If you live in Minnesota, winter can be a challenging season for your roof. Sub-zero temperatures, icy winds, and snow accumulation can all wear down your roof, but ice dams are the greatest winter hazards that roofs face. An ice dam is formed when melting snow freezes again along the edges of a roof, trapping snow behind it. Ice dam formation commonly leads to other issues, including roof leaks that inflict water damage on attics and ceilings. Continue reading to learn how you can stop roof leaks and the ice dams that cause them.
A Step-by-Step Guide to Stopping Roof Leaks & Ice Dams
1. Contain the Leak
A roof leak of any size – from a torrent of water to an irregular drip – can cause water damage to your home. To prevent further damage, implement a temporary solution to contain the leak. Place a bucket under the drip and towels around it to soak up any water that spills out.
2. Use Your Roof Rake
To stop a leak in the roof of your Twin Cities home, you’ll need to remove the snow that’s contributing to the leak. If possible, use a roof rake to pull piled snow down off of your roof. This will reduce the amount of water leaking through your roof, giving you time to solve the bigger problem: ice dams.
3. Call an Ice Dam Removal Specialists
Removing an ice dam isn’t something you should try to do yourself. Physically scraping or smashing ice dams with tools is likely to damage your roofing materials, while chemical solutions are often harmful to roofs and gutters. In this case, your best option is to hire a local ice dam removal company in the Twin Cities to use safe methods, such as steaming, to remove ice dams without the risk of roof damage. This will allow any remaining snowmelt to drain from your roof.
4. Repair the Leak
Once you’ve taken steps to make sure snow and ice don’t continue to accumulate on your roof, it’s time to fix the leak. Depending on your capabilities, you may seal off the leak on your own or you may wish to hire a roofing contractor in the Twin Cities metro. For larger leaks, working with a professional is the smart way to go.
5. Improve Attic Insulation & Ventilation
Ice dams most commonly form on homes with attic spaces that are improperly insulated, ventilated or both. To correct this and prevent future ice dam buildup, take measures to improve your attic space’s ventilation and insulation. This process may require you to install new insulation materials and vents to better regulate your attic’s temperature.
6. Consider a Deicing Solution
A properly ventilated and insulated attic may still experience ice dam buildup. If your home seems particularly vulnerable, it may be worth hiring an ice dam removal specialist to install a deicing solution, such as heat cables, along your roofline.
Top-Tier Ice Dam Removal in the Twin Cities
At Incline Exteriors, we specialize in ice dam removal, repairing roof leaks, and installing solutions to prevent future problems. Give us a call today if you’re interested in our roof leak repair and ice dam removal services in the greater Twin Cities area!