The cold season brings snow-packed roofs across the region and with it, snowmelt that can cause ice dams. Left unchecked, these formations will cause serious damage to your roof, gutters and structure. Here Huff ‘N Puff provides four steps to take in order to reduce the formation of ice dams on your roofing system.
1. Insulate the Attic Properly
Ironically, ice dams occur mostly after heavy snowfall on an underinsulated home. Warm air escapes through the attic floor, rising to the roof and causing the snow to melt. The snowmelt then runs down the roof and refreezes when it reaches the cold eaves, creating a dam of ice. To avert an ice dam, be sure your attic has the proper amount of insulation. This way, the snow will not melt on the roof.
2. Ventilate the Ridge & Eaves
Ventilation draws in cold air from outside and blows out warmer air, which cools the attic and the roof in the process. Make sure that the ridge and the vents have the same size openings, providing at least one square foot of opening for every 300 square feet of attic floor.
3. Install a Gutter Guard
Gutter guards will prevent clogs in your gutters, which are a leading contributor to ice dams. Huff ‘N Puff is the area’s top dealer of Gutter Helmet®, which can be installed over your K-style gutter in Schenectady, New York. You can forget about gutter cleaning because the Gutter Helmet® system will do it for you all year-round.
4. Caulk Penetrations
Gaps around the chimney, electrical cables and vent pipes make heat loss through the attic more likely in your home. Seal these up with a fire-resistant sealant and some steel flashing to block air and moisture from passing through.
With these steps, you should be able to enjoy the winter and stay ice-dam-free all through the cold season! Huff ‘N Puff is the trusted expert for all your gutter needs, so get started today with a FREE estimate. Give us a call at (800) 824-3772 or fill out our contact form and we’ll get in touch with you shortly.
