Does your home get beautiful icicles decorating the roof edge in the winter? It may look like a calendar picture but it's actually a sign of trouble. When your gutters are blocked with debris and the cold snow and rain come falling, then this can cause ice to build up in them. This ice can then back up into the shingles on your roof as well as weigh down the gutters, causing them to break and water to leak where it is not supposed to go. If you’re not taking care of the gutters throughout the year, then you may find that this is something that happens every winter.
What Can Happen with Frozen Ice Dams Frozen ice dams can become a serious problem with homes, and there are many consequences that you should be aware of. - Strain on your roof causing it to buckle, and meaning you will have to replace the entire roof shortly
- Leaking can happen in the roof, causing the attic and home to have stains in the walls and ceiling, and also causing structural problems
- Moisture throughout the ceilings and walls of the home can cause insects to come and burrow in
- Toxic mold can build up throughout the home, causing you and your family to become sick
- Cracked drywall and plaster can cause the home to lose structural integrity
- Damage to the insulation can occur because of water and moisture in the walls
When you want to prevent the ice dams from happening in the first place, you have to consider all that is out there to take care of it. While ice dams happen for a variety of reasons, not the least of which is poor attic ventilation, the first step is to make sure your gutters are clear. You do not have to do much either, when it comes to making sure that they are cleaned out and ready to go.
Each fall make sure that you remove any debris that might be in the gutters, the downspouts and additional areas. You want to move the spouts away from your home, so that they are not allowing the water back into the foundation of the home. They should extend at least 30"-36" away from the house and be at a slight slant so the water moves away.
Clean the snow and ice from the roof as much as possible. This can be done by gently pulling it off using a long handled item such as a roof rake. This will remove the build-up of cold and wet that can cause an ice dam to form on the roof. If your roof is steep or you can't easily get to it, we suggest you call a company that specializes in snow removal on ice, because getting up on a snow-covered roof in winter can be dangerous. And then on warm, sunny days, give your gutters a check to make sure nothing has gotten into them to clog them up since you last cleaned them.
When you’re cleaning your gutters and your roof, know that this is something that we, here at Quarve, are able to handle. We can remove the ice dams and even provide you with the roof necessary repairs to ensure that you have the best working and looking roof on the block. We are the licensed MN exterior home improvement company you can call on, and we do winter roof repairs in the Minneapolis and St. Paul area.
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