Roof and Ice Damage

Ice Dam Prevention & Damage Repair Servicing the Front Range, Summit & Eagle County

One thing that homeowners dread during snowy weather is the formation of ice dams along the edge of the roof.

An ice dam earns its name by trapping pools of melted water behind the frozen dam created when melted snow re-freezes along the eaves, where the roof is coldest.

Water trapped behind an ice dam can flow under roof shingles and leak into the house, damaging walls, floors, and other materials.

Several conditions must exist for ice dam damage to occur. If all these conditions are present, it’s likely that some water will leak into your house.

Prevention is critical in keeping ice off your roof and water out of your home or business.

While you can’t prevent snow from collecting on your roof, there are other things you can do to prevent ice dams from causing water damage to your house. Some homeowners choose to focus on reducing the amount of heat that escapes into the attic, warming the upper part of the roof deck and causing snow to melt evenly.

This type of ice dam prevention typically involves sealing air leaks in the attic floor and other solutions. Adequate attic ventilation is also essential to keep the underside of the roof at the same temperature as the outside air.

Another way to protect your home from ice dams and the damage associated with them is to make sure that an experienced roofing contractor installs a protective “ice and water” shield along your roof eaves, where the ice dams form.
Many building codes (this may vary by state and town) stipulate that this ice dam membrane protection must extend at least 24 inches inside the heated wall space of a house. However, older homes may not have such protection.