What You Need to Know About Ice Dams on Your Roof

Ice dams are sections of ice that build up on roofs, most commonly along the edges. They can be particularly troublesome for asphalt shingle roofs and should be addressed as soon as they’re noticed.

Felgemacher Roofing & Siding of Rochester, NY, would like to share some helpful information about ice dams.

Freeze-thaw cycles

During our volatile New York winters, outside temperatures can fluctuate between freezing and thawing many times. Snow melts into water, then the mercury drops and the water freezes. Water runs toward its lowest point, so the edges of the roof and, sometimes, the roof valleys are the “hot spots” for ice dams.

Warm roofs

If there’s insufficient home insulation below the roof, the house’s warmth will melt snow, which then freezes when temperatures drop. Insulation issues can lead to various roof problems due to winter ice. 

The effects of ice dams

When ice forms on a roof, it blocks water from flowing past it and causes the water to dam up, thus the name “ice dam.” Standing water can easily seep under individual shingles in a roof and move through the existing nail holes in the felt. This happens because shingles are supposed to encourage runoff, not to block standing water.

When water penetrates shingles, the results can include:

• Damaged shingles
• Rotting roof decking
• Rotting in the truss system
• Leaks in various parts of the house
• Rotting in parts of the home’s walls, ceiling, and flooring

In addition to causing leaks and deterioration, heavy ice dams can warp and bend rain gutters. Should a gutter with a large ice spike detach from the roof, the falling ice (and the gutter) could injure someone or damage property.

What to do about ice dams

The obvious solution to ice dams is to keep them from happening in the first place. But that may not be possible, so the next best solution is for you to remove snow (or have it removed) as soon as you can before it melts and freezes into solid ice.

Existing ice dams can be removed, but you may need help from a roofer or someone who is comfortable getting up on roofs in winter and using tools to dislodge the affected ice.

The point is to keep your roof as free of snow and ice as possible, which can be a daunting task in the Rochester, NY, and Buffalo, NY, regions.

Schedule a roof inspection

If you’re doing your best to keep ice and snow off your roof but still have ongoing problems with ice dams, schedule a roof inspection. This is the best way to get a good “feel” for what’s happening with your roof and get some expert advice on how to address it.

Felgemacher Roofing & Siding offers licensed roof inspections by our trained roofing crew, who are well-versed in the ravages of New York winters on roofs. That’s because we live here and deal with the problem in our own homes all the time.

Reach a roofing pro by phone or through our contact form.