Ice dams: They’re a Minnesotan menace. Caused by uneven temperatures and heat loss through your roof according to The Spruce, they cause water to back up underneath your shingles and seep into your attic space, dampening insulation, causing water damage, and setting the stage for mold growth.
Intelligent Design Corporation offers top-notch ice dam removal services so you never have to worry about your home’s welfare again. That being said, it’s also helpful to take preventative measures before the cold season sets in so that you don’t have to deal with the water damage in the first place. We’ve got some practical tips on how to protect your roof and attic below.
Have a Roofing Contractor Assess Your Ventilation and Insulation
These two factors play a huge role in preventing—or facilitating!—the formation of ice dams. When your roof is improperly ventilated, warm air isn’t allowed to escape, which contributes to the uneven temperatures we spoke of earlier. Improper insulation above living spaces can also contribute to a too-warm attic space.
The tricky thing about ventilation and insulation is that they require a balance that’s unique to your roof’s design to prevent ice dams, so they’re best left to a professional roofing company or insulation contractors. A pre-winter inspection by said experts will help keep your home’s temperatures exactly where they’re supposed to be.
Prune Your Trees
Though most trees are bare in the wintertime, falling leaves make keeping your gutter installation clean in the fall a headache—and clogged gutters come wintertime can contribute to ice dam formation.
We recommend you stay two steps ahead of the game and make fall maintenance easy so you don’t get overwhelmed. Thus, cut back any tree branches that hang over your home so that your gutters can stay debris-free. Don’t forget to check your downspouts for buildup!
Replace Lighting if Needed
Modern lights tend to excrete little heat, but lights that are both old and sit in the ceiling (also called recessed lights) can, en masse, contribute to heat buildup in your roof that can cause ice dams. Swapping these for newer, cooler models not only is a great way to keep your attic’s temperature in the correct window—you’ll also save on your energy bills.
Combat Ice Dams and Water Damage With the Help of Intelligent Design Corporation
We’re a Maple Grove team of water damage repair specialists and roofing contractors that’s ready to rid your roof of ice dams for good. Give us a call today at 763-315-0745.
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