January 21, 2016
As winter continues across North, Central and Coastal New Jersey, many residents may experience the bane of a homeowner’s winter: ice dams. Dangerous and damaging, ice dams are are preventable home issue when proper remedial and preventative measures are taken. The team at Building Sciences is here to help!
What Causes Ice Dams?
Ice dams are layered ridges of ice that build up along the edges of the roof. Throughout the winter, snow accumulates on the roof. Attics that have air leaks or are poorly insulated leak hot air through the roof. The snow in these areas melts, runs down the roof, and refreezes into ice when it reaches a cooler spot. This means other melting snow cannot drain off the roof. Over time, this ice builds up on the roof, backs up under the shingles, and can leak back into the home, the walls, the drywall, etc.
Solutions for Ice Dams -- Long & Short-Term
Immediate solutions for ice dams include using snow rakes to manually get the snow off the roof, or installing heat cables on the roof to melts the built up ice so ice dams cannot form. While these are two short-term solutions, taking preventative measures with Building Sciences can help stop ice dams from forming in the first place:
Upgrade your Insulation
Poor or insufficient insulation is a primary cause of ice dam issues. Keep the heat inside your attic more effectively with high-performance insulation, including cellulose and spray foam.
Schedule Air Sealing
Our team will air seal the cracks and gaps throughout your home’s attic, adding an extra layer of protection against unwanted heat loss through the roof.
Evaluate your Attic Crawlspaces
Crawlspaces often go overlooked when it comes to home efficiency and energy upgrades. Properly insulating and air sealing your attic’s crawlspaces is an important measure to ensuring they don’t cause snow melt on your roof.
Start with an Energy Audit
Not sure where to start? Want to know the specifics of where your home is leaking hot air? A diagnostic energy audit is the best first step to take. We’ll evaluate your home using state-of-the art technology to pinpoint the areas of inefficiency throughout.
