Some ice dams never need removal and never cause damage. Others are removed before any damage is ever done. Next, there are those ice dams that have been allowed to sit, and before you know it, you have an emergency on your hands, and the dam needs removal quickly. These situations cannot wait another moment and need special care for safe removal so as not to create any additional damage.
How to Avoid Emergency Issues
Obviously, the first way to avoid the emergency issues is to have ice dams removed as they form. However, sometimes that is not an option, or they develop into emergencies too quickly. In these situations, there are other helpful tips to avoid an emergency if possible.
First, it is important to understand what causes an ice dam and when they need to be removed. Under the insulating blanket of snow, it is slightly warmer due to the warmth coming from the house. The snow begins to melt and drain downward to the homes’ edges. When this melted snow reaches the eaves, it meets up with freezing temperatures again as this part of the roof is not insulated. The melted snow freezes, accumulates and forms an ice dam.
Snow that falls at a later time, gets blocked and cannot properly drain, which makes the ice dam larger, and causes some of the water to get into the roof and the home, causing major damage. However, not all ice dams are detrimental to your home. Some very small ice dams may form at the edge of your gutter that really have no effect on any drainage or weight on your roof.
Also, remember to remove snow from your roof as often as you would remove it from your vehicle or sidewalk and steps. During a specifically difficult snow storm, it may be helpful to remove snow from your roof every few hours to help keep your roof clean and the snow lighter to remove.
What to Do If you Have an Emergency
If you are unable to stay ahead of the snow removal for any reason, such as not being able to be at home during a harsh storm or having too much snow on the ground, making it impossible to get out of your home, you may find yourself in a situation that needs immediate assistance. You may notice that your roof has begun to leak, or a leak may already be draining into your walls. In this case, you will absolutely need to remove the cause of the problem before you can fix the other issues that the original problem created. And in the winter, the longer you allow the results of the problem to fester, the larger the problem will become.
When you determine that assistance is needed, call a reputable company, like RTD Ice Dam Removal (rtdicedamremoval.com/), to remove the ice dam immediately and prevent further damage. This needs to be done quickly and efficiently using low-pressure steam machines to avoid damage to your home. This process is quick, easy, and efficient in removing the ice dam so you can move on to the repairs needed from the water damage.
The next time you’re looking for fast and reliable emergency ice dam removal, contact RTD Ice Dam Removal at 651.699.3504. Our ice dam removal experts will be happy to help minimize the damage of ice dams in your home.
