When you see ice dams on a house, what do you think about it? Perhaps the ice and snow look quite beautiful, which is often the case. Do you think about how much energy the home is wasting through heat leaking into the attic? Do you think about the damage that the large ridges of ice may be doing to the roofing structure, gutters, and home? If your home develops ice dams in the winter, these are important points to consider that affect your wallet and safety, and they shouldn’t be brushed off like the snow.

What’s more, who do you typically hire to remove your ice dams? It’s a very difficult job in extreme weather conditions. You should hire a company that is well experienced with roofing systems and one that is fully insured. You know what? That sounds a lot like a professional roofing contractor. Keep reading to learn more about ice dams and why hiring pro roofers for ice dam removal makes good sense.

ICE DAMS 101

What Are Ice Dams?

An ice dam is the buildup of ice that forms at the edge of a roof and in the gutters. This ice formation is called an ice dam because the ridge of ice prevents snowmelt from draining off the roof into the gutters. The blocked water flow freezes on the ice dam, which makes the ice dam grow larger and larger—a snowball effect.

The reason ice dams form on the edges of roofs and in gutters is a nonuniform surface temperature of the roof. The combination of snow cover, outside temperatures, and heat loss from a house create these uneven temperatures. The heat from a home’s attic melts snow on the roof, but the snow on the roof’s edges doesn’t receive this heat and remains at freezing temperatures.

What Harm Do Ice Dams Cause?

Ice dams may look pretty, but they can cause extensive damage to your roof, the gutters, and your home. When you see an ice dam forming on your roof, take steps to have it removed right away. You don’t want to put it off or ignore the situation because of the damage that may follow:

  • Damaged roof shingles
  • Damaged roof sheathing
  • Water damage to trusses and rafters
  • Wet attic and wall insulation
  • Water damage to ceilings and walls
  • Development of mold and mildew where the water damage has occurred
  • Dangers of falling ice

WHY A PRO ROOFER SHOULD REMOVE ICE DAMS

Experts On Roofing Best Practices

When you hire a company to remove ice dams from your roof and gutters, you are allowing people access to an essential structure of your home. You had better hope they are trained and experienced in working around roofs. Moreover, you want to hire a legitimate company to remove the ice dams. That is, only hire a company that is licensed, bonded, and insured for up to one million dollars, which is typically the amount of insurance roofing contractors carry.

With ice dams, there is the real possibility that your gutters and roofing system is already damaged. So, you want a real roofer performing ice dam removal so that roofing problems can be identified and solutions proposed to you to fix the problems. Someone who isn’t a roofer isn’t going to be able to help you on that end. They can only make matters worse, at best.

Need-To-Know Roofing Info and Inspection

Your professional roofer can tell you what caused the ice dams in your unique situation. Every home is different. If this isn’t the first winter your home developed ice dams, there are obviously underlying energy efficiency issues at work that are costing you in higher energy bills in addition to the damage that the ice dams are doing to your home. Your pro roofer can inspect your roof and attic and tell you what is going on with the structure, where it needs improvement, and how much repairs will cost.

When you need ice dam removal, get the most out of removal service by hiring an actual roof contracting company. Your pro roofing team will take great care of your roof and gutters and identify any problems in the roofing structure. Call Younger Exteriors at (612) 360-0320 to remove your ice dams this winter!