Snow on the roof surface that is above freezing will melt. As water flows through the roof, it reaches the part of the roof that is below 32° F and freezes. The dam grows as it feeds on the snow that melts on it, but will be limited to parts of the roof that average less than 32° F. Ice dams form on the underside of roofs, allowing water to penetrate and cause damage to the interior of walls and ceilings.
When snow melts on a roof, it runs down until it reaches the unheated lower edge of a roof and then freezes. This piece of ice is called an ice dam and can cause water to accumulate under shingles and ice dams to damage walls and roof structures. Ice deposits and icicles form when snow melts, goes down the roof and freezes again near the edge. This only occurs when part of the roof is heated above 32 degrees F, hot enough to melt snow, while the roof edge remains below freezing point.
This scenario is usually the result of a warm attic. The most common way in which ice buildup occurs is when there is a loss of house heat combined with snow cover and low outside temperatures. The snow eventually melts and, when it does, it goes down the roof and reaches the part where it is below freezing point. The freezing temperature then causes the ice dam to form.
Ice dams are more common in northern climates. They occur when the heavy accumulation of snow melts during the day and then freezes again when temperatures drop during the night. This is the most common way ice dams form. It happens when your home is simply not energy efficient.
The last thing you want is for your home to be the victim of a problem with an ice dam right in the middle of the sales process. However, there is a good chance that your home insurance will cover damage caused by a problem with an ice dam. If you look up and see a large chunk of ice on the lower edge of your roof, your forensic work is done; you have an ice dam. Attached with clips along the edge of the roof in a zigzag pattern, heated cables help prevent ice deposits that lift roof tiles and cause leaks.
Cutting ice prey with a hammer, chisel or shovel is bad for the roof and dangerous for you. Watch out for ice accumulations when temperatures range between 30 and 32 degrees, right at freezing point or just below freezing point. It will be more difficult to form ice dams if water is allowed to flow out of the house and down the ditch as intended. Even if you do get an ice dam, that ice dam you worked hard to avoid is probably smaller and less harmful than an ice dam for which you left out a welcome rug.
Most standard high-performance ice melting products, such as calcium chloride or magnesium chloride, will melt. Installing thermal cables can also help prevent the formation of ice dams and melt them if they haven't been ignited before a storm. The theory is that the age of the roof was a factor that contributed to the fact that the ice dam could cause damage to the interior of the house. If damage caused by the formation of ice dams were isolated from the outside of your home, you'd be lucky.
If you're leaking an ice dam and you can't remove snow from the roof, the best way to get rid of the ice dam is to hire a roofing company to steam it out. If you can't detect signs of leaks in ice dams, whether on outdoor ceilings or in the attic or on roofs, you may not need to do anything. .
