If you live in a climate that gets frozen rain or snow, you might have seen ice dams. An ice dam is a wall of ice that builds up on your roof and blocks the flow of water beneath it. It’s not always a bad thing – they can actually help keep your roof from being damaged by keeping the runoff from being too heavy. However, if they build up too much, they can cause some big problems. If left untreated, they can accelerate the growth of mold and moss on your roof, as well as cause leaks and even cave-ins. Luckily, there are things you can do to prevent this from happening. Here’s how to get rid of ice dams on your roof if you notice any beginning to form.
How To Get Rid Of Ice Dams On Roof?
Check for Leaks
If your roof already has a leak and has been patched up, that might be contributing to the formation of ice dams. After all, when there’s more water flowing over your roof than normal, that’s going to freeze and form ice dams regardless of what part of your roof it’s coming from. If you do notice any leaks, you’ll want to have them fixed as soon as possible. This will help prevent further damage from happening as well as water damage inside your house. If your roof is old, you might want to get a new one to prevent extra damage.
Change Your Roofing Material
If you notice ice dams forming on your roof but don’t know what to do about it, you might want to consider changing the material of your roof. If you’ve noticed ice dams form on asphalt shingles, you might want to consider switching to a different kind of shingle. Certain metals are better at shedding snow and ice than asphalt. While this won’t get rid of ice dams if they are already present, it can help prevent ice dams from forming in the future.
Add an Ice-breaker Coating
An ice-breaker coating is basically a liquid you apply to your roof that prevents ice from forming. This is a quick solution that can help get rid of ice dams quickly. However, it only works for the areas of your roof that have been coated. It’s best to have your roofing contractor do this for you. If you decide to apply the coating to your own roof, make sure you are wearing the correct safety gear and are in a well-ventilated area.
Add an Ice Deflector
An ice deflector is a fancy way of saying you’re putting an obstacle on your roof that will redirect the flow of melting water away from your roof. As the water flows down the roof, it will hit this obstacle and flow away from your roof. This is a quick solution that can help get rid of ice dams quickly. If you decide to install an ice deflector yourself, make sure you are using the right equipment. You don’t want to risk falling off your roof and injuring yourself.
Install a Drain Pipe and Diversion Valve
A drain pipe and diversion valve are two ways you can channel the water flowing down your roof in another direction. If your roof is slanted in such a way that the water is flowing towards the areas you want to protect – like your garage door, porch, or deck – you can install a piping system and have the water flow through the piping and towards a place where it can be easily drained away from your property.
Install an Eaves Dam
An eaves dam is a fancy way of saying you’re adding more shingles to the edge of your roof. You can only do this on a slanted roof and you’ll need to make sure you’re getting the right materials for your roofing material. Eaves dams can help get rid of ice dams by redirecting the flow of water away from your roof. However, you’ll need to install them before any ice dams form in order to prevent them from happening.
How To Prevent Ice Dams On Your Roof?
- Clean your gutters and downspouts. When you have enough ice dams, they can begin to collect on your roofing materials and begin to melt. If this happens, the melted water can drip off the roofing materials onto the ground below and form a pool of water that freezes over. So what do you do about it? Well, first of all, make sure that you clean out any debris from your gutters and downspouts during the winter so that it doesn’t build up in there during the spring and summer months.
- When you have enough ice dams, they can begin to collect on your roofing materials and begin to melt. If this happens, the melted water can drip off the roofing materials onto the ground below and form a pool of water that freezes over. So what do you do about it? Well, first of all, make sure that you clean out any debris from your gutters and downspout
- An ice dam is a wall of ice that builds up on your roof, keeping the water from flowing underneath. They can be caused by either melting snow or freezing rain, but they can also form when it freezes over during a heavy snowfall. The water that runs off your roof can refreeze and create a wall of ice, which then causes leaks and other problems. In order to prevent this, there are steps you can take to keep run-off from building up too much. There are also some things you can do if you notice an ice dam beginning to form on your roof.
- You notice an ice dam forming on your roof, there are things you can do to prevent it from forming in the first place. It all starts with proper drainage on your roof – one of the most common causes of ice dams is having.
- Remove the ice dams from your roof if you can. You’ll need a ladder to get on your roof to do this, but it won’t take much effort. Just make sure you have a long enough ladder so that you can reach the roof at the highest point. Start by using an ice scraper to remove all of the ice from around the edges of your roof, and then make your way inside. Use a rubber hammer to knock out any loose chunks of ice that might be hanging on the edges of your roof. Then, use a shovel to dig out any remaining chunks of ice and get rid of them. This will prevent them from building up again and causing more problems in the future.
Conclusion
When you get rid of ice dams, you’re protecting more than just your roof. You’re also protecting the floors inside your house from water damage. Ice dams are formed when water that is flowing over your roof freezes. This can happen a lot in areas with heavy snowfall. Once frozen, the ice dams can break off and fall onto your roof, as well as your yard and driveway, causing serious damage. Luckily, there are ways you can prevent ice dams or get rid of them if they’ve already formed on your roof. To do so, you’ll need to keep an eye on your roof and make sure it stays clean and well-maintained.
