Winter, while being a harsh and snowy season, can be a beautiful sight to see. During the day, sheets of white snow sparkle, and icicles dangling from rooftops contrast beautifully with the softer-looking snow on the ground. It’s important to remember, though, that the views that winter provides may also be hazardous.
It can be difficult and dangerous to drive in the snow or on black ice. When people walk outside and the paths haven’t been salted or prepared for winter weather, the ice that forms can cause them to slip, fall, and injure themselves.
When it comes to residences, too much snow may cause roofs to cave in, causing structural damage as well as water damage. Icicles are commonly a component of an ice dam in the winter, which can cause property damage.
How Do Ice Dams Form?
When the roof is warmed by internal heating, the snow and ice on it melts, generating ice dams. This melting snow and ice runs down the roof, but it gets re-frozen by the outside temperatures when it reaches the roof’s overhang. When melting snow forms into a solid mass, a dam is produced. Any melted water is caught behind the dam, preventing it from pouring down the roof and away from the building.
How Do Ice Dams Cause Damage?
When an ice dam forms on your roof, the melted water has nowhere to go. Instead, it stays on the roof. As a result of the dam, shingles may loosen, allowing water to flow beneath them and into the home. Ceilings, walls, and insulation may be harmed as a result of the water. This not only causes water damage, but it also promotes mold development.
Ice dams can contribute to mold growth because mold requires two elements to form colonies: moisture and food. Mold spores commonly feed on cellulose-rich building materials like wood and drywall, giving water-damaged building materials an ideal environment for mold growth.
The moisture damages the materials’ structure when ice dams cause water damage to ceilings and walls. As a result of the increased moisture absorption, the damaged materials become less structurally sound.
How Can Ice Dams Be Prevented?
- Clear the Roof- Invest in a roof rake to remove snow from your roof. Not only will this help prevent ice dams, but it will also keep your roof from collapsing under the weight of the snow. It’s also a safer method of cleaning your roof because you won’t have to use a ladder, which may be dangerous in the winter. On the other hand, the roof rake is long enough to reach the structure’s top while still on the ground.
- Appropriately Insulate Your Attic- By properly insulating your house, you can prevent heat from seeping through your roof and contributing to the formation of ice dams. The heat essential to keep your home warm may escape via the roof if it isn’t well-insulated. Heat will stay in the building as it should with adequate insulation, allowing for effective heating. Additionally, proper insulation may enable you to save money on your energy expenses.
You must act fast if you discover that ice dams have caused water damage to your house or company. Waiting to handle the water damage will just encourage the water to spread and exacerbate the problem. As a result, mold growth is more prone to occur. If you want assistance, please do not hesitate to call Restoration 1 of Columbus!
