The ice bin itself can damage the gutter, the fascia and the shingles, but will not cause leaks. What causes the leaks is the thawed snow and ice that build up behind the dam. Over time, the accumulated water will reach a part of the roof where temperatures are above freezing. When the weather warms up, the snow melts and flows into the gutters.
Ice dams block the flow of this water, causing water to build up under roof shingles. When water rises above the protective waterproof barrier again, it starts to seep into your home. That's when the drywall sheet on the roof softens and collapses with the attic insulation that comes with it. The damage only gets worse from there, as the water seeks the lowest point in the house.
This means that water can run in several directions and cause significant damage. An ice dam is an ice ridge that forms on the edge of a roof and prevents melted snow (water) from draining off the roof. Water that accumulates behind the dam can leak into a house and damage walls, ceilings, insulation, and other areas. Since there is little chance that interior corrective measures to stop heat loss in the attic will be applied promptly, temporary emergency assistance can be provided using thermal tapes to maintain drainage openings through roof ice, pending a review of the details of the ice and water in this area when the weather is up.
permits. HVAC contractors are professionals who can solve the heat transfer problem created by ice dams. It is mainly the heat that flows from the house that causes uneven temperatures on the roof surface to cause ice dams. The determining factor for the number of problems a roof ice dam can cause depends largely on how far the protective waterproof barrier reaches beneath the shingles.
Another way to prevent ice buildup is to ensure that the waterproof protective barrier extends to the roof below the shingles. In addition to the unusual heat loss conditions in the roof cavity, ice dams on the roof or in the gutters can cause some hard-to-locate leaks, as illustrated in the following case study. What it does is to ensure that when an ice dam forms, water from the roof cannot leak into your home. For ice dams to form, there must be snow on the roof and, at the same time, the highest parts of the outer surface of the roof must be above 32 degrees F (freezing point), while the lower surfaces must be below 32 F.
An ice dam is an ice ridge that forms on the edge of a roof and prevents melted snow from draining. While they may be nice at first, icicles, or rather, ice dams can be a very visible indication that your home has insulation problems. Knowing that poor insulation is the primary cause of ice buildup, it's obvious that adding more insulation to the attic is one of the most effective ways to prevent ice buildup. The significant formation of ice dams on the front slope of the roof appears to have pushed water below the ice and the water shield, possibly exacerbated by ice in the gutters.
