Indianapolis Ice Dam Prevention
If your roof is leaking due to ice dams, call a professional immediately.
What is an ice dam?
An ice dam is exactly as it sounds. As snow on your roof melts, water flows downward underneath an insulated blanket of un-melted snow. Once it reaches the eaves of your roof where the air is cold again, it freezes, forming a dam. That dam will build water up that sits on top of the roof, which eventually leads to leaks.
How can I prevent ice dams from occurring?
Ice dams are sometimes unpreventable. When building a new roof, using low friction materials such as metal can help, along with an adequate roof pitch. Another important aspect is insulation. Minimizing heat escaping from your attic to maintain a less than 30 degree temperature on the roof is ideal. You could also install an “ice belt” which is metal material around the eaves of your roof.
If you don’t plan to make modifications to your roof, consider buying a roof rake. It is a special tool designed to remove snow from your roof. If you can keep up with snow removal, you should have very little problems with ice dams.
What if I have an ice dam?
If your roof is leaking due to ice dams, call a professional immediately. Removing ice dams takes special tools and training, and Allen Contracting has staff that specializes in ice dam removal. If you attempt to fix or remove the ice dam yourself, you risk not only damaging your roof material and causing more leaks, but also injury to yourself, your home, or others.