Ice Dams In Central New York
Ice dams create several hazards and dangers. Some of these are short-term, directly impacted by the ice dam on your roof, while others are long-term issues resulting from water damage and leaks. These dangers are also potentially harmful and costly, so removal, prevention, and maintenance are vital.
These are some examples of the dangers and risks posed by ice dam formations to your New York home:
The risk to personal safety caused by Ice dams
Severe ice dams formed on Central New York homes present a safety hazard for occupants, other people, and pets below. An increase in temperatures causes icicles to dislodge and fall to the ground causing severe injury and harm. The pressure on the gutters, downpipes, shingles, and facias under the ice dam’s weight can also cause them to break and pull away, again causing a risk to anyone below.
New York homeowners also risk their safety employing preventative ice dam measures, working at heights and in wet and slippery conditions. We NEVER recommend working on your roof in icy conditions and recommend that all preventive and removal strategies are completed from the ground.
Exterior property and roof damage caused by Ice dams
Large ice dams can be extremely heavy, weighing hundreds of pounds, which jeopardize the structure of the roof’s eaves, gutters, and mounted fascia boards. Gutters that bend or tear away from the roof prevent present and future water collection and flow, affecting the guttering system’s health beyond winter.
Snowmelt from ice dams is also known to cause severe damage to a home’s painting and wooden façade. Trapped water from the ice dams drives snowmelt under your roof shingle and rot wooden fascia boards, exposing water damage to the interior of your house.
While the weight of ice dams can cause significant damage to your roofing exterior, falling ice and torn facades can also cause damage to areas below, such as shrubs, garden beds, and windowsills.
Interior Property damage caused by Ice dams
More seriously, water damage and leaks caused by the melting snow soaks into the roof sheathing and insulation. This can advance internal conditions for ice dam formation and renders the insulation ineffective. Prolonged wetness and dampness cause mildew and rot of the roof sheathing.
Leaks caused by ice dams can enter through the ceiling drywall below and into your living space. Water leaks caused by ice dams are an expensive problem further worsened by the creation of mold and rot, detrimental to your health. Interior drywall, timber beams, painting, and insulation are all at risk from water damage and leaks resulting from ice dams.
