Kansas City winters can cause quite a few problems for your roof; however, one of the most common, not to mention dangerous, is the formation of ice dams. Ice dams can be extremely tricky. They form due to improper insulation or ventilation in your roof. If left in place, a single ice dam can cause significant water damage to your home, destroy your gutter systems and result in costly repairs come spring.
If your home is known for ice dams, then it’s best for you to get ahead of them now, before the snow starts to buildup, making it impossible to repair the insulation or ventilation issues present. Some helpful tips to ensure you prevent ice dams this year can be found here.
Use Heated Cables
A great way to get rid of ice dams is heated cables. That’s because these stop the ice dam from forming to begin with. If you don’t have the time or money to have your roof issues fixed, then heated cables are going to be the next best solution.
When installing, put them in a zigzag pattern vertically on the surface of your roof, before snow begins to fall. Once the snow falls, the cables will melt it before it can freeze and cause an ice dam. You can easily attach heated cables to your roof using clips. The kicker here is that you have to get them installed before the snow starts to fall.
Blow Cold Air Through Your Home’s Attic
Ice dams are caused by hot air rising through the roof. The heat results in the snow on your roof melting and sliding down until it reaches the unheated, cold edges and eves on your roof. At this point, it will refreeze beneath the shingles and around your gutter.
A great, non-harmful way for you to fight ice dam formation is to point some fans right at your roof where the problem begins. When you cool the underside of your roof, the snow won’t melt, which will prevent ice dams from forming to begin with.
Rake It
Another step you can take to prevent ice dams is by getting rid of the snow on your roof before it begins to melt. This will require a bit of manual labor, but this is a small price to pay to keep your roof damage free.
If you rake the snow off of your roof, it will help to keep ice dams from forming; however, you need to be careful when doing this. Be sure to use a rake that is specially made to remove snow from your roof, which will make sure no damage occurs. The majority of roof rakes have wheels to protect the shingles and they are long enough so that they pull the snow off while you are standing on the ground.
As you can see, there are several options to help prevent ice dams on your roof. Be sure you are prepared so expensive damage doesn’t occur. If you need help protecting your roof this winter, give us a call!
