Preventing Ice Dams in Colorado
If you live in an area in Colorado that gets a lot of snow, then you know how much of a pain it can be to constantly have to remove snow from your roof. Not only is it a hassle, but it’s also dangerous. Removing or shoveling snow off of your roof may be easy to slip and fall from, which could lead to serious injury.
But if you don’t look into snow removal from your roof, you risk the chance of ice dams forming. This can lead to serious damage to your roof, and potentially the interior of your home. Either way, you risk the chance of personal injury or damage to your house.
If you’re experiencing issues with large amounts of snow or ice dams, let Trout Roofing help you! We offer snow removal services which help prevent ice dams. Plus we offer a free roofing consultation, so don’t wait until there’s roof damage for assistance!
What are ice dams and what causes them?
Ice dams are caused when the snow on your roof melts and then refreezes. The snow melts because of the heat that escaped from your home. Typically, ice dams will form at the lowest point of your roof, as the melted snow will drain off the roof, but instead of draining, it freezes because of the cooler air. With steeper roofs, the probability of ice dams occurring may increase.
Sometimes ice dams are caused by gutters failing to completely drain melted snow, allowing ice to form and continue to block the gutters. As more snow melts and gets trapped by the ice at the lowest point of the roof or within gutters, it continues to build into a larger piece of ice, forming an ice dam.
Ice dams can cause problems for homeowners because it prevents melting snow and ice from draining off your roof. Ice dams can also damage your gutters and shingles, and in extreme cases, may lead to the roof collapsing.
What Are The Effects of Ice Dams?
The biggest problem with ice dams is that they may cause water to back up under your shingles, leaking into your home. This can lead to serious damage, including roof damage, leaks in your ceilings, walls, and windows, and can lead to mold. Ice dams can also damage gutters and downspouts. In extreme cases, ice dams can become so heavy it causes roofs to collapse.
But you don’t have to experience these situations! By remaining aware of how ice dams form and what you can do to prevent them, you can save yourself a few headaches.
How Can You Fix Ice Dams On Your Roof?
To prevent ice dams from forming, follow these simple tips
Snow Removal
Snow removal services prevent ice dams from building 100% of the time. By removing all the water/snow from your roof, you will have absolutely no worries of ice dams on your roof. Trout Roofing offers roof snow removal services, so never hesitate to contact us for snow removal assistance!
Gutters
Fix and prevent ice dams with the correct gutter system. The correct system will allow your roof and gutters to properly drain melted snow. If you notice ice dams every year, you may want to upgrade your gutters to 6 or 7 inch gutters. Gutters often are 5 inches, increasing to 6 or 7 inch gutters can help fix your ice dam problem.
Additionally, adding heating cables, or heating tape, to your gutters can help melt the ice dams and allow snow to drain off your roof. Best of all, heating cables can be used in plastic, metal, or wooden gutters.
Roof
Snow guards help keep snow on the roof by creating holds that don’t allow the snow to slide down the slopes. By adding snow guards to your roof, they don’t allow the lowest point in the roof to become blocked, which is how ice dams form.
Insulation
To prevent ice dams from forming, you need to make sure that your roof is properly insulated and ventilated. With proper roofing insulation, less heat will escape through your roof and melt the snow sitting on your roof. Because ice dams form from melted water, the insulation can slow down the snow from melting, fixing your ice dam issue.
You can also take some preventative measures by installing heat cables along the edge of your roof, specifically where the lowest section is. These will help melt any ice that forms and prevent it from building up into a dam.
Protect your roof
It’s recommended to inspect your roof in the summer and make any updates if needed so you don’t have to worry about anything before the winter weather conditions set in.
However, if you didn’t inspect your roof in the summer, take note of any issues that occur in the winter so you can make non-urgent updates in the summer. If there are roof leaks, mold, or roof damage discovered in the winter, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us for a free roof inspection, regardless of the time of year!
Get A Professional Roofer
If you notice an ice dam on your roof, you’ll want to call a professional to remove the ice dam. In Colorado, ice dams are relatively common, and Trout Roofing has the experience to remove it for you! Get in contact for a free roofing estimate today!