Ice dams on the roof of your Carmel home can cause water damage

1/16/2018 (Permalink)

Icicles are a big clue that the ice is damming up on your roof and making it's way under your shingles.

Water damage due to ice dams is the reason for many of the calls we receive at our office in Brewster, NY. What causes ice dams and how can you avoid them from forming?

After a snowfall,  the roof over the attic of a home can get warm enough to melt the underside of the layer of snow on the roof. This water trickles down between the layer of snow and the shingles until it reaches the eave of the roof, which stays cold because it extends in the unheated area beyond the side of the house. There, the water freezes, eventually becoming a mound of ice. As the water accumulates, it backs up under the shingles of your roof. In time, it will drip through your insulation and into the ceilings and walls of your home. 

Prevention of ice dams can be achieved by insulating your home properly, using heated cables and using a roof rake to clear snow off of the roof.  If an ice dam has already formed on your roof, you can rake your roof with a special tool to remove the snow as well as deice it as described in the link above.

If the ice has already started to melt into your home, call SERVPRO of Putnam County! The leaking water will cause wet insulation, wall studs and sheetrock, not only damaging your home but also creating an environment perfect for mold and mildew growth. 

SERVPRO of Putnam County's team is IICRC certified for water and mold damage and has the training required to mitigate the devastating effects water and mold can cause.  Call us any time at (845) 228-1090 if you discover water damage in your home.