Winter has finally hit here in Northern Colorado! After so many warm days, we had a white Christmas that brought, not only snow but some very cold temperatures. When harsh winter weather strikes, it’s important to make sure your house, and especially your roof, are holding up well.
What Are Ice Dams?
Ice dams are large buildups of ice, often on the edge of your roof, that prevent water from falling off of your roof like it should. They can be caused by heavy snowfall, when heat escapes your roof, or when your roof has uneven temperatures. When the ice builds up and that snow begins to melt, water pools up behind the ice walls and can cause a lot of damage when that water starts seeping under shingles and through your roof.
Are you dealing with ice dams after the recent snow? Here are some ways to prevent ice dams from damaging your roof after heavy snowfall in the winter.
How to Prevent Ice Dams
Scrape Snow From Your Roof After A Storm
If you can safely remove the snow from your roof with a snow rake, that can really help to prevent ice dams from forming. Make sure not to damage your roof in the process and above all, be careful and keep yourself safe. If it’s too dangerous to remove the snow yourself, hire a professional to take care of it for you. It’s not worth it to risk a serious injury!
Insulate & Ventilate Your Attic
Almost all attics have insulation, but just having it there isn’t enough. That insulation may have been damaged by settling, getting wet, or many other things that make it less effective at insulating your house. You want your attic to stay as close to the outdoor temperature as possible, which makes it quite chilly compared to the rest of your house.
Add weather stripping to pull-down attic stairs or other access doors that may feel drafty and make sure any ducts are properly insulated and aren’t leaking.
After checking the insulation, make sure that your attic is also well-ventilated. Your attic should have a two-part ventilation system with both intake and exhaust vents. Make sure the vents are not covered by any debris like leaves, dust, or vines. If your house has a heat-propelled ventilating turbine, make sure that it is not damaged in any way and can spin freely.
The bonus of making sure your attic is both well-insulated and well-ventilated is that it not only prevents damage to your roof from ice dams, but it can also save you money on your heating bill!
If you need help dealing with ice dams or any roof damage from ice dams, contact us for your free estimate!
Crazy Horse Roofing specializes in roofing and gutters in Northern Colorado, and we believe in treating every customer like they are family. We know how important your roof is in keeping your home and your family protected and safe, so we will do whatever we can to make sure your roof is safe, strong, and sturdy.
