When winter hits, snow accumulating on your roof can be normal. What you do not want, however, are ice dams. These can occur when the snow melts on the roof and then the cold weather refreezes it, creating ice dams along the edge of your roof. Ice dams can be damaging to the interior and exterior of your home. Fortunately, there are ways that you can prevent ice dams from forming.
Insulation In order to prevent ice dams, your roof and eaves need to remain the same temperature. You can accomplish this through adding insulation to your attic floor. This will keep all of the warm air in your home and out of the attic. In addition, you can add insulation to the access doors to the attic and seal any hatches with weather-stripping. If you have recessed lighting or other heat sources directly under your roof, then you should consider moving them.
Flashing When inspecting your home prior to winter, you should check your chimney’s flashing. The flashing may crack over time. When it separates from the roof, it can lead to warm, heated air escaping. Water may also leak down into the chimney. If you have problems with your flashing, you should have it repaired as soon as possible to avoid any other problems.
Contact the Professionals By investing in preventative maintenance, you can avoid many of the issues caused by snow and ice. If ice dams do form, it can be dangerous to deal with them on your own. As snow and ice begin to accumulate on your roof, contact the professionals at Bone Dry Roofing, before it is too late.
