| |
| |
|
Home Improvement Information |
|
|
|
The Art of Ice Dam Removal
You may have noticed long icicles hanging from your gutters and not realize the significance of the damage that may be occurring behind them. Icicles are usually one of the first warning signs of possible ice dams on your roof. This article will explain what ice dams are, how they form and the best methods for removing them safely. What is an ice dam? An ice dam is a wall of ice that forms at the edge of the roof, usually at the gutters or soffit. When it forms the water then backs up behind the ice dam and creates a pool of water. This pool of water can leak into your home and cause damage to walls, ceilings, insulation, and other areas What causes ice dams Ice dams are usually caused by heavy snowfall and improper ventilation in the attic. This causes warmer areas in your attic then the snow begins to melt, even when the outside temperature is well below freezing. When the accumulated snow on your roof starts melting it runs down your roof underneath the snow until it reaches a "colder" section like the soffit's, valleys or in gutters then it begins to freeze again, this process of thawing and refreezing is what causes an ice dam. Cleaning the gutters on your home can help prevent ice dams from occurring as quickly but they can still occur if the conditions are right. The gutters will be just as cold as it is outside and in some cases, full of frozen debris. So even if you don't have a soffit for the water to refreeze in, the melted water will most likely refreeze when flowing into the gutters. How can I remove an existing ice dam? Properly removing an ice dam can be quite dangerous if you don't know how. In the past some members of the media suggested hiring a contractor to pull the gutters off your home so the whole ice dam process would be solved. This suggestion was well intended but wrong. Contractors that started removing gutters caused significant damage to roofing and guttering systems, then when the snow melted it dropped next to the homes foundation and caused the basements to flood. WARNING! Performing ice dam removal is risking severe personal injury and damage to the roof if not done properly. Never walk on a snow covered roof and make sure if your using a ladder you follow the proper safety procedures. I highly suggest contacting professionals with the proper equipment and roofing experience to carry out this job. Immediate action: Remove snow and ice dam from the roof this will eliminate the main ingredients necessary for the formation of another ice dam and will usually stop the water from coming in within an hour. Using a roof rake and push broom (not water) remove the snow by carefully pulling it down the slope of the roof line. Never pull snow across the roof or it may break off the shingles and other damages. Then carefully chip away a channel through the ice dam so the water will be able to flow through, just make sure you stop when you get close to the roofing. It's not necessary to remove all of the ice in the gutters or the ice dam itself if you have removed the snow from the roof, it will melt when the temperatures rise. How can I prevent ice dams in the future? Properly ventilating and insulating the attic is usually the best way to prevent ice dams. The usual recommendation for proper ventilation is 1 square foot of vent for every 150 feet of attic floor area but each climate region may have it's own recommendations so I would suggest contacting a licensed local insulation company near you. If you have small louvered vents at either end of the attic known as gable vents you can either replace them with larger vents, or install an electric vent fan over the inside of them. These special fans usually work on a thermostat and will pull outside air into the attic to keep the temperature inside consistent. Henry's Housework is known as one of the leaders in the home maintenance and power washing industries. Henry's Housework has also helped train other companies across the country in starting a business and teaching various skills so they can provide quality workmanship. For more information on ice dams and other articles we have written, please see our website at http://www.henryshousework.com
MORE RESOURCES:
Home-Improvement - Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Is a Hot Tub for You? Top 5 Questions You Need to Answer As a way of relaxing, more and more people are adding a hot tub to their home. Not only are hot tubs relaxing but they also offer tremendous benefit for people of all ages. The Motors Best Friend The starting current of motor can become 3 to 6 times the normal running current! That's normal for motors. The motor can experience this high current for a period ranging from 20 to 50 seconds. Wood Panels and Humidity Coping with wood movementAll wood workers need to be aware of wood movement when building furniture projects. Failure to consider this important factor can cause wood panels to crack or split. Reduce Your Heating Bills This Winter - Overlooked Sources of Heat Loss in the Home Imagine leaving a window open all winter long - the heat loss, cold drafts, and wasted energy! Well if your home