Preventing Ice Damage During the Winter Months

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Whether you want to admit it or not the winter months are upon us. Winter in Missouri means freezing temperatures. Along with freezing temperatures comes ice on the roads, driveways, and roofs. The last thing you want to deal with during the winter is ice damage to your home. While you are preparing the rest of your home for winter, be sure to do the following things to prevent ice damage.

What Causes Ice Damage?

The first thing you want to understand is what causes ice damage – or more than likely, water damage from ice. Damage from ice occurs when there is an ice dam. An ice dam happens when there is snow on your roof, the upper portion of your roof’s temperature is higher than 32 degrees Fahrenheit, and the lower part of your roof is below 32 degrees Fahrenheit. The temperature outside also has to be below 32 degrees Fahrenheit. An ice dam occurs when the snow at the upper part (the warmer section) starts to melt. As the melted snow runs down your roof, it hits the lower part (the colder section) and freezes. The frozen section becomes an ice dam. The water from the melting snow starts to back up due to the ice dam. The standing water on your roof finds any little crack or hole to leak into.

How to Prevent Ice Dams

The biggest thing you can do to prevent ice damage is to prevent ice dams from forming on your roof. The key to preventing ice dams is by controlling heat loss from your home.

Make the Ceiling Airtight

The first course of action you want to do is to make the ceiling airtight. A lot of air can escape from your ceiling into your attic. You will want to make sure you find any leaks and cracks and seal them off. Another way to make your ceiling airtight is adding additional roof/ceiling insulation. More insulation ensures that less heat escapes. When you do both of these things, more snow can build up on your roof. You want to be sure that your roof can withstand the additional snow.

Keep Gutters Clean

Cleaning your gutters is not something you should only do during the fall and spring months. You should keep your gutters clean all year long, especially during the winter months. During the winter if your gutters are clogged, then ice dams can become a bigger issue due to more backup.

What To Do When An Ice Dam Happens?

Even when you do everything you can to prevent an ice dam, they can still happen. When an ice dam happens, be sure you take care of it right away. The longer you wait the more ice damage can happen. If you have an ice dam that has caused water to leak into your home, it is time to contact the professionals. The professionals at Kelley Klean can help deal with any water damage that occurs from an ice dam. Don’t wait until all your ceilings are leaking – call Kelley Klean today!