Ice Dams

Whenever it snows, my kids start hoping for a snow day! There seem to be as many good luck charms for snow days as for final exams, but it seems to me that only inside-out pajamas have passed the test of time.

Snow inspires all sorts of interesting solutions.

I was just talking to a friend who told me that they could not get their roof from freezing over, so instead of climbing up a ladder and risking their lives, they decided to fill panty hose with rock salt, tie the ends and throw the panty hose up to the roof.  It was a little odd looking having bright pink stockings on their house, but it did the trick. The ice melted and no more water dripping into their house. 

Sometimes the strangest fixes are the best!

If you’ve had trouble with a frozen roof (and don’t have neon stockings to spare) here are a few tips to get you through this storm and many to come.

Ice dams form if:

• The outside temperature is less than 32 degrees
• The temperature of the roof is above 32 degrees at its highest point and below at its lowest
• Snow has blanketed the roof

Indoor heat rises through the ceiling into the attic and warms the roofing.

When the snow melts in the sections heated from the inside heat, it drips to the coldest areas where it refreezes and becomes a dam.

The more snow that melts, the larger the dam will grow, until it eventually leaks into cracks in the roof, where it can damage interior walls and ceilings.

To prevent ice dams:

Ventilate: Make sure the ridge and eaves are paired with enough ventilation to provide one square foot of opening per three hundred feed of attic flooring.

Prepare ducts: All exhaust ducts should lead outside through the roof or walls, rather than the soffit.

Insulate: Seal the space between any house or ventilation fans to prevent heat loss.

Cool: Try to keep your attic as cool as possible to keep the roof cool, if your ventilation isn’t enough to solve your problem completely.

Wishing everyone warmth despite the snow!

Best,

Robin Hoy, PuroClean, Cranford, NJ