When Punxsutawney Phil saw his own shadow on Groundhog’s Day, he not only predicted six more weeks of winter, but six more weeks of ice, snow, and water damage. Harsh winter conditions are not only causing trouble for motorists, but also homeowners. Roofing companies and water damage restoration specialists have been inundated with calls recently due to the large amounts of ice and snow.
With the tremendous amount of snow we have seen in the Baltimore, Maryland area, and temperatures in the 20’s, conditions are really good for ice dams.
After a snow storm, the snow on your roof begins to melt and work its way towards your gutters. Sometimes, however, this melted snow will refreeze at the edge of your roof, forming ice dams and preventing water from properly draining.
Warning Signs of Ice Dams
Fortunately, there are warning signs that alert you to the formation of an ice dam, allowing you to take action before you experience any water damage. These warning signs include:
- Ice: The first warning sign of ice dams is a layer of ice forming along the eaves of your home, at the very edge of your roof.
- Gutters: You may also notice ice forming in your gutters, accumulating to the point that the ice is visible from the ground. With nowhere else to go, melting snow will be stuck and eventually find its way into your attic.
- Icicles: Anytime you see an icicle on your home, there’s a problem. Icicles indicate the melting and freezing cycle of snow on the roof and are often an indicator that an ice dam is forming or has formed.
- Dripping: If you notice water dripping down the exterior surface of your home, this could be a sign that something is wrong.
- Soffit Vents: If you notice ice behind or between siding boards, or coming out of soffit vents, you could have a problem. That’s an indicator that the water has gotten into the walls or into the soffits.
- Water Marks: If you notice water marks between the ceiling and an exterior wall, this is an indicator that water has found its way into your attic.
If you notice any of the above warning signs, take action immediately to avoid water damage. If it is too late and you are already the victim of ice dams and water damage, call a professional roofer and have them examine your roof and fix the issue. It is also important to deal with the water damage in a timely fashion. For this, you should call a water damage restoration company, like ServiceMaster of Baltimore.
Hopefully you have found our blog, “Snow, Ice Dams, and Water Damage,” informative and helpful. Continue to check back weekly for more helpful home improvement tips.
