Ice dams and snow on roof and gutters after a bitterly cold snowstorm in Denver Colorado
An ice dam is a hump of ice that forms at the edge of a roof during the wintertime and long-lasting effects on the life of your roof.
Ice damming occurs when the underside layer of snow that is resting on the roof above your attic becomes warm enough to melt, causing it to trickle down beneath the snow until it reaches the eave of your roof (where the roof meets your gutters). Typically, this area stays colder than the rest of the roof because it extends beyond the side of the house and has no heat coming from the attic.
Eventually, the water will freeze and can gradually grow into a mound of ice which causes the rest of the melting snow to dam up. This can cause the dammed water to seep beneath your shingles and drip into the insulation, drywall/plaster, or the wall cavity.
Unfortunately, ice dams can be a common sight during Colorado winters.
Thankfully, Mountain States Home Improvement is here to offer solutions to either repair damage caused by ice damming or to prevent it completely. While it’s impossible to prevent snow from piling up on your roof, there are steps you can take to limit the damage it can cause. The most common way that this is handled is by making sure that an experienced roofing contractor installs a material called ice and water shield along the eaves of your roof. Many building codes require this as part of any roof replacement, but it is still important to check that this will be installed on your roof when it is being replaced or repaired as it is not required by all municipalities.
If your home is suffering or has suffered from water damage in the past or you feel that ice damming could be an issue in the future, don’t hesitate to contact us ASAP to inspect your roof for preventable issues that could cause ice damming in the future. It’ll save you a lot of frustration and, more importantly, money to resolve before it becomes an issue during the colder months of the year.