Icicles Are Pretty to Look at, but Can Be a Warning Sign
Saturday, January 09, 2010 by WebSolutions
Looking out your window at shimmering icicles hanging down from your roof’s edge may be one of the benefits of the recent cold weather here in Connecticut. But as beautiful as those icicles can be, they are also an indication that you might be experiencing a serious problem with your roof.
Icicles are one of the warning signs that signal the formation of “ice dams” in your gutters and along the edge of your roof. An ice dam can cause melting snow and ice to back up under your roof deck and leak into your home. This can result in everything from stained wall and ceilings, to mold and mildew — even serious structural damage to your home’s wooden frame.
Ice dams are formed when warm air in your attic melts the snow and ice sitting on top of your roof. When the resulting water runs down to the edge of the roof and hits cold air again, it refreezes and forms an ice dam that traps the melted snow coming along behind. That’s when the problems really get started.
Often you may not notice any damage right away. Water can take days, even weeks, to seep into your walls. The most serious damage to your home’s structural framework may not be noticeable for months!
What can you do to remove ice dams and prevent them from reoccurring?
- Do not attempt to clear ice from your gutters or the edge of the roof yourself! Ice, snow and wind make a dangerous task even more risky. Call Fiderio & Sons and let our professionals do the removal for you.
- To prevent ice dams in the future, make sure your roof is properly ventilated. This means more than just small vents at the ends of your attic. The best ventilation is provided by a full-length ridge vent along the peak of your roof. If you don’t have a ridge vent we can retrofit one on most roofs. Call us for a free estimate.
- Attic insulation should be kept away from the underside of the roof to allow a free flow of air beneath the eaves. You actually want to keep the roof deck cold to prevent snow and ice from melting.
Call the professionals at Fiderio & Sons at 1-800-FIDERIO with your roofing questions. Or visit our web site at www.Fiderio.com.
