PSA Announcement-Ice Dams

[TomCat]

If you have icicles hanging from your roof/eaves/gutters you probably have ice dams. Ice damming occurs when there is inadequate insulation in your attic and the roof heats up, melting the snow. When the snow gets to the gutter or over the eaves it freezes again. The cycle continues, builds up, and allows the ice to form past the flashing under the shingles, and WILL result in leaking. The extent of this damage depends on how often the ice dams form, how far past the waterproof flashing it gets, and for how many years it reoccurs. (Every year it occurs, the further the shingles/flashing will be loosened, hence allowing it to progress further.)

You can prevent this if you can take a broom and knock snow down. A great trick is to take several old pantyhose, fill them with snow-melt (not rock salt) and create runoff trenches to alleviate the water that will form under the ice dam. It's better to get it to the ground, than to let it creep up under your shingles.

I'll put up some photos later to depict what you should be looking for, and how you can fix it.

[jynxxxedangel]

<< haz this problem..but haz vertigoz. Plz hlp!

Seriously..this is the first place I've owned, on my own, without a feller around. Being a single female homeowner SUCKS.

[pomba gira]

I was wondering about this, seems like there are more/bigger icicles on my house than the past 2 winters. Didn't know the particulars but did recall that the giant-ass icicles aren't a good thing.

By "snow-melt" you mean the calcium-based stuff? Isn't that toxic to animals? Is there some kind that isn't? Don't wanna poison my kitties, the cute possum, or the super-aggro squirrels!

[Onyx]

Thanks for the info. I wish I could get up there to take care of it.

I have a 2 story and there is no way in hell I could reach that roof. It's a really steep pitch though and most of the snow slides off it into the driveway every couple weeks.

I have a brand new roof though, even chose the upgraded one with extra insulation added, and I'm disappointed that the icicles seem to be the same size as before the roof was replaced.

I don't see any houses anywhere in town that don't have icicles though. Even the brand new ones seem to have them.

[TomCat]

Typical early stage Ice Damming on my house.

Close up shot of how ice dams form and start. notive that the areas away from the heat under the roof is where the buildup begins?

[TomCat]

Thanks for the info. I wish I could get up there to take care of it.

I have a 2 story and there is no way in hell I could reach that roof. It's a really steep pitch though and most of the snow slides off it into the driveway every couple weeks.

I have a brand new roof though, even chose the upgraded one with extra insulation added, and I'm disappointed that the icicles seem to be the same size as before the roof was replaced.

I don't see any houses anywhere in town that don't have icicles though. Even the brand new ones seem to have them.

Yeah, you will see this EVERYWHERE right now, due to the very high snowfall we've experienced this year.

[Rev.Reverence]

Yeah, you will see this EVERYWHERE right now, due to the very high snowfall we've experienced this year.

......even at the grocery stores & mini malls....

...SO....when shopping......LOOK UP!

..I am glad to have learned this Knowledge before WE got our OWN house.....

.....thanx Jeff! (or Tom..I can't really tell the difference)...

[jynxxxedangel]

My roof is leaking like a betch, as we speak. I'm about sick of drying rags, and dumping buckets.

HALP!!

[TomCat]

......even at the grocery stores & mini malls....

...SO....when shopping......LOOK UP!

..I am glad to have learned this Knowledge before WE got our OWN house.....

.....thanx Jeff! (or Tom..I can't really tell the difference)...

Same diff. One is a scientist, the other, an uber sweet tennispro-photograper-minister-former-dj-guy.

[TomCat]

With temperatures reaching the "freezing point" and beyond (warmer) there's a high likllihood of leaks this weekend. Just keep your eyes open for it my friends. If you have leaks, you will likely have mold growth soon after if you don't catch it in time. Asthmatics and those with mold allergies should be aware in particular!

[Rayne]

Your pictures totally look like the ice on my roof. I've looked at that everyday for the past few weeks and thought to myself that's an awful lot of weight up there (our house was built in 1908, but it got a new roof less than 10 years ago). I was actually going to go take pictures ... I still might next time I go outside.

[TitsMcGee]

damn this means I need to go out with the shovel doesn't it. Will see here in a little bit..

[TomCat]

Your pictures totally look like the ice on my roof. I've looked at that everyday for the past few weeks and thought to myself that's an awful lot of weight up there (our house was built in 1908, but it got a new roof less than 10 years ago). I was actually going to go take pictures ... I still might next time I go outside.

Take pics...try to remove 3-5' of the fresh snow from the edge if at all possible. Send me the pics...I can tell if it's an issue.

[TomCat]

Here's a good cross sectional sketch.

[TomCat]

[Onyx]

hmmm... I'm looking at the paperwork from my "upgraded" roof. Supposedly they did something to help with the ice dam situation but now I'm wondering if I got ripped off. I have huge icicles everywhere. They look like they could kill someone if they fell on them!

I'm going to try to get some pics this weekend.

[Rayne]

Take pics...try to remove 3-5' of the fresh snow from the edge if at all possible. Send me the pics...I can tell if it's an issue.

I can't get any of the snow off, it's a full two stories and wayyyy too high for me to reach, but here's some pictures.

[pomba gira]

Looks like I'll have to invest in a roof rake... I found this company that specializes in them, but I'm sure my local Aco has perfectly good ones too!

I don't have that many really big icicles but I can clearly see where the ice has built up over the eavestroughs... which will need attention in the spring, too, since I've found big squirrel-chewed pieces of screening on the ground lately. I think all the giant-ass oak trees in my yard have some kind of super-steroid acorns or something!

[Brenda Starrr]

Melissa....

Jeff says that's definite Ice Damming.

[Rayne]

Melissa....

Jeff says that's definite Ice Damming.

So who would I call to fix it? I'm assuming my insurance would cover any damage (it's pretty good for this stuff).

[bean]

We have a leak in our bedroom already.

[taysteewonderbunny]

I was so blissfully ignorant until yesterday. Thanks. Now I have to figure out how I'm going to fix this in the ten odd places I've noticed the accumulation, all whilst I'm sick with the demon flu. *sulk*

[Homicidalheathen]

But...my icies are purty!

damn I gotta go get rid of those? I was hoping to see if they would get all the way to the ground

[pomba gira]

The company with the roof rakes also has little snow melt discs (kind'a like little white hockey pucks) that you can toss up onto your roof... I am prolly gonna invest in some of those too.

[Raev]

I'll help clear snow off for any of the DGNers that are anywhere near where I live or where I work. Just drop me a msg.

Downriver/Dearborn.