3 Steps to Prevent Ice Dams

Ice dams are a major problem faced by those living in any area that experiences freezing temperatures in the winter. As snow builds up on your roof, heat coming from poorly insulated areas of your home can cause uneven melting. The melted water then flows under the snow into the rain gutter, where it freezes into ice. Over time, the ice accumulates in the gutter, preventing later snow melt from draining properly. The water can then begin to damage your roof, allowing it to leak into your home and do extensive damage to the interior of your home.

Fortunately, there are ways to prevent ice dams before they start. Your heat trace specialists will make sure that snow and water on your roof are drained properly, so you don’t have to worry about ice dams and roof damage.

Here are three steps you can take to prevent ice dams on your roof:

• Ensure the entire roof is properly insulated. Insufficient insulation results in uneven heating on your roof. Making sure that the insulation in your roof is sufficient for the climate of your region and that it is consistently applied throughout the roof area will help prevent an ice dam from ever occurring.
• Make sure your attic is properly ventilated. Seal any gaps that allow warm air to escape from the living areas of your house into your attic, and then keep the area ventilated so that cold air can come in and warm air escapes quickly. These steps will help maintain appropriate roof temperatures.
• Remove excess snow from your roof—if it safe to do so. Ice dams tend to occur when a few inches of snow have built up on your roof. Getting rid of the accumulated snow will prevent future problems.

Stop ice dams before they start by calling Heat Trace Specialists at (877) 244-1055. We’ll come to your home or business and take every necessary step to save you the heartache of ever having to deal with ice dams.