When Ice Strikes

1/17/2017 (Permalink)

Ice Dams can be a major problem during the winter season. They form when heated air from your home or business rises into the attic spaces and heats the roof from the inside out. This heat melts roof snow downward into water dammed behind still-frozen ice. When the trapped water cannot safely flow or run into the gutter system, it can backflow under the roof’s shingles and into the structure’s interior areas causing water and mold damage to insulation, ceilings and soffits. This can also loosen your shingles, pull or tear off gutters.

Climbing onto your roof to fix the problem yourself is dangerous and could lead to serious personal injury and increase the damage to your home or business. There are multiple methods to help avoid ice dams on the market, including attic insulation and ventilation and having a good quality waterproof underlayment. Please refer to a licensed contractor for assistance in protecting your home to ensure your personal safety and the safety of your home or business.

One of the biggest steps in ice dam prevention is making sure your gutters are clean and having a debris protection system. Debris causes water to back up and gives the ice dam process a jump start.

The interior leaks caused by ice dams might not be visible right away. It is not uncommon that the water pushed into your structure will travel around walls and vapor barriers until it finds a path that might lead to an area where you do see it. By the point you see water inside, it usually has been there for a while which can cause mold to develop.

SERVPRO of the Lower Shore's professional staff can help mitigate water damage caused by ice dams and help you get your structure back to pre-loss condition. Contact our offices for fast, efficient service at (410)749-2221 or visit us on the web at www.SERVPROthelowershore.com