Preventing Ice Dams
By Robert Robillard on Energy Saving, Home Maintenance
How to Deal With An Active Leak
Rake Roof of Snow:
Remove snow from the roof. This eliminates one of the ingredients necessary for the formation of an ice dam. Using a roof rake to clear the snow from the first three to four feet along the roof edge is a great way to prevent ice dams. This should be done immediately after it snows. Roof raking eliminates one of the ingredients necessary in an ice dam recipe and is BEST done before the ice dam forms.
Cutting a channel in ice
Steam is by far the safest method and poses the least risk of further damage. A steamer uses a home’s water supply, heating it to 300 degrees. The steam is forced through a hose and wand, where it is delivered in a low-pressure stream used to cut through ice. The most efficient way to steam ice off a roof is to cut it into chunks and throw the chunks from the roof. A true emergency sometimes means you cannot wait for a contractor to use a steamer.
If air leak sealing, adding insulation and ventilation are not an option, then I suggest installing and using a ice melt system as a last resort. These systems are helpful with complicated roof designs, high and hard-to-rake areas. Roof and gutter deicing cables, or “heating cables,” provide an effective and economical method for draining the roof of snow melt.
I also advise my clients against using cheap hardware-store versions. These cables are not efficient ice melting systems and turn on when temperatures reach a certain point, snow or not. Instead, I use a commercial-grade, self-regulating heating cable that has sensors to detect snow and ice dam conditions. The system is “smart”; it turns on when it snows and off a few hours after it stops.
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