Ice dams are a sign of bigger problems for your home

Nothing says “winter wonderland” quite like a row of icicles sparkling along the eaves of a snow-covered home. But while they may look beautiful, the presence of icicles often means you have ice dams on your roof. 

It’s important to take action right away if you notice the signs of ice dams, as they can cause serious damage to your home and indicate problems with your attic insulation. 

What Are Ice Dams and How Do They Form? 

Ice dams refer to the build-up of ice on a home’s roof and eaves. This is how they form: 

Heat from your home escapes through your attic, warming your roof.  

As your roof heats up, snow that has accumulated on top of it starts to melt. 

As the snow melts, water starts to flow down your roof, settling either on a colder section of your roof or on your eaves, where it refreezes and forms a dam. 

The now-formed dam creates a blockade, preventing newly melted snow from draining into your gutters and away from your home. 

With nowhere else to go, that water starts to seep in-between your roofing shingles, and will eventually make its way into your home. 

Ice Dam Removal Near You

Removing ice dams isn’t an easy job, and improper methods can cause serious damage to your roof. Because of this, it’s best to hire a professional ice dam removal company when dealing with this issue—any ice dam removal costs you accumulate will be far less than what you’ll have to pay if you punch a hole in your roof while attempting to chop them up yourself.  

At KV Tech, we guarantee damage-free ice dam removal! Our team uses steam to carefully melt away ice dams without harming the roof underneath. 

Ice Dam Prevention Starts with Proper Insulation & Air Sealing 

If you have ice dams on your roof, they need to be removed. But if you don’t solve the underlying problem, new ones will just spring up in their place.

As we mentioned, ice dams form when heat from your home warms your roof and causes snow to melt. This happens because of air leaks—small gaps and cracks in your home’s construction that warm indoor air can pass through—and a lack of proper insulation. By sealing up air leaks and installing the right attic insulation to prevent ice dams, you can keep heated air inside your living spaces and prevent it from escaping through your attic. Not only will this stop ice dams from forming, but it will also make your home more comfortable, as your heat will be better contained, and could even help you save on energy costs because it will be easier for your HVAC system to keep your home warm. 

Your Local Insulation Expert: KV Tech 

The presence of ice dams is a good sign that your home is suffering from poor insulation and air sealing, but an energy audit is the only way to find out for sure. An energy audit is a comprehensive assessment of your home’s overall performance that will show you where your home is most susceptible to heat transfer, so that you can focus improvements on those areas. 

To have an energy audit performed at your Ashland, Hayward, Spooner, Iron River, Cable, Bayfield, La Pointe, or Washburn home, turn to the expert team at KV Tech. Our energy auditors are certified by the Building Performance Institute (BPI) and have the expertise needed to find and improve your home’s energy problems. 

Are poor insulation and air sealing causing ice dams to form at your home? Find out with an energy audit! Call 715-227-2014 or contact us here to schedule yours.