The winter season can make your home vulnerable to damage and other costly repairs. Ice dams are prime examples. These can occur on the edges of your home’s roof during the winter months. Some of their causes may be out of your control, but it’s still important to know what the most common causes of ice dams are to prevent them. Uncover these causes below.
What are the Effects of Ice Dams?
Before diving into the causes of ice dams, it’s important to discuss how they affect your home. Based on their appearance, ice dams appear relatively harmless. They’re common features of the winter season, and as a result, many people underestimate the damage they can cause. In reality, they can take quite an expensive and unhealthy toll on your home.
When ice dams occur, they can cause roof leaks. When roof leaks happen, your home’s insulation becomes wet. Wet insulation loses its ability to keep your home warm. This results in wasted energy. As time goes on, wet insulation can also cause mold and mildew in your walls. This can be particularly unhealthy for you and your family.
Although they pose no immediate harm, ice dams can cause a chain of events that wreak havoc on your home. For that reason, it’s important to know what causes them.
The Causes
A common misconception about ice dams is that your home’s gutters cause them. This is misleading. If your home is properly prepared for the winter, you’re less likely to see them on the edge of your roof. With that said, here are the actual most common causes of ice dams:
Hot attic: A hot attic means your roof is hot, and a hot roof causes snow to melt. This results in the formation of ice dams.
Unpredictable weather: Warm mornings and freezing nights are the trickiest parts of winter. They’re also some of the most common cause of ice dams.
Beaming sun: As cold as it may be outside, if the sun is out, the snow may begin to melt and form ice dams on your home’s roof edges.
The Solution
If you take a step outside and realize ice dams have formed on the edges of your roof, don’t panic. There are a few solutions. You can make sure your roof is properly insulated and ventilated as well as inspect your roof for any damages or needed repairs. If ice dams cause you to realize your home is in need of a
roof repair in the St. Paul, MN, area, give us a call. Here at Viking Contractors, LLC, our team is dedicated to providing you with reliable solutions. Our team of roofing experts has exactly what you need to get rid of your ice dam problems.
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