SB Roofing Blog

Ice dams are simply ridges of ice that form at the edge of a home's roof and prevent the melting snow and/or water from draining off the roof. This water, if left undrained, can cause leaks in your home's roof, ceilings, walls, insulation and other problems.

So how are ice dams formed? A number of things can cause ice dams such as loss of heat from your home, snow cover on your roof, and the outside temperatures. In order for ice dams to form, there typically must be snow cover on the roof of your home. At the same time, the higher areas of your roof's outside surface are normally above freezing, while the lower surfaces are below freezing. This typically happens when the temperature outside is lower than freezing or 32 degrees Fahrenheit. When the temperatures at the higher levels of your roof reach above freezing, they begin to melt. As the water from this melting snow runs down the roof and reaches the lower portions of your roof it re-freezes. This causes an ice dam. The dam will grow as more water runs down the roof from the melting snow but will typically limit itself to those areas of the roof that remain below the freezing point.

If you currently have ice dams, they can be removed before any damage is done. You must first remove the snow from the roof. Taking a water hose and applying warm water on a day in which temperatures are above freezing will create the channels and allow the melted water to flow off your roof, preventing a further ice build up and keeping your interior safe from water damage. Should you be experiencing any ice dams be sure to contact us today and we'll be happy to come inspect your roof and diagnose the problem.

Winter can prove to be extremely damaging to your roof; leaks from driving rain, ice, and snow are dangers to be conscious of. SB Roofing offers some information on a few great ways to guard against roof hazards and what to look out for.

Check for Leaks
The first step you should take when roofing in the cold season, is to check for roof leaks. Most roofs will leak from a few locations: drains on flat roofs, and at gutters, leaders, and flues on sloped roofs.

Condensation
Another cold weather issue is condensation, which happens when warm, moist air hits a colder surface: for example, your home's warm interior against the bottom side of the cold roof deck. Prevent this from happening by installing a vapor retarder at the ceiling level to trap the warm air and keep it away from the roof deck's bottom. Houses with cathedral ceilings have more complex problems, and you might have to replace the existing insulation with uniquely designed cathedral ceiling insulation. To allow adequate ventilation, baffles may need to be installed, and it could involve the demolition of the ceiling or the roof in order to remove the insulation.

Clear Your Gutters
Next, check your drains, gutters, and leaders because leaks can occur if they become clogged with debris. Bi-monthly inspections of roof and terrace drains are very important during the winter months.

Ice Damming
The single most threatening weather occurrence is ice damming. Ice dams are the capillary action of water reaching its highest point in either a liquid or solid form. If ice or snow fills your home's gutters, the resulting melting water creates a roof hazard by overflowing the gutter and back up the roof, penetrating the roofing tiles and shingles. And with our recent blizzard and cold weather in Virginia this is a problem that most Virginians aren't aware of. Cleaning debris, snow and ice from flashing points is a great protective measure against ice-damming.

Should you be experiencing any of these problems be sure to contact us immediately and allow SB Roofing to repair your roof for you. If you're not sure whether or not your roof is experiencing problems we can inspect the roof for you and give you a free no obligation estimate. Contact us today to learn more about roofing solutions and how SB Roofing can save your roof.