Ice dams can be a huge pain during the wintertime, especially during the New England winters. With snow on its way, it is important to be able to identify, remove and ultimately prevent ice dams, with the help of someone experienced with roofing.

So, What is an Ice Dam?

An ice dam is a hump of ice that forms at the edge of a roof during the winter. It forms by starting as a layer of snow. During the warmer hours of the day, or due to bad insulation in a home, the snow underneath heats up and creates a pool of water. This pool of water ultimately runs down the roof and then refreezes when it reaches the colder roof’s edge, which forms a mound of ice near where your gutter should be. This ice dam can cause a lot of damage, to the interior and exterior of the home, as well as the gutters and downspout.

Damage of Ice Dams

Ice dams can cause many issues, as mentioned above. These include wet and stained ceiling walls, as well as peeling paint and internal rot to the structure of your home. If one falls off of the side of your roof, there is a chance that it could take the gutters and downspouts with it, while also destroying anything that it hits on its way down, including people, pets, and landscaping.

How to Remove Ice Dams

Removing ice dams is a bit of a failsafe, as they should always be avoided at all costs, but there are a few things you can do to fix the problem once it is in front of you, but you should always consult with a roofing specialist, as this can be very dangerous.

• Remove by breaking it off with a blunt mallet
• Melt it with a calcium chloride ice melter
• Clear all gutters and downspouts

How to Prevent Ice Dams

• Ventilation of home
• Avoid warm air leaking into attic
• Insulate all living spaces
• Scrape snow from roof

If you need new roofing or need a professional to look at your roofing, feel free to contact us by filling out our contact form or by calling us at 781-899-6353.