Get Ready Now to Prevent Hazardous Roof Ice Dams this Winter
You've seen it many times - a mass of heavy ice collecting at the eaves of a roof. But did you ever wonder why these dangerous icicles form? The answer is simple: Trapped heat in your attic melts the snow. The melted snow then dribbles downward to the edges of the roof and re-freezes, over and over again, continually adding mass, and eventually forming into roof ice dams, causing havoc to the structure of your roof, such as:

• Damage to Shingles
• Warping and Detachment of Eave Troughs
• Fascia Board Damage
• Roof Wood Rot
• Ice Melting into House
• Drywall and Plaster Damage

The Power of Ice
When water freezes it expands and creates a huge force that pushes against anything in its way. This powerful force can bend steel like bubble gum. Imagine this level of pressure against soft materials such as wood, aluminum, asphalt, or bricks. Clearly, the damage could be substantial.   

The  Solution to Ice Dams
The only lasting solution to prevent roof ice dams is proper roof ventilation. Why? Because proper roof ventilation removes the trapped heat in your attic (the very heat that causes ice dams). Studies prove that a cool attic during winter months stops the thaw/re-freeze cycle and thus stops the melting snow from re-freezing at the roof edges reducing or eliminating roof ice dams. The goal is to create an attic temperature that is close or equal to the temperature outside of the attic using specific roof/attic ventilation procedures, such as ridge ventilation, and soffit ventilation. Roof ice dams will then be unable to form on your roof. After a snow storm, removing the bulk of the snow off the roof also helps.

Guaranteed Ice Dam Protection
As experts in roof ventilation, Brookside Roofing should be your first point of contact. So get ready now for this coming winter. For a thorough inspection of your roof and attic, and to prevent ice dams on your roof, click here.