Each winter, homes are adorned with lights impersonating icicles. Holiday cards feature cozy cabins alight in the winter evening with moonlight glinting off the icicles. As charming and beautiful as these icons of winter are, if you have them on your house or building, they could indicate a serious problem.
What Icicles Portend
When icicles hang from the roof of a building, be it a home, business, or high-rise, it means heat is being lost through the roof of the structure. This causes the snow on the roof to melt. The water from the melted snow flows down to the eves where it’s colder. If the temperature is cold enough, this water freezes along the edges of the eves and as the water drips from the roof, it freezes, and icicles are formed.
Icicles are very picturesque, and for the most part, do not pose a danger. Depending on how high up they are, they could prove to be a problem when they fall. However, there is another problem hat icicles point to that needs to be addressed.
The Dreaded Ice Dam
At the same time icicles are being formed, a ridge of ice is building up along the eves. This buildup of ice creates an ice dam. The thing about ice dams is they can form with or without the icicles. If you see icicles, you definitely want to check to see if an ice dam is forming. However, it is always a good idea to keep the snow cleared off your roof as much as possible so you won’t get the ice buildup. When there is a lot of snow and thawing happening, the chances for ice dams increases.
Better Safe Than Sorry
Keeping your roof in good shape throughout the year is important, but even more so in winter. Eliminating and preventing ice dams will save you time and money. Ice dams are preventable, and because of this, some insurance companies will not pay for the damage they cause—and they can cause some serious damage.
Ice dams not only lead to water damage of ceilings and walls, at the worst they can cause damage to the building structure. The buildup of ice and snow has been a source of major destruction for some buildings. You can avoid major expense by taking care of the situation before problems develop.
RTD Ice Dam Removal experts will eliminate the ice dams on your buildings safely and promptly. We are always available, and with over 20 years of experience, you can rest assured the job will be done right. Contact us for more information.