Fix Ice Dam Roof Leak

Ask this old house general contractor tom silva explains the best ways to keep your roof and gutters free from those dreaded ice dams.

Fix ice dam roof leak. The best soffit vent is a. Improving the vapour barrier and sealing off attic air leaks is the number one step to take to solve these issues. Install soffit vents on the soffit which is the under part of the roof overhang. Install a ridge vent along the entire length of the roof s ridge.

Emergency procedures to stop indoor water leaks from a sloped roof roof ice dam. We ll soon see fall colors turn to bare branches and ice dam season will be upon us again so what better time to write about how to fix ice dam roof leaks. Pull off snow with a long handled aluminum roof rake above while you stand safely on the. Seal all points where warm air leaks from the living space into the spaces immediately below the roof sheathing.

Be very careful here you don t want to further damage. This article illustrates the successful control of an ice dam leak on an older home. We have found that the only way to cure an ice dam and prevent one in the first place is to. In northern climates ice dams can cause major problems.

5 steps to handling ice dam damage first get rid of any built up snow using a roof rake used for single family homes with pitched roofs or shoveling it. Short of praying for warm weather here are two stop gap measures we recommend. Water then pools above the ice and leaks into your roof. Unfortunately for many ice dams and the related water leakage problems are an unwelcome wintertime tradition here in new england.

Here we describe the steps in getting the water under control and stopping the ice dam leak. Next remove the ice dam by breaking it free in small chunks. The best way to prevent or reduce ice dams is to eliminate or reduce the amount of warm air that is escaping into the attic and to reduce the relative humidity in your home. Take a box fan into the attic and aim it at the underside of the roof where water is actively.

What is an ice dam. An ice dam forms as a ridge of ice along the lower edge of your roof and prevents melting snow higher up on the roof from flowing past the dam. Blow in cold air. Roof ice dam leak diagnosis indoor inspection points determine the building s prior leak and ice dam leak history determine what prior repair attempts had been made identify the obvious leak points where leaks were already visible identify and explore high risk points where hidden leaks and wet.

Insulate the living space well enough to prevent conduction and convection of heat.