Ice dams might look picturesque on a snowy winter day, but they pose significant risks to your home, especially if it’s expensive. When water from melting snow refreezes at the edge of your roof, it creates a barrier—or dam—that causes serious damage. Discover the risks of ignoring ice dams and why prompt removal is crucial with prevention tips.
1. Roofing Damage
Ice dams form when the upper areas of your roof remain warm enough to melt snow while the lower eaves stay cold. The melted snow runs down and refreezes at the eaves, creating a dam. Over time, these ice dams cause significant damage to your roofing structures.
Shingles may become loose or damaged, allowing water to seep under them. The prolonged weight and ice pressure compromise the roof’s integrity, leading to repairs after the winter.
2. Water Infiltration
One of the most alarming risks associated with ice dams is water infiltration. As mentioned, when ice dams prevent melting snow from draining properly, water becomes backed up and seeps into your home.
This moisture results in water damage to your ceilings, walls, and insulation. Even worse, water infiltration affects your home’s foundation, weakening it and leading to expensive structural repairs.
3. Structural Compromise
Ignoring ice dams has dire consequences for your home’s structural integrity. Along with the effects listed above, water that seeps into the roof structure causes wooden beams and other materials to rot and weaken over time. This water compromises the overall stability of your home, increasing the risk of significant structural damage. It may also lead to deterioration that could cause a wall or ceiling to collapse.
4. Mold and Mildew Growth
Ice dams threaten your home’s structural integrity and create an ideal mold and mildew growth environment. When water infiltrates your home, it creates damp conditions that promote the growth of mold and mildew when combined with the house’s interior heat. These fungi spread quickly, causing health issues for occupants and further damaging your home’s interior by softening wood and plaster.
Importance of Prompt Removal
Promptly removing ice dams is crucial to prevent immediate and long-term damage to your home. When ice dams go unattended, the risks of water leakage, structural damage, and mold infestation increase exponentially. Swiftly addressing the issue minimizes these potential hazards and protects your home’s integrity.
Professional ice dam removal services, such as A-Rite Construction and Roofing, employ various effective techniques. An example is steam removal, which effectively eliminates ice dams without causing damage to your roof. Moreover, prompt removal mitigates risks and saves you substantial repair costs in the future.
There are many risks of ignoring ice dams, and prompt removal is crucial to keep your home secure. The risks are too significant to overlook, from roofing damage and water infiltration to structural compromise and mold growth. Removing ice dams protects your property and preserves its value. Take action today to clear the mound of ice hanging from your roof.
