During the winter, you’re prepared to shovel the driveway, scrape ice off the windshield, and salt the walkways. However, have you considered how your roofing is handling the weather? One issue to watch out for is ice dam formation, which can lead to dreaded consequences like water damage. To learn more about ice dams, review the guide below.

A Brief Guide to Ice Dams

What Are Ice Dams?

These horizontal mounds of ice can develop along the edges of roofs, above the gutter system. As a result, it prevents rain and melting snow from dripping into the gutters. When it can’t reach the gutters and flow in to the downspouts, it will continue pooling on the roof.

What Are the Consequences?

Unfortunately, if water pools on the roof for long enough, it may sneak under shingles and flashing, creating a leak.

This could result in waterlogged insulation and mold growth inside your attic, as well as brown splotches on the ceiling inside your house. Since ice dams form during the winter, the pooling water will also be stuck in a repetitive freeze-thaw cycle, so the dam won’t resolve itself until spring arrives.

What Causes Them?

Ice dams form because of the contrast between the cold outdoor air and the warm air inside your house created by your furnace or boiler. Since hot air rises, it will accumulate under the highest area of your roofing, melting the snow on top.

As the melted snow drifts down to the lower, colder areas of your roof, it re-freezes, forming a dam. To prevent this from happening, you’ll need to add insulation and ventilation in the attic that will even out the temperature of your roof. You’ll also want to prevent air from leaking into your attic from the lower areas of your house.

If your roofing has been damaged by ice dams, reach out to Guaranteed Roofing of Jenks, OH. They offer roofing repair and installation services, and they work on roofs made from a wide variety of materials, such as metal and asphalt shingles. To make an appointment for an estimate today, call (918) 451-0119. You can also visit the website for a closer look at their services.