ICE DAMMING
By Gil Strachan , Number 23, 342 words
Ice dams are the accumulation of ice at the eaves and valleys of roofs, and in some winters create major problems.
Ice Dam Forming on Roof
Public Domain: University of Minn. Extension
Homeowners living in warmer regions may have never even heard of ice dams-thankfully so.
Ice Dams
What causes them?
What harm can they do?
How do I eliminate them?
How can ice dams be prevented in the first place? The answer... insulation and ventilation!
INSULATION...
What are Ice Dams and what causes them?
An ice dam is a build up of ice at the edge of the roof. It is called a dam, because the build up is large enough to dam up some water behind it.
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Birth of an Ice Dam
1. Heat collects in the attic and warms the roof, except at the eaves.
2. Snow melts on the warm roof and then freezes on the cold eaves.
3. Ice accumulates along the eaves, forming a dam.
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If you're fortunate enough to live in the Sunbelt or some other balmy region, chances are you've never heard of-or at least experienced-ice dams.
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Ice Dams
Ice dams are formed when heat from the attic melts snow at the ridge or peak of the roof causing an "avalanche" of snow and ice to overflow the gutters.
Ice dam: Condition formed at the lower roof edge by the thawing and re-freezing of melted snow on the overhang. Can force water up and under shingles, causing leaks.
Ice Dam - a mass of ice formed at the transition from a warm to a cold roof surface, frequently formed by refreezing meltwater at the overhang of a steep roof, causing ice and water to back up under roofing materials.
Ice Dam - A condition which can occur with snow and freezing conditions. When snow or ice melts on a roof over a heated or partially heated attic space, the melting water may refreeze over an unheated areas such as a roof overhang.
Ice damming " The buildup of ice and water at the eaves of a sloped roof. Melting snow on the roof refreezes at the roof overhang, causing the damming.
Ice Dams
In areas where snow and ice are prevalent Ice and water shield should be used in the valleys and over the eaves.
Ice Dam
An ice obstruction along the eaves of a roof caused by the refreezing of water emanating from melting snow on the roof surface above.
Ice Maker ...
Ice Dam: Ice formed at the transition from a warm surface to a cold surface, such as along the overhang of a house.
ICE DAM: ridge of ice at roof eaves or gutters causing snow and ice blockage, and preventing from properly draining.
INFILTRATION: Incursion of outdoor air through cracks, holes and joints.
"Ice Dam Solution." (August 1995). Letter from M. Rosenbaum Journal of Light Construction. (13:11); p. 5.
Bates, D. (December 2002). "Installing A Skylight." Journal of Light Construction. (21:3); pp. 41-47.
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An ice dam is a build up of ice and water that works its way under shingles/shakes. When snow/ice from the peak melts (caused by warm spots in the attic or the sun), water slowly runs down the roof.
Gutter ice dams present a clear and present danger to houses. If the water continues to flow down the roof, the ice grows higher and higher above the gutter making a true dam structure.
Once an ice dam occurs, remedies are difficult and or dangerous. Working on a frozen roof should be avoided, as should the use of any open flames. The use of hot water to melt the ice may help, it may also increase the amount of leakage.
Preventing Ice Dams
Proper insulation and roof ventilation can stop ice dams from forming, prevent damage and lower energy billsby Paul Fisette
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Preventing and removing ice dams from your roof throughout the winter.
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To help prevent ice damming (a condition where water is unable to properly drain and instead seeps into the house) and gutter damage due to icicles caused by overflow, remove leaves, sticks, and other debris from gutters.
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Snow and ice: Melting snow often refreezes at a roof's overhang where the surface is cooler, forming an ice dam. This blocks proper drainage into the gutter. Water backs up under the shingles (or other roofing materials) and seeps into the interior.
Poorly ventilated attics contribute to ice damming after snowfalls. The (relatively) warm air in the attic causes accelerated melting of the snow on the roof. The melted snow flows down the roof until it reaches the eaves or soffit area.
This can cause ice dams, which push water under shingles and into your house. Clean gutters after most of the leaves have fallen, and do so by removing the debris with a plastic scoop or with a special curved wand attached to your garden hose.
For people living in areas where snow and ice is common during the winter months, going with a gutter guard that is equipped with an ice dam is a good idea.
Ice Melt Sock Stops Ice Dams on the Roof
Winter is on its way, and for many of us, that means the time to deal with snow and ice on the roof.
Good ventilation helps prevent ice dams, which begin to form when warm air in the attic melts the snow from beneath and creates runoff that refreezes on the colder eaves.
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Snow and ice: Melting snow often refreezes at the roof's overhang (where the surface is cooler), forming an ice dam and blocking proper drainage into the gutter. Instead, the water backs up under the shingles and seeps into the interior.
I have seen enormous problems with ice dams forming around chimneys, because some chimneys give off a lot of heat, especially masonry chimneys with fireplaces or less-than-high-efficiency furnaces.
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Many fast growing trees have short natural lives, such as poplars and cottonwoods, or suffer more wind and ice damage, like Box Elder and willows. Some have messy nuts or fruits and will propagate rapidly.
Specialty eaves flashing membrane: A self-adhering waterproofing shingle underlayment designed to protect against water infiltration due to ice damage or wind-driven rain.
Square: A unit of roof measure covering 100 square feet.
For Houses located in Snow Zone areas special precautions should be taken to reduce the possibility of roofing failure and water damage do to Ice Dams..
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Snaps it onto the front rim of the gutter and then screws it in place. In just a few weeks, old man winter will arrive. And since I've had real problems in the past with icicles and ice damming, I' ...
When I looked outside, I could see that the two feet of snow, which fell on the metro Chicago area this month, had started to melt and had already created enormous ice dams.
If your attic is not ventilated, the humid air will condense on the cold underside of your roof. This condensation can start to rot the roof boards, cause ice dams, or drip down onto the ceiling below and damage your plaster, paint, ...
Metal roofing can also help eliminate ice damming at the eves. And in wildfire-prone areas, metal roofing helps protect buildings from fire should burning embers land on the roof.
During hot weather, the fan will keep your house cool until the peak of the afternoon, when the air conditioner can take over. In the winter, it can vent moisture more quickly than passive vents and help prevent the formation of ice dams.
 See also: Home, Water, Roof, House, Roofing
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