If you are wondering what ice dams are, here is the answer. Ice dams are formed due to the accumulation of snow on your roofs and improper insulation in your house. Ice dams can cause water damage by making your roofs leak, leading to cracks in your walls and staining or peeling your wall paint.
In the winter season, snow gets accumulated on the roof of your house. The heat coming from your house leads to this snow getting melted. This melted water trickles under the accumulated snow and flows into the gutters of the house. Since the weather is cold, this water again freezes in the gutter. This keeps on happening all over and leads to the ice in the gutter forming a barrier which prevents the melted snow from flowing down. This is how ice dams are developed.
If ice dams have already formed on your roof, you need to take some effective and quick steps. If you don't, ice dams will lead to further water damage to your property.
First, get the help of an expert. Since the roof will be slippery, it will be dangerous for you to stand on it.
Next, remove all the ice on your roof. You do not want the problem of ice dams to get worse. So get rid of all the ice.
Lastly, make channels inside the ice dams. Run warm water through these channels. The warm water flowing through these channels will help in melting the ice.
However, why wait for ice dams to form, if you can easily prevent them by adopting some very simple and easy measures. A permanent solution to this problem is proper insulation. Ice dams form when the temperature of the outer roof falls below 32 degrees Fahrenheit.
Check if your insulation is installed correctly. It should be dry and in working order. It should be replaced or repaired if it is damaged. If it is wet, it should be allowed to dry. Effective insulation will help in the proper regulation of heat loss from your house and will prevent the formation of ice dams.
Increase the insulation on the roof by reducing heat loss with the help of conduction. However, make sure that your roof is sturdy enough to handle the added weight.
Work out ways and take preventive measures which can help in stopping the formation of ice dams. Be aware. If you are faced with the problem of ice dams being formed, you should already know what the solutions are. You awareness and knowledge will not only help you limit the water damage caused by ice dams but will also help you in preventing their formation.
Flood damage is not always the result of a natural disaster. It can happen within the home itself without any outside influence. How is this possible? Well think about how you have pipes running through ceilings and walls. Also, think about how you have gutter systems all around the outside and shingles on the roof to keep the water out. Yes, there can be some outside influences, but if the problem lies within or on the house, then flood damage can occur. Nobody is out of the reach of this potential problem just waiting to happen.
The Roof The wind blows and when it does it takes shingles off of your roof. It also blows debris into your gutters and it can even compromise windows. But the most common part of this is the leaky roof. The leaky roof can be a result of clogged or broken gutters and of shingles that have blown off of the roof.
When shingles are blown off, the water that hits the roof does not roll off, but it stays there. It will then find its way into the breached area of the roof and cause flood damage in the attic, which can then make its way to the rest of the house. The next thing you know, you have standing water in your home and that is when flood damage becomes an issue.
In the case of your gutters, standing water in the gutters can cause them to overflow back onto the roof or the gutters can collapse. Anytime the gutters collapse, the water can then enter through windows and the walls of the home. Again, standing water can occur, which easily becomes flood damage.
The Pipes
The pipes in your home don't last forever. Unfortunately, this is probably the most common way in which flood damage occurs from the inside of the home. Pipes have to be inspected .If they're not inspected, problems will occur without you knowing. You won't know until there is flood damage staring you right in the face.
Prevention
To prevent flood damage, always inspect the roof and the pipes. You can inspect your roof on your own to prevent flood damage, but the popes may need to be inspected by a plumber or you're going to miss a section and flood damage will occur anyway. If you've ever had flood damage occur because of either one of these factors, then you know how to prevent flood damage already. If you don't already know, then learn from those who have experienced flood damage in their homes in this way. They simply didn't realize that these items could malfunction the way they do and cause flood damage at the most unexpected time.
If the flood damage has already occurred, then look into having a professional flood damage repair professional help you take care of the mess. A flood damage repair professional knows their stuff and can help you take care of the damage in no time. Just make sure you fix the source of the problem first.
Both Byron Zoucks & Charmaine Pierce are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.