Ice dam is the primary reason for water damage during winter. Ice dams are ridges of snow formed on the edge of roof-tops. They are formed during winter due to the accumulation of snow on the roof-tops. This prevents the water that melts on top of the roof from draining down, resulting in water accumulation on the roof. Later, this water seeps into the house through walls causing water damage.
Reasons for the formation of Ice Dams Water Damage due to ice dams occur due to a variation in surface temperature on the roof. Snow forms on the roofs during winter. Heat that escapes from the inside of the house thaws some of the snow on the roof. It mainly thaws the snow that is present in the upper parts of the roof and this heat rarely reaches the edges of the roof. This results in snow at the edges of the roof called ice dams. When this water tries to flow down the roof, it is prevented by the ice dams formed in the edges. So, the water backs up behind the ice dams and slowly this water seeps into the house causing water damage.
There are many ways for the heat from inside the house to travel to the roof. The main reason is lack of proper insulation. This causes the heat to escape from inside the house. Other reasons include exhaust systems from kitchens and bathrooms that end up on the roof and chimneys that emit heat on the roof. Frequent use of fireplaces also contributes to this problem.
Water Damage due to ice dams can result in water seepage through the walls, peeling of paint, damaged plaster, increased humidity inside the house and clogging of gutters.
Preventing Ice Dams Water damage can be prevented by keeping the temperature constant on the roof. There are a number of ways to do it.
Short-term solution The short-term solution is to remove the ice dams present on the edges of the roof. One way to do it is by using rakes. But this can damage the roof. Another way is to use calcium chloride. This is usually filled in a hose and this hose is kept on the ice dams. Calcium chloride will melt the ice dams, paving way for the water to flow down.
Long-term Solution Long-term solution is to prevent the heat from getting to the roof. This can be done by increased insulation. Many homes are now equipped with insulation ceilings of R-38, which means that 1/38 of the amount of energy per square foot only passes through the house. This can reduce heat loss substantially.
Another way to avoid water damage is to block the air leakages. This can be done by avoiding any kind of penetration in the attic and by sealing any existing penetrations and leakages.
The solution to most problems is easy when the root-cause is known. In this situation, the root-cause is loss of heat from the house. So, a solution to prevent water damage should revolve around preventing this heat loss.
Better yet, just ask any homeowner who, at one time or another, had to suffer the effects of mild to serious water damage in his home. After all, it isn't funny to watch as your hard-earned prize of a house starts falling apart due to the slow and sometimes invisible onslaught wrought by sinister water damage. For make no mistake, the deterioration can creep up silently on an unsuspecting house, wreaking havoc for sometimes years and years before finally becoming visible and felt.
The threat that simple water damage brings is enough to snap homeowners to attention, as they rush to waterproof their homes and install the best facilities to combat the threat. Today, many home protection companies offer their services, starting from prevention of potential causes to actual remedial actions should water damage eventually occur. One of the best advices they can probably give you is to fix any leaking roofs at once.
Don't shrug off the potential problem caused by a simple leaking roof. It is a classic example of the presence of water at the wrong place at the wrong time that can trigger everything to go wrong with your house. Many experts will no doubt advise you to check the material of your roof. Has this been used for a number of years already? If your roof material exposes the roof deck to minute amounts of water, your chimney and exhaust fans are sure to be damaged. If your house is still sporting old shingles, locate any signs of curling and cracking that can allow moisture to ominously seep in. Are your roof drains flattened? If so, they can clog and create pools of water on your roof, with damaging results.
Water damage caused by a simple leaking roof can vary from damaged chimneys, or a possible roof collapse. The roof is often at the highest part of your house and needless to say, water damage is aggravated not only by water intrusion but also by the force of gravity. If the roof fails, water damage can literally rain down on your house from the top down, wreaking havoc to your home interior as well.
The solution to leaking roofs usually starts with diagnosing the extent of the problem, and this is a tricky process in itself. Experts will have to locate the source of water damage to the roof, and it is not easy. Check out the blog sites on this topic and you will see many homeowners puzzling over the sources of tiny streaks of water in their roofs. When the leak is finally located, most of your leaking roof problem is almost always nearly fixed.
There are many products now available in the market to fix and prevent leaking roofs. Contractors and homeowners should see about protective-coating products for their roofs. The most important thing to remember is, once you see telltale signs of leaking water from your rooftops, don't be complacent. It would cost less in the long run to take leaking roofs seriously and immediately.
Both Jacklyn Hartfield & Barney Ruch 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.
Jacklyn Hartfield has sinced written about articles on various topics from Home, Parenting and Home Management. Jacklyn Hartfield speaks about homeowner issues for and. Jacklyn Hartfield's top article generates over 22200 views. to your Favourites.
Barney Ruch has sinced written about articles on various topics from Home, Sewage and Home. Barney Ruch distributes information on water issues for and. Barney Ruch's top article generates over 4400 views. to your Favourites.