Roof Ice Dams

What Can Prevent Ice Dams From Forming

Ice dam problems are more common in the Northern climates, but they can still cause serious issues here in Texas. You can't control whether there's a snowstorm that brings heavy snow and freezing temperatures, but there are other things you can control to prevent ice build up on your roof.

Improve Water Drainage

An ice dam is more than a result of significant snowfall. Ice dams occur because snow melt doesn't drain from the roof properly. Preventing ice dams starts with addressing why water is collecting on the roof.

The problem could be caused by clogged gutters and down spouts that need a good cleaning. It's also a good idea to add gutter guards and keep the vegetation trimmed back away from the roof.

Improve Attic Insulation

Another way to prevent a melt-refreeze cycle is to improve the attic insulation. Inconsistent roof surface temperatures is another big contributor to ice dams. If heat loss causes one section of the roof to be warm enough to melt snow while another section is so cold water freezes or remains frozen you're going to run into ice dam issues.

This uneven roof temperature is often the result of poor attic insulation. Adequate insulation prevents both ice dam formation and heat loss, making it beneficial for a few reasons. Experts recommend that homes in Texas have proper insulation that's rated R-30 or higher.

How much insulation is needed depends on a number of factors. For starters, the excess moisture from ice dam leaks could have damaged insulation that now needs to be replaced. The rating of the existing insulation will also determine what's needed to make sure the attic is properly insulated.

Air Sealing Between the Ceiling and Attic Space

Warm air from the HVAC system is meant to stay inside the home, not drift up into the attic space where there should be cold air keeping the roof at a constant temperature. Sealing around the ceiling will reduce air leakage so that less heat escapes and warms the attic air. You'll need to seal around edges, recessed lights, ceiling fans and crown molding.

Improve Ventilation Systems

Ventilation is another factor that affects the temperature of the roof because it helps the attic air stay at a constant cool temperature. Air should flow from the underside of the roof through the eaves or soffit vents to help prevent ice dams.

Use a Roof Rake to Get the Snow Off

The less snow there is up on the roof the less chance there is of an ice dam forming. There's a tool called a roof rake that can be used to manually remove snow from the ground level, which is much safer for property owners. Another benefit of using roof rakes for keeping heavy snow loads to a minimum is that you'll avoid potential damage from the weight of ice and snow that collects.

Property owners must be very careful when using roof rakes to avoid damaging the roofing materials.