The snowiest days of winter have yet to make an appearance in the Twin Cities, which means now is the perfect time to safeguard your roof against hazardous ice dams. Although these ice formations might seem relatively harmless, the fact is: they’re not. Rather, ice dams can contribute to roof damage, household water damage, siding deterioration, warped floors, broken gutters, and much more.
Curious what you can do to dramatically lessen your likelihood of developing ice dams? The experts at Kiser Construction share effective prevention tips below.
Practice Prompt Snow Removal
Prompt snow removal is tedious, but it’s one of the best ways to prevent ice dams from forming on your roof. You don’t have to scale your roof every time there’s a flurry of snow, but if there’s a day of heavy precipitation, you should break out a shovel or push broom and clear your roof.
If there’s very little snow on the surface of your roof, it’s difficult for an ice dam to develop since these thick ridges of ice require multiple freeze-thaw cycles to form. If you do happen to notice the beginnings of an ice dam, prompt removal will also serve you well. Find a roofing company (like Kiser Construction!) that offers ice dam removal services since the pros have the necessary equipment to do the job quickly and safely.
Install Heated Cables on Your Roof
Ice dams develop when the temperature on the center portion of your roof is higher than that on the eaves. So if you equalize your roof temperature by heating the surface of the shingles from the outside, you automatically eliminate the conditions necessary for an ice dam to form. Just make sure you install these cables before the weather takes a turn for the worse.
Assess Your Attic Ventilation
Has your roof always suffered from ice dams? Then there’s a high probability that your attic lacks adequate ventilation. And proper roof ventilation is critical in the fight against ice dams.
Installing ridge vents coupled with continuous soffit vents will allow cold outdoor air to circulate under your entire roof. This ventilation is designed to help maintain a consistent temperature across the surface of the roof, which prevents snow from melting, refreezing, and forming a giant shelf of ice.
If you’re unsure whether your attic contains proper venting, schedule an inspection with a licensed roofing contractor. Augmenting your existing ventilation is a relatively simple job that can dramatically reduce your risk of ice-related home damage.
Update Your Attic Insulation
In addition to assessing and, if necessary, augmenting your attic ventilation, you should also assess the condition of the insulation in your attic. Like venting, attic insulation functions to maintain a consistent temperature across the surface of your roof. And if you don’t have adequate insulation or if it’s deteriorating, it cannot regulate the temperature of the roof as well as it should.
If you’re unfamiliar with how much insulation your attic should contain, contact a roofing contractor to schedule an inspection. Adding insulation is one of the simplest and least costly measures you can take to reduce the severity of, or even eliminate, ice dams.
Safeguard Your Twin Cities Roof With Kiser Construction
Whether you need a roof inspection, more attic ventilation, extra insulation, or ice dam removal, get in touch with our team at Kiser Construction. It’s our goal to help you maximize the integrity and performance of your roof, and we serve the entire Twin Cities metro area. To learn more about our services or schedule an appointment, call our Elk River, MN office today at 763-633-2010 or send us a message.
If your home recently experienced a fire, flood, or storm damage and you require emergency restoration services, call us now on our 24/7 emergency line at 612-518-8852.