Roof Damage From Ice Dams Has Not Yet Peaked
By Korky Vann, The Hartford Courant |
Ice dams, as those icy buildups are called, typically form along roof edges and gutters and prevent melting snow from running off. Water backs up and has nowhere to go except under shingles and into your home's ceiling and interior walls.
"I posted an ad for ice dam repairs in a local paper last week and calls started coming in almost immediately," he says. "And as snow continues to melt and refreeze, more houses are going to experience problems."
A word of warning -- if you've got icicles forming on your eaves, you could have trouble ahead.
"Often, people don't realize there's a problem until they see a rusty colored stain on the ceiling, but if you see icicles hanging from the gutters, you should pay attention, since it usually means ice dams are forming," says Bastiaanse.
Ice dams can also damage windows and siding. Permanent fixes to prevent the problem from happening next year, such as replacing shingles, installing heat cables or increasing insulation, have to wait until better weather arrives. (When attics don't have enough insulation, warm air from inside escapes through the roof and causes snow and ice to melt. When the temperatures drop, that melted snow refreezes, causes ice buildup and the cycle starts all over again.)
Until all this snow and ice goes away, keep an eye out for problems. Check windows, skylights, ceilings throughout the house for drips or stains and don't forget to look in closets. If you've had interior damage, those drywall and ceiling repairs will probably have to wait until spring as well.
"You really don't want to make any repairs until you're certain there won't be any more leaks," says Bastiaanse.
In the meantime, getting snow and ice off the roof can stop or at least slow down the leaks. (Some handy folks may be equipped to get up on a ladder in the middle of winter; the rest of us should hire professionals to do the job.)
Removing fresh snow after each storm is easier than trying to chip off stuff that has frozen into solid blocks. Roof rakes or long handled garden rakes and hoes work. Ice is tougher to remove, since using sharp tools to chip through the blockages can damage shingles, if you're not careful.
Salt and ice melt tablets can help.
"Take bags of rock salt and scatter them around," advises Bastiaanse. "Make channels in the snow so water can run off."
Some homeowners claim success with a rock salt and pantyhose hack.
The percentage of winter-caused insured catastrophe losses more than doubled last year, according to the
"Considering the widespread severe weather we've experienced so far, signs point to approximating or exceeding that again this season," says
While coverage and deductibles vary, the
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