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What is an ice dam?
An ice dam is a ridge of ice that forms at the edge of a roof and prevents melting snow (also known as water) from draining off the roof. The water that doesn't drain then backs up behind the dam and may leak into your house causing damage to walls, ceilings, insulation and more.
Ice Dam Prevention
The dams are bad and you need to do something fast:
- Remove snow from the roof. You can remove snow with a roof "rake" or push broom, but those may damage your shingles and other roofing materials.
- If you have a flow of water entering your house, you can make channels through the ice dams to allow the water to drain off the roof. At best, this is a temporary solution.
WARNING!
- Removing ice dams and snow are dangerous jobs. Anyone working on the top of the roof or below are risking injury and there is a risk of damage to the roof too. You are probably best served to contact professionals to help you with this work.
