How Ice Dams Form on Your Roof
Upholding the roof of your house is the first and probably most important step to protecting for the long-term life of any home. Roof leaks are without a doubt a great problem in any residence but knowing the relationship between melting snow and roof leaks can help the homeowner prevent one of the main problems that many houses face. When snow melts and flows down the roof it may refreeze as it reaches the edge of the roof and into gutter. You’ve probably stood back and look with admiration at these ice dams that form, but these can surprisingly create havoc on the integrity of your roof. However, they are relatively easy to prevent and doing so will surely save you money and distress in the future.
How ice dams form.
The heat from your house melts the snow on the top of your roof because this is the warmest section of your roof. As the melted snow trickles down the roof under the snow it then reaches the edge of the roof, which is around sub zero temperature; this plunge in temperature causes the water from the melted snow to refreeze producing the dams that you often see hanging down from people’s rooftops in winter. The weight of these dams can cause a dilemma itself, however, the real problem occurs when added melting snow collects in pools next to the dams. This water eventually leaks through the roof and into the home. Understanding this relationship better melting snow and roof leaks can be the first step to preventing it.
Protection for the consumable parts of your roof.
In a majority of cases you can use a rubber film that is attached directly to the roof and the shingles are then added on top. The film is in fact self-healing so the rubber will seal around the nail holes produced when attaching the shingles. This means that the vulnerable areas of your roof will be covered in the event of ice dams form. This can be an effective way to control melting snow and roof leaks in older roofs that are not being replaced.
