Long-Term Prevention of Ice Dam Formation on Your Roof

Many are excited for the arrival of winter. You’ve got everything all set up and ready from top to bottom to protect yourself from the cold. But as a New Jersey homeowner, you’ve got one last problem to deal with—ice dam formation on your roof.

What is an ice dam?

An ice dam is formed from accumulated melted ice that refreezes and forms at the edge of your roof, leaving the already-melted snow unable to drain off the roof. The unfrozen water can leak into your house, resulting in water damage to your walls and attic.

Unbalanced roof surface temperatures can cause the formation of ice dams. Ideally, to prevent this, the temperature of the upper part of the roof shouldn’t be above freezing point (32 degrees) and that of the lower part shouldn’t be lower than freezing point.

How do I prevent its formation?

A well-insulated attic gives off enough temperature to melt snow and let it run off the roof. It’s best to keep the attic floor airtight to prevent the transfer of heat from downstairs up to the attic. Ensuring your replacement windows in Edison NJ are tightly sealed can also help.

Attic ventilation is the key to reach a temperature that will not melt the snow on your roof. Vents can let cold air inside at modulated volumes so your attic wouldn’t be so warm. You can install a ridge vent, a power vent, and a gable vent, among other kinds of ventilation systems. Just be sure that the ventilation system you choose is appropriate for your home or roofing structure.

It’s better to have your home well prepared for winter than to experience what can be prevented, like ice dams. If you want to get rid of them and other similar problems, hire professional roofers for inspection. They will assess your whole roofing system to determine how to deal with your concern.

Valiant Home Remodelers are roofing professionals you can call to prepare your roof this winter. We also offer replacement windows in Monroe NJ as well as other home improvement projects. For more details, call us at (732) 541-7966.