Ice Dams are a Common Issue in Wisconsin
Winter certainly has arrived in Southeastern Wisconsin and with it, a LOT of snow. One of the most common issues you can run into when dealing with snow and ice on a home is ice damming, or an ice build-up on the eaves of a sloped roof. The most common cause for ice damming that we’ve seen here at Pentagon Property Services is simply poor insulation in an attic. A lot of people think that their gutters clogged with leaves are why they’re getting ice dams. It’s not why they’re getting ice dams, but that can contribute to its severity.
What causes Ice Dams?
Usually what happens is poor insulation in the attic allows heat to escape from inside the house into the attic and roof line. And, while it might be 10 degrees outside, the attic is getting heat from the house and the temperature has now risen to thirty-three degrees or higher. Above freezing temps allow for any frozen water on your roofline to melt. Now, it won’t melt instantaneously, but gradually over time. Once that water drips to a point in the roof-line that no longer has attic underneath it, the temperature drops back to freezing returning the melted water to ice.
Ice dam causes damages
As this process continues, at some point the water running down the shingles has nowhere else to go but underneath your shingles and leak inside your house. This can cause significant issues including water damage and mold growth. Gone unchecked, these leaks can last a few hours or even days/months before you notice it. A safe tell all for issues relating to ice damming is if you see icicles forming along your gutters or roofline. And, unfortunately, it’s not like a faucet you can just turn off. Typically for a homeowner, there’s no quick fix for ice damming.
How can I fix or prevent Ice Dams?
However, Pentagon Property Services has years of experience and the necessary knowledge to tackle the task for you. Whether your problems started out as poor insulation, an unidentified leak, or something else, Pentagon can use our expertise to rid your roof of further damming in an efficient and effective manner. By using special high-pressure power washers, we are able to heat the water to such an extreme temperature, we can remove the ice dams in a short amount of time.
Ice dams are not something to be tackled by the do-it-yourselfer. Not only can you cause further damage to your roof and shingles, but the likleyhood of falling of your roof or ladder in cold, wintery conditions is also very high.
Ice dams are a fact of life here in Wisconsin. So, avoid injuring yourself this winter or causing further damage to your home by calling Pentagon Property Services today at 262-439-8419 to remove your ice dams and keep the interior of your home dry from leaks. Or click here for a quote!