Every
winter when the snow and winds begin, we invariably
get many calls from homeowners concerned because they
have roof leaks developing. Typically, after further
investigation, we find that ice dams at the eaves cause
the problem. Some of these ice dams can be fairly massive.
It is important to remember that roofs are designed
to shed water, not be waterproof and when something
impedes the flow of water off the roof, it is very possible
for a leak to develop. We have included some information
below on ice dams, which will help explain the source
of the problem. The damage caused by leaks related
to ice dams could be fairly extensive and costly.
Prevention of the ice dam is sometimes fairly easy and
something that most homeowners can do. We would recommend
that you inspect your roof after any significant amount
of snow or even small amounts of snow, which are accompanied
by winds. If you find areas on the roof that have a
significant snow build-up, particularly at the eaves
or valleys, we would strongly recommend that you remove
the snow in those areas. You do not need to remove all
the snow from the roof. Just getting the first
3 or 4 feet off from the edge of the roof will make
a tremendous difference. A garden rake with a long handle
works well for this. Some lumber yards and
hardware stores also sell snow rakes, which are specifically
designed for this purpose. If you are unable to do this
work yourself, you can give us a call and we will have
our roofers come over and remove some of the snow for
you for a reasonable fee. Typically, we do this type
of work on an hourly basis and it does not take long
to clear up the potential problem if the snow is removed
soon after it begins to build up.
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