Icicles and Ice Dams

11/28/2018 (Permalink)

Icicles are pretty when looking at on your home during the winter months, however they can be dangerous to you, your home and your wallet. The obvious dangers are falling icicles and gutters detaching from your home due to the weight of the ice, but more importantly water can build up behind the icicles and enter your home. This can rot the wood in your roof and attic, possibly without your knowledge. It can also seep through and ruin ceilings and walls.

Ice damming  is caused by too much heat in the attic. If the temperature in the attic is above freezing and there is snow on the roof, the snow melts. When the snow melts, the water runs into the gutter. Since the gutter is not above the house where it can be heated, the water re-freezes into ice. As ice gets thicker it stops the water as it runs down the roof, making an ice dam. The water coming down the roof will eventually build up until it’s over the actual house again and does not re-freeze because it it is warmed by the attic. As the water gets deep enough behind the ice dam it pushes up under the shingles and into the house.

Removing as much of the ice as you can will help prevent this. Keeping watch of your attic is recommended. If you should find water coming in through the roof give SERVPRO of Morris/Ottawa a call right away. We can help reduce the damages and stop the water from spreading and affecting other areas of your home,