Heavy snowfalls mean chaos for some homeowners, so make sure you know how to monitor the health of your home this holiday season. Don’t let winter storm damage take the joy out of your holiday season this year—come prepared with these tips for monitoring snow and ice buildup on your roof. With these tips, you’ll be ready to prevent and address ice dams and other winter storm damage.
Identify Rooftop Ice Dams
The next time a winter storm or snowfall blows through your neighborhood, step outside to inspect your home’s roof. Ice dams form on your roof when snow accumulates and then melts, collecting as ice in your gutters. You’ll know if you have an ice dam on your hands if you notice long icicles frozen to your gutters with a large backup of ice and moisture behind them. Ice dams can be tricky to spot if your roof sports a heavy layer of snow, which is why it’s important to monitor your roof regularly.
Dangers of Ice Dams
Ice dams can be dangerous to your home and its occupants. An ice buildup can tear off your gutters, damage roof shingles, and cause damage to your home’s siding and foundation by letting water pour down the sides of your home. This leads to poor water drainage, which can cause anything from peeling paint to structural damage to your home. Ice dams may start at the roof, but they have the potential to negatively affect many areas of your home.
How To Prevent Ice Dams and Other Damage
You can protect your home from ice dams and other winter storm damage with a few of the following tips. Before the winter season, make sure to clear your gutters of leaves and other debris. As you monitor your roof throughout the season, if you notice the snow and ice starting to collect, try to gently pull off some of this buildup with a long-handled rake. Homeowners that live in particularly snowy and icy climates may even want to install heated cables along their roof’s edge.
Ice dams can pose a serious threat to your home’s safety during the winter. Now that you’re prepared with these tips for monitoring snow and ice buildup on your roof, you’ll be ready to prevent and address ice dams and other common winter storm damages.
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Susie Young Baxter, CEO, has published PanoramaNOW Magazine for 31 years. Her hobbies are Camping, Boating, Hiking, Nature, Gardening and Outdoor Activities. She is an Artist, Graphic Designer, an Avid Seamstress, Dabbles in Homemade Crafts and Landscaping. Since her Father was a Health Teacher, she also likes homeopathic Health Solutions. Since blogging started over 10 years ago, PanoramaNow has been added to Newsbreak – a national news affiliate.
