Ice Dams

1/14/2020 (Permalink)

Ice dams can be a major problem during the winter season.  

An ice dam is a ridge of ice that forms at the edge of a roof and prevents melting snow (water) from draining off the roof. Typically ice dams form slowly.  As snow melts from your roof, either by the heat of the sun, or by heat escaping from your home, it tends to refreeze at the edges and other juncture points of your roof. The refreezing of water has a damming effect creating an even bigger ice dam behind it. Continuous feeding of the ice dam by melting and refreezing snow melt can cause significant damage. As the water seeps under shingles it refreezes expanding and creating an even bigger gap for future drainage to fill and further the cycle. Your shingles are being raised and eventually the water that backs up behind the dam, and underneath the shingles, can leak into your home and cause damage to walls, ceilings, insulation, and create a perfect environment for mold growth.

Last winter however an unusual storm dumped a couple of inches of snow/ice on our area.  Homes that typically don't have problems with ice damming suddenly had ice dams overnight.  As that ice began to melt several days later, these homes had water leaking in to their homes. 

If you have water in your home this winter from ice damming, SERVPRO of Appleton & Winnebago County can help.