Snow buildup on roofs can be a hazard during winter months, ice dams can form and cause water to back up and leak into the home
Armed with shovels and snowplows, Borderland residents have been busy clearing roads and sidewalks after large amounts of snowfall blanketed the area recently. While it may be easy to forget, it is important for residents to remember to clear snow off rooftops, too.
Often times, snow buildup on roofs is overlooked, forgotten and not seen as a potential hazard during winter months. However, ice dams can form which can pose a problem.
An ice dam is a ridge of ice that forms at the edge of a roof and prevents melting snow from properly draining. The water that backs up behind the dam can leak into a home and cause damage to walls, ceilings, insulation and other areas, according to officials with the University of Minnesota Extension.
In a perfect world, the snow would melt off the roof, flow down gutters and disappear with sunshine. However, this is northern Minnesota with snowy, bitter cold winters that cause gutters to get blocked by snow berms that build up on the roof and form layers — sometimes thick — of menacing ice.
American Family Insurance Agent John Cann warns residents of the dangers caused by ice dams.
“The recent snowstorms have created conditions that are ideal for ice dams,” Cann explained. “The good news is that in some cases, homeowners can prevent the situation from becoming a major problem.”
Ice dams may seem harmless at first, but they are known to cause thousands of dollars in roof leaks, structural damages and repairs to homes. Cann suggested clearing snow from the bottom six feet of the roof — it is not necessary to clear the entire roof — allowing water from melting snow to reach gutters and drain to the ground. To avoid climbing on the roof, “roof rakes” and push brooms can be used to remove the snow.
Richard Stone, U of M Extension educator in housing technology reported homeowners can conserve energy and reduce the potential for ice dams by making the ceiling air tight so no warm air can flow from the house into the attic space. Plugging leaks and adding insulation can reduce energy use in homes by 20 to 30 percent.
Long-term precautions are key to ice dam prevention. It is best to keep the building’s attic temperature as close as possible to the outside temperature by insulating the attic floor. This is as easy as laying additional batts across the existing ones, or having more insulation blown in. Adequate ventilation should also be installed. Peak or roof-mounted vents allow warm air to exit the attic; soffit vents allow cold air to enter the attic. Both types of vents are encouraged.
“Our hope is to nip the problem before it occurs, so homeowners can save on the deductible expense they would occur if they did sustain damage and had to file a claim,” Cann says.
