Ice Dams
The freezing temperatures and heavy snowfall that occur annually across Ohio result in a dangerous threat known as “ice dams.” An ice dam is a ridge of ice that forms at the edge of a roof and prevents melting snow (water) from draining off the roof. The water that backs up behind the ice dam can leak into your home and cause structural damage to walls, ceilings, insulation, and other areas. Muth & Company Roofing can take measures to help you prevent ice dams from forming and damaging your home.
An ice dam occurs when the temperature of the interior of your home’s attic is warmer than the temperature of your roof. Snow and ice on the heated surface of the roof melt from the bottom up, and the resulting water flows down toward your gutters. When the water reaches the edge of the roof, it is once again exposed to cold air and refreezes. This forms a solid ice dam that backs up the water flowing down behind it.
This backed up water can seep under the edge of your roof shingles and enter your home, leaking into your attic and down onto ceilings and along interior walls. The water entering your home can cause serious structural damage. You might not even know there is a problem until stains start to appear on your ceiling and upper walls several weeks after the problem begins.
Icicles hanging from your gutters are a sure sign of an ice dam, as well as a built-up ridge of ice at the edge of the roof. Call Muth & Company Roofing right away to remove and clear the ice dam before water backs up into your home.
The key to preventing ice dams is to lower the attic temperature as close as possible to the outside roof temperature by having a properly vented roof. An effective roof vent helps to balance the temperature of your roof and attic and prevent the “freeze/thaw” cycle. If your roof does not have a ridge vent, or if the vent is old or not allowing air to flow freely, have it replaced before ice dam problems occur. A complete ventilation system also includes under-eave soffits that bring outside air into your attic.
Muth & Company Roofing will inspect your roof’s ventilation system and recommend appropriate changes to help prevent future ice dams from forming.
For a hole in your roof or a whole new roof, choose Muth & Company Roofing to be the roofing contractor Columbus area homeowners turn to for problems caused by ice dams!
Get a Free Estimate to Repair Damage Caused by Ice Dams
Call Muth & Company Roofing today at (614) 682-3060 for a FREE estimate on Columbus roof repair or Columbus roof replacement.