Roofing Company Recommendations for Ice Dam Prevention and Repair

Contrary to popular belief, your home can sustain water damage in severely cold temperatures. Most people are astounded when they have to call a roofing company in the middle of winter because water is leaking through the roof. It happens frequently when snow and ice build up on the roof and then begin to melt rapidly in the afternoon sun. If you see icicles forming on the edge of your roof, no matter how beautiful they appear, this is a sure sign your roof is in trouble. Left unattended you will soon be calling a roofer for ice dam prevention and repair.
 
Here’s what happens in the winter – especially if your roof is poorly insulated or is not ventilated adequately. During a snowfall your roof gets covered with a thick layer of snow. Even though the temperature outside is freezing, the air inside the attic is warm. The snow contacting the roof begins to melt. The bright afternoon sun melts it a little more and it trickles over the edge of the roof. At night when the temperature drops, the melt water turns to ice and forms icicles on the edge of the roof. Day after day this happens, until a ridge of ice forms all around the edge of the roof.
 
Now the water cannot get over the edge of the roof and begins to back up. It seeps under the shingles and when it freezes at night, it lifts the shingles and pulls them off the roofing nails, creating more places for water leaks. Your roof is no longer protecting the structure below it.
 
The immediate solution is to keep your roof clear of snow. A roofing company can quickly assess your roof leak problem and determine the best strategy for ice dam prevention and repair. You may need better insulation in the attic or improved circulation with attic vents. In any case, the temperature inside the attic must not be significantly warmer than the exterior temperature. Preparing your roof for winter is the best way to avoid subzero emergency roof leaks! 
 

RoofRepair.net is a Roof Repair company with top Roofing Repair Contractors. Our main offerings include: fixing leaks, performing inspections, roofing emergencies, repairing ventilation systems like Ridge Vents, Skylight Repairs, repairing Roofs with Asphalt roofing shingles, Timberline roofing shingles, Architectural roofing shingles, flat roofs, and other Roofing Services.