has a folding attic stair, a fireplace, and/or a clothes dryer, that may be just what is occurring in your home!These often overlooked sources of heat loss and air leakage can cause your heat pour out and the cold outside air pour in - costing you higher heating bills, causing cold drafts, and wasting energy.Air leaks are the largest source of heating and cooling loss in the home. Baking Soda for Cleaning Baking soda is a common, inexpensive household item that can be used for many kinds of cleaning projects. In an era when we are all exposed to many toxic chemicals, it's nice to know that something so mild can be effective. Design Psychology: Fabrics From a riot of color in bold chintzes to the gentle rustle of taffeta, fabrics influence our mental attitude in many subtle and not so subtle ways. Playful patterns make us smile, while mixing prints and solids can present a paradox of dynamic energy. Metal Carports: Steel Carport Guide Buying a carport to protect your investment can be a very frustrating task. With hundreds of manufacturers claiming to have the best product, how do you know who to trust? First you must ask yourself, are they out to make a buck, or to protect my truck? The first line of defense is to know what makes a good carport and the second is to trust your first instinct and know that you are protecting your mobile investments. Planning Permission Tips UK - What To Show And What Not To Show On Your application Drawings Many successful business deals are the result of being a bit canny with the information that you already know - keeping a tight lip when needed and only letting the other side know just the bare minimum requirement of information and never laying all your cards onto the table. Successful negotiators use this tactic all the time. Kitchen Remodeling Costs It is important to prepare a budget for your kitchen remodeling plan before you start implementing it. Without a complete and detailed budget prepared before the kitchen renovation begins, you may get swept into a spending spiral of unbudgeted extras. Concrete Cutting: Shedding Light On Your Basement Remodel Basements or cellars (depending on which part of the country you are from) are primarily seen as dark and dingy parts of a home. In most cases they are considered a useless area or are used as a "catch all" for family discards that haven't quite made it to the curbside for trash pick up yet. Sofa slipcovers - Give your home an instant makeover! Sofa slipcovers are designed to be easy to fit over your existing upholstery, to give your furniture a fresh new look and protect the fabric underneath. If your favorite sofa is looking a bit tired or outdated, but is generally in good condition, you could give it a new lease of life simply by adding some stylish sofa covers. How to Care for Laminate Flooring It's hard to damage and easy to care for laminate floors. Here are some tips on how to properly maintain them:1. Lighting and Your Emotions (Part One) Do you feel unhappy in your home and you don't know why? Maybe you need to let the light shine! Add new light to your rooms for an instant uplift.Lighting affects you more than any other design detail in your home. Spring Home Projects in Northern New England As I sit on a plane in route from Chicago to Boston this evening, I realize I have been staring out into the dark abyss contemplating the arrival of spring. Spring is a time of anticipation and renewed life. Choosing a Home Builder So you've decided to build a new home. Like many home buyers you realize that buying a new home offers a wide range of advantages over buying an existing home. The Benefits of Steel Storage Buildings Steel is gaining in popularity as a building material due to the many options it offers, its strength, and its affordability. Steel storage buildings are one of the many options available; they range from airplane hangars to garden sheds. Five Ways to Create a Healthy Home Have you ever thought of your home as being healthy or unhealthy? While the concept of a healthy home may be new to some of us, it is steadily gaining popularity with homeowners. A healthy home can include a number of elements from building materials used to construct your home to using non-toxic cleaning products. Home Improvement for The Ladies! Your Own Homes Improvement Outline(One for the Ladies)Let me begin by saying what a home improvement plan will not do! I have seen this happen more than once, so I will say this now. A home improvement project, addition, upgrade, remodel, or makeover will not make up for a troubled marriage. How To Choose The Perfect Granite Work Surface My Grandmother used to say to me "Nothing cheap is good and nothing good is cheap". This ring true when dealing with the purchase especially on the internet of Granite Work Surfaces. Kitchen Design - No Need to Do It Alone You can't opt out of the process altogether, though, because you need to decide what equipment you want in the kitchen, the type of units, fitted or freestanding, the flooring, lighting ? the list goes on.The size and shape of your kitchen will, to some extent, dictate the equipment you have and where you put it.
|
| home | site map |
| © 2006 |
