Fix Ice Dam Roof Leak

Emergency procedures to stop indoor water leaks from a sloped roof roof ice dam.

Fix ice dam roof leak. What is an ice dam. Water then pools above the ice and leaks into your roof. Pull off snow with a long handled aluminum roof rake above while you stand safely on the. Next remove the ice dam by breaking it free in small chunks.

Install soffit vents on the soffit which is the under part of the roof overhang. We have found that the only way to cure an ice dam and prevent one in the first place is to. Seal all points where warm air leaks from the living space into the spaces immediately below the roof sheathing. The lower roof formed ice dams that sent so much water leaking into the roof wall over a window that water was entering the home interior.

Short of praying for warm weather here are two stop gap measures we recommend. Be very careful here you don t want to further damage. Install a ridge vent along the entire length of the roof s ridge. Ice dam roof leaks.

In northern climates ice dams can cause major problems. Here we describe the steps in getting the water under control and stopping the ice dam leak. Improving the vapour barrier and sealing off attic air leaks is the number one step to take to solve these issues. The best way to prevent or reduce ice dams is to eliminate or reduce the amount of warm air that is escaping into the attic and to reduce the relative humidity in your home.

See below for a shopp. An ice dam forms as a ridge of ice along the lower edge of your roof and prevents melting snow higher up on the roof from flowing past the dam. 5 steps to handling ice dam damage first get rid of any built up snow using a roof rake used for single family homes with pitched roofs or shoveling it. Insulate the living space well enough to prevent conduction and convection of heat.

This article illustrates the successful control of an ice dam leak on an older home. We ll soon see fall colors turn to bare branches and ice dam season will be upon us again so what better time to write about how to fix ice dam roof leaks. The best soffit vent is a. Take a box fan into the attic and aim it at the underside of the roof where water is actively.

Blow in cold air.