There are a few ways ice dams start but the most common is that we have the right combination of snow on our roofs and the right thaw-freeze cycle.

The snow melts and the water runs to the edge of the roof. Then the water goes over the roof to a gutter that may be full of snow and ice. At the edge of the roof there is no heat coming from the attic to keep melting the snow, so it refreezes. As this happens, the ice at the edge of the roof keeps growing, forming an ice dam. This process continues and the melting water cannot pass the ice dam and starts backing up over the warmer roof and starts leaking into your home. Or it will leak through the soffits and between the siding causing damage.

This is the basics of how ice dams form. There are many reasons and situations that contribute to ice dams. Many include lack of proper insulation in the attic, no ice and water shield on the roof deck, improper or lack of ventilation, and the list goes on.

If you need help diagnosing these problems, trust the house doctors at A & A Services to come up with a cure for ice dam issues. We also offer ice removal from roofs in the winter.