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If youve found water leaking into your house, chances are that youve got yourself an ice dam. Ice dams are layers of ice that form at the edge of the roof and our recent weather has provided perfect conditions for them to form. A heavy snowfall followed by several days of below-freezing temperatures, and now an ice storm.
Heres what happens. After a snowfall warm air from inside the house leaks into the attic and warms the underside of the roof. The snow or ice directly on the roof melts and the water trickles down to the overhang where the air is colder. Now the snowmelt freezes and forms an ice dam and icicles.
The ice expands and pushes under the roof tiles or through cracks and into the house where the air is warmer. The ice melts again and leaks into your home.
Here are some steps you can take to prevent further damage.
* Whatever you do, dont climb out on your roof to try to fix the problem.
* Ventilate your attic so that the underside of the roof is the same temperature as the outside air. This will prevent the snow from melting and refreezing.
* Do not try removing the icicles or ice from the roof. You could cause damage to your roof and to yourself.
* Seal air leaks in your attic and add insulation.
* If you have a walk-up attic, make sure the door fits tightly and put a draft stopper at the bottom of the door so no warm air leaks up the stairs.
* This Old House suggests filling the leg of an old pair of panty hose with calcium chloride melter and laying it on the roof so that it hangs over the gutter. The calcium chloride will melt through the ice and form a channel for water to flow off the roof.
* Book an energy audit to evaluate your home for air leaks.
For more information on ice dams check here.
Do you have an ice dam on your roof? Have you found water trickling into your home? Drop us a line and share your pain.
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