- Details
- Written by Don Wixom Don Wixom
- Category: Household Tips Household Tips
- Published: 11 January 2017 11 January 2017
- Hits: 16863 16863
Here is what to look for and a few tips on how to solve the problem.
An ice dam is formed when water from melted snow or ice runs down the room and freezes along the edge or in the gutters. It continues to build up until it forms a makeshift dam that prevents the water from running down and off of the roof. The reason this happens is because the heat from inside the house only warms a certain area of the roof. Once the water reaches the eves of the roof, it no longer has the heat from inside the house underneath to keep it from freezing. It then freezes faster than it can run off the roof and begins to create an ice dam. The water will then build up on the roof and can begin to seep through and cause water damage. Not good.
There are a couple solutions to this problem.
Create a channel for the water to run through.
To create a channel there are a few different options.
The first option is to take the time to go up on a ladder to break away the ice with a tool. You can use a pick or hammer. This option is effective but creates the possibility of damaging the roof if you break through the ice and strike the roof. It's also very time consuming and tiring. This is not a recommended solution if you have access to the next option.
The next option is to use ice melt. This will melt the ice in the area that you place the ice melt. The difficult problem with this solution is to concentrate the ice melt in one area to create the channel. The ice melt can either blow away or slide off the roof. To prevent this, you can fill a thin stocking with ice melt and place the stocking in the desired area. This will melt the ice and create a channel for the water to flow through.
Hire a professional!
The best way to get rid of the problem quickly and efficiently is to hire a professional to take care of the issue. They will make sure the ice is taken care of properly without damaging the roof or putting you at risk by climbing up there yourself.
Contact Jason Franklin with Trust Built LLC at (208) 965-7987!