Here's How You Can Prevent Ice Dams on Your Roof This Winter

If you live in an area where heavy snow and freezing temperatures are the norm, then you’re most likely not a stranger to ice dams. And as the seasons start to change, you may find yourself asking: “how do you prevent ice dams on roofs?”

As a homeowner, ice dams can be one of your worst enemies. Ice dams are continuous layers of ice that stay frozen at night and melt during the day, leading to a build-up of water on your roof. Over time, this can cause rot and damage to your roof. It can also leak into your house, causing water damage there as well.

Some of the most common signs that ice dams are causing damage to your house can be found in your walls. You’ll first notice it in more inconspicuous areas, such as small stains around windows or doors and damage to drywall fasteners. Over time, the damage can accumulate and lead to sagging ceilings or peeling and damaged paint — which are costly and time-consuming repairs.

Here are our top three tips for how to avoid ice dams on your roof this winter:

Roof Rake

If you’re up for putting in some manual labor, roof rakes can be an inexpensive method for preventing ice dams. Roof rakes are just aluminum rakes attached to a long pole for you to pull snow off of your roof.

Before investing in a roof rake, however, there are a few things to remember. First, never use a roof rake while standing on a ladder. This can be dangerous, as the act of pulling the snow down your roof could cause you to lose your balance and fall. You also need to be careful to not damage your shingles.

Heat Cables

Heat cables are simply wires you install along the edge of your roof where ice dams have a tendency to build up. The cables run a small amount of heat — just enough to keep the area above freezing so that when the snow melts the water doesn’t have a chance to freeze before rolling off of your roof. When installing cables, you can also look into how to put an ice guard on your roof for extra protection.

Improve Your Attic’s Insulation and Ventilation

Ice dams are caused by non-uniform temperatures across your roof. Temperatures at the apex of your roof, which is closer to heat from the inside of your house, will be warmer than those that are more exposed to the environment towards the ends. This means that when snow covers your roof, snow at the top will melt and run down to the lower temperature areas, where the water will freeze. The result is an ice dam.

As a result, improving your attic’s insulation and ventilation can be the key to preventing ice dams.

When you invest in improving your attic’s insulation and ventilation, you’ll help to better regulate your roof’s temperature. This will help keep the snow from melting in uneven intervals, which will then work to prevent uneven freezing.

Contact U.B. Code Roofing Today

In order to best prepare for preventing ice dams, you may want to seek the help of a licensed professional. Not only will a professional be able to steer you in the right direction when it comes to preventing ice dams, but they’ll also be able to repair any damage that may have been caused in previous years.

At U.B. Code Roofing, we are dedicated to giving you a quality roofing experience. With 20 years of expert commercial and residential roofing experience, we’re trained and prepared to help make sure your roof stays in good condition all year long, rain or shine. For a free estimate and booking, you can contact us on our website or call us at (303) 458-3790.