Ice: And What It Means for Your Roof and Gutters

If you’re in the Greenville, Spartanburg area, it’s not surprise to you that we’ve seen a lot of ice this week. And when ice comes down things can happen that we’d probably rather not happen. Things like power outages, trees down, ice dams of our roofs that can cause leaks, gutter damage from the weight of the ice, and many more problems we don’t like to experience as homeowners. As roof specialists, we are concerned and ready to assist you in handling the needs to correct conditions before they become a major challenge.

We have many years in the gutter installation business and believe that a seamless gutter system is the best option for optimal protection on your home. Note: we said seamless gutters. A pieced gutter system where the installers tie one section of your gutters into another creates a seam which are prone to leak. In most cases, leaky gutters will cause your soffit and fascia to get damp and oner time, it will begin to rot which will become an additional cost to you. Also, a seam in a run of gutter can affect the way the gutters are leveled which may cause inadequate drainage.

1. Ice dams – The most common cold weather problem you’re likely to see on your roof are ice dams. Ice dams typically form when the upper part of the roof is warm enough to melt snow and the eaves are cold enough to cause the runoff to freeze into icicles. The warmth on your roof comes from the air from inside the house seeping into the attic and heating it up. The water from the melting snow runs to the eaves where the roof is not heated and begins to re-freeze the pool of water on the eave of your roof and create what is commonly known as an ice dam.  it.The problem is, there is seldom a quick fix for ice dams. You can try calcium chloride or rock salt to melt the ice. If you use a mechanical means to remove it (chisels, picks, etc.), you’re probably going to damage the roof.

2. Water damage – With the build up of both ice dams and condensation, it is possible and depending on how much of each you experience on your roof, it may even be likely that you will find some water damage on your roof or it may cause roof leaks to occur in your home.