The Art of Ice Dam Removal

Article by: Henry Bockman

You may have noticed long icicles hanging from your gutters and not realize the significance of the damage that may be occurring behind them. Icicles are usually one of the first warning signs of possible ice dams on your roof. , 9 Ways to find cheap home décor accessories This article will explain what ice dams are, how they form and the best methods for removing them safely.

What is an ice dam?

An ice dam is a wall , Hampers: Aids In House Organization of ice that forms at the edge of the roof, , Stylish Comfort: Modern Sofa Trends usually at the gutters or soffit. When it forms the water , What is an Outdoor Wood Furnace and Why You Should Own One then backs up behind the ice dam and creates a pool of water. , Clocks For Your Home And Your Lifestyle This pool of water , Building a Deck – Selecting the Right Nails, Screws, or Fixtures can leak into your home , Water Pumps – All You Want To Know and cause damage to walls, , How To Choose Air Purifiers ceilings, insulation, and other areas

What causes ice dams

Ice dams are usually caused by heavy snowfall and improper ventilation in the attic. This causes warmer areas in your attic then the snow , Repairing Scratches in Hardwood Floors begins to melt, even when the outside , A Quick Guide to Residential Mailboxes temperature is well below freezing. When the accumulated snow , How to Choose a Lighthouse Mailbox on your roof , Hampers: Aids In House Organization starts melting it runs down your roof , Asian decor and Feng Shui underneath the snow , Repairing Scratches in Hardwood Floors until it reaches a "colder" section like the soffit's, valleys or in gutters then it begins to freeze again, this process of thawing and refreezing is what causes an ice dam.

Cleaning the gutters on your home , A Quick Guide to Residential Mailboxes can help prevent ice dams from occurring as quickly but they can still occur if the conditions are right. The gutters will be just as cold , The Many Dimensions of the World of Candles as it is outside , What is an Outdoor Wood Furnace and Why You Should Own One and in some cases, full of frozen debris. So even if you don't have a soffit for the water , "Invasion of the Mold Spores" - Mold Removal Tips For the Property Owner to refreeze in, the melted water , Building Materials will most likely refreeze when flowing into the gutters.

How can I remove an existing ice dam?

Properly removing an ice dam can be quite dangerous if you don't know how. In the past some members of the media suggested hiring a contractor , How To Choose Air Purifiers to pull the gutters off your home , How To Choose Air Purifiers so the whole ice dam process would be solved. This suggestion was well intended but wrong. Contractors , Building a Deck – Selecting the Right Nails, Screws, or Fixtures that started removing gutters caused significant damage to roofing , How Air Conditioners Work? and guttering systems, then when the snow , Structure And Building Waterproofing - Keep Your Building And Investment Safe From Water Damage melted it dropped next to the homes , Repairing Scratches in Hardwood Floors foundation and caused the basements , Where Did Rat Poison Come From? to flood. , The Solution to Storage Sheds

WARNING!

Performing ice dam removal is risking severe personal injury and damage to the roof , Winterizing a Vacation Home if not done properly. Never walk on a snow , Building Materials covered roof , The Many Dimensions of the World of Candles and make sure if your using a ladder you follow the proper safety , Stylish Comfort: Modern Sofa Trends procedures. I highly suggest contacting professionals with the proper equipment and roofing , Don't Purchase A Fireplace Until You Read This experience to carry out this job.

Immediate action: Remove snow , Adjustable Beds - Now This Will Put You To Sleep and ice dam from the roof , Building a Deck – Selecting the Right Nails, Screws, or Fixtures this will eliminate the main ingredients necessary for the formation of another ice dam and will usually stop the water , How to Choose a Lighthouse Mailbox from coming in within an hour. Using a roof , 10 Easy Tips To Refresh Your Space For Spring And Summer 2006 rake and push broom (not water) remove the snow , Stylish Comfort: Modern Sofa Trends by carefully pulling it down the slope of the roof , Ceramic Tile Flooring- The Healthy House Choice line. Never pull snow , Don't Purchase A Fireplace Until You Read This across the roof , The Solution to Storage Sheds or it may break off the shingles and other damages. Then carefully chip away a channel through the ice dam so the water , 9 Ways to find cheap home décor accessories will be able to flow through, just make sure you stop when you get close to the roofing. , Repairing a Frozen Pipe It's not necessary to remove all of the ice in the gutters or the ice dam itself if you have removed the snow , Repairing Scratches in Hardwood Floors from the roof, , How To Get Rid Of Fruit Flies With A Homemade Fruit Fly Trap it will melt when the temperatures , A Quick Guide to Residential Mailboxes rise.

How can I prevent ice dams in the future?

Properly ventilating and insulating the attic is usually the best way to prevent ice dams. The usual recommendation for proper ventilation is 1 square foot of vent for every 150 feet of attic floor , Don't Purchase A Fireplace Until You Read This area but each climate , How To Get Rid Of Fruit Flies With A Homemade Fruit Fly Trap region may have it's own recommendations so I would suggest contacting a licensed local , Repairing a Frozen Pipe insulation company near you. If you have small louvered vents at either end of the attic known as gable vents you can either replace them with larger vents, or install an electric , Butt Sets, Punch Down Tools and Tone Generators All Have Something in Common vent fan over the inside , Building a Deck – Selecting the Right Nails, Screws, or Fixtures of them. These special fans usually work on a thermostat and will pull outside air , Ten Convenience Built-Ins ThatÂ’ll Save Your Busy Household Hundreds Of Hours Each Year into the attic to keep the temperature inside , Hampers: Aids In House Organization consistent.

Henry's Housework is known as one of the leaders in the home , Finding the Right Contractor maintenance and power , Building Materials washing industries. Henry's Housework has also helped train other companies across the country in starting a business and teaching various skills , Water Pumps – All You Want To Know so they can provide quality workmanship.

For more information , A Quick Guide to Residential Mailboxes on ice dams and other articles we have written, please see our website at http://www.henryshousework.com

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