Now’s the Time to Think About Ice Dams on Roofing in NH
Before winter takes hold and temperatures begin to bottom out on a daily basis, now is a good time to think about how to prevent ice dams on roofing in NH. This occurrence doesn’t happen to every house, but when it does it can cause extensive damage, including wood rot, mildew, mold, stains and cracked foundations. Let’s take a look at what ice dams are, why they form and how you can keep them from ruining your roof.
An ice dam is a ridge of ice that forms along the bottom edge of a roof, preventing melting snow from running off the roof. Additional snowmelt that runs down the roof has no place to go but backwards, and is forced back up and under roof shingles. This trapped water can leak into a home through the attic, eventually causing damage to walls, ceilings and insulation.
The cause of ice dams lies not with the roof, but with the temperatures surrounding it. For an ice dam to form, there must be snow on the roof, and upper portions of the roof surface must be above freezing while lower surfaces are below freezing. The outside temperature must also remain below 32°F for an extended period of time. The snow on the warm upper surface will melt, run down the roof and freeze when it reaches the colder area.
Removing the snow buildup on a roof will temporarily stop the formation of ice dams. To permanently prevent ice dams, it’s necessary to maintain uniform roof surface temperatures. This can be accomplished by making ceilings airtight so warm, moist air from inside a home can’t flow into the attic. Adding attic insulation will also cut down on heat transfer to the roof deck.
Ice dams that form on roofing in NH may not be obvious until the damage is done. If you suspect ice damming could be an issue for your home, call AJC Roofing at (877) 578-0494. We can conduct a thorough inspection to evaluate what improvements will prevent this serious problem.
