that is leaking because of your roof. The warm air produced in your living area pushes its way into the attic, which in turn, creates a roof temperature that is high enough to melt the snow. The water resulting from the snow then is running toward the cold edges of the roof which is freezing the water back again therefore the icicles are forming.
Best Practice Solutions
- Proper Insulation and Ventilation of Attics
- Attic insulation must have a minimum R-value of R-30 (R-38 is recommended for northern climates)
- Ridge and soffit vents must be properly installed for ventilation
- Baffles must be installed to keep the air circulation paths clear
- Maintenance of the Gutters
- Keep gutters and downspouts free of debris
- Regular cleaning will prevent water backup
- Snow Management
- Remove excess snow from the roof edges safely by using a roof rake
- Focus on the first 2-3 feet of the roof, not the whole thing, to prevent water from re-freezing
- Solutions from the Professionals
- Think of putting heated roof cables in a zigzag formation on the edges of the roof
- Install the right ice and water shields under the shingle edges
- Counter Measures
Notice the ice dam that occurs?
For temporary relief, use a box fan in the attic that points towards the area of the leak
You can create drainage channels with the help of calcium chloride-filled pantyhose laid across the ice dam
Regards to safety, never attempt to chip away at the ice as that might cause your shingles to be damaged
Long-Term Prevention Strategies
- Air leaks are sealed in the attic
- The proper attic insulation is installed
- Roof and soffit ventilation must be adequate
- The cleaning of the gutters must be maintained
- Regular inspections of the roof must be scheduled
- Help from Professionals
Some of the ways in which you can prevent the happening of ice dams can be simple DIY projects. Always remember however to call in experts for:
- The removal of ice dams
- The fitting of prevention systems
- Full inspections of the roof
- The primary factor in eliminating ice dams is keeping the surface of the roof uniformly cold outside drains are maintained well. These are rules that can save you from having to fix your home in Northern Michigan in a drastic way in the winter.
The plan for preventing ice dam formation consists of taking immediate action in the form of short-term solutions and also making long-term provisions. This will allow you to maintain the integrity of your roof during the harsh winter months in Michigan.
