How to Handle Roof Ice Dams
The most recent weather hitting the Mid-South has caused an unprecedented amount of homes to experience a roof ice dam. Along with frozen and bursting pipes, leaking roofs are a major concern with freezing temperatures and winter storms.
What is an ice dam?
When your home does not have the adequate insulation for severe winter storms, heated air will escape through the roof, melting the snow. The water runs down your roof and once it hits the edge of the roof where the gutters are, it freezes again. The ice dam then blocks the melted snow from draining and it instead builds into a puddle on the roof which leads to leaks into your home.
What do you do if you have an ice dam?
If you have leaking into your home due to an ice dam, take a screw driver or knife and cut a hole in your ceiling where the water is pooling. Be sure to cut a hole in the original area of leaking which will most likely be the darkest water stain on your ceiling. That will create a point of release for all the water to continue entering without spanning across your ceiling and causing more damage. Be sure to grab some buckets to place under the hole!
We do not recommend getting on your roof to remove or inspect the ice dams. It is incredibly dangerous if you don’t know what you’re doing and it can lead to further damage to your roof. If your home is experiencing extreme damage due to an ice dam, call a trusted local roofer the assess the situation. A roofer will also be able to melt the ice buildup on your roof without damaging your shingles.
For more information check out our segment on Channel 24 Local Memphis:
