In Littleton, Colorado during the winter we commonly get snowstorms which pile snow up on our roof. Melting snow which freezes with below zero temperatures   can cause serious problems with your roof that many people don’t know about. When our roofs are loaded with snow and we can experience both above freezing temperatures during the day and freezing cold temperatures at night. This combination of snow, melting and freezing on our homes can cause ice dams to develop on roofs and in gutters. Ice dams can cause serious damage to your roof so its important to know about them and how to deal with them.

After a large snowstorm, with repeated cycles of melting and freezing over several days, your gutters can get dammed up with ice. When that happens it’s possible for melted water and ice to seep beneath your shingles which can lead to leaks into your attic – creating  potential for damage to the ceilings and interior of your home. If you’re concerned about your roof and need a roofing expert to inspect it – Anderson Builders is a local Littleon, CO roofer that can come out and inspect your roof to make sure it’s ok. If it looks like you may need repairs or fixes Anderson Builders will provide a FREE ESTIMATE.

(Image courtesy National Weather Service)

Here are a few tips to avoid ice dams from forming in your roof:

  1. If you haven’t already, thoroughly clean your gutters. Remove all leaves, sticks and other debris from your home’s gutters and down spouts. This allows melting snow from the roof to flow into gutters and through down spouts.
  2. Evaluate the insulation and ventilation in your attic. Most experts agree the R-value of attic insulation should be at least R-30 in the Littleton area. In addition, good airflow from under the eaves or soffit area along the underside of the roof and out through the roof vents is essential. The insulation prevents heat loss from the interior of the home. The venting allows the attic air to stay cold enough to prevent or minimize the freeze/thaw cycle on the roof. Consult a reputable roofing and/or insulation contractor about these improvements.
  3. Install heat cables. These are high-resistance wires that you mount on the roof edge in a zigzag pattern and plug into an outdoor power source. They are ideal in spots where ice dams regularly occur and can’t be stopped any other way. Anderson Builders is happy to come out and take a look at your roof to see if you have any potential problems.
  4. Good news if you have had your roof replaced recently, most jurisdictions around Littleton and the Denver area require an underlayment called ice and water shield which is installed under the shingles in roof eaves and near gutters to prevent such leaking.

What To Do if You Already Have an Ice Dam

Ice dams themselves aren’t necessarily a problem. It’s the leaks that do the bulk of the damage. If you can’t detect signs of ice dam leakage, either in the soffits on the outside or in the attic or ceilings, you may not have to do anything. Then during warmer weather, apply the prevention strategies.

If you have leakage from an ice dam and can’t rake the snow off the roof, the best way to get rid of the ice dam is to hire a professional roofing company to come and evaluate your roof.  Anderson Builders is a licensed roofing contractor in Littleton who is experienced at these repairs. Give us a call if you have any questions.

CALL FOR A FREE ROOF INSPECTION: 303-829-6276