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You don’t have to live in Barrow, Alaska, to know the challenges of surviving in the cold. If you live in an area that is gripped by Mother Nature’s icy fingers each winter, chances are you’ve had to contend with some “mini-natural disasters” to your home over the course of time.
One of the most common of these is that classic rooftop boogeyman, ice damming. While those icicles hanging down from the gutters may be beautiful to gaze at through the kitchen window as you sip your coffee in the morning, they can be the tip of a destructive iceberg that could lead to things like higher energy use and heating costs, as well as a full-blown damaged roof that requires significant maintenance and even serious repairs.
What Causes Ice Damming?
The primary cause of ice damming is warm air leaking up into the attic. This can come from poor ventilation, a lack of insulation, or even poor construction and sealing of that area of the house itself.
The warm, leaking air consequently melts the snow on the other side of the roof, causing the melted snow to run down before refreezing in a new spot. This can often cause a block, damming the passage of water that is trying to run off the shingles and into the gutter, thereby leaving the collected water with nowhere else to go but down, into your house, and onto you and your previously dry possessions.
The Effects of Ice Damming
While it won’t bring your house crashing to the earth, the nefarious effects of ice damming can be significant, especially if it is left unaddressed in either the short or the long term.
The Damage
The ramifications of ice damming most quickly appear in the form of damage to your walls and ceiling. This is caused by water entering through the roof and passing down into the house. Water can be very destructive to drywall and can require expensive, professional services to repair, making the damage costly, especially if the leak is left for any substantial amount of time.
Excessive Energy Usage
While water damage is the most obviously destructive element of ice damming, a subtle yet more harmful effect of ice damming is the resulting waste of energy and money that it can cause.
It’s no secret that energy-efficient homes don’t merely help maintain a green Earth — they also help keep more green in your pocket.
For example, switching to a heating system with a heat pump can help dramatically reduce your overall heating costs. The same goes for using solar hot water. When it comes to ice damming, the aforementioned issues like poor insulation or infrastructure can also indicate a lack of proper efficient heating, which can be very costly over the course of time. While it isn’t as immediately alarming as water damage, the costs associated with the issue can add up over time to a substantial amount of funds.
Ways to Address Ice Damming
There are two sides to the coin when it comes to addressing ice damming. Once damming occurs you’re going to want to deal with the issue immediately to minimize the damage. However, that won’t be enough; once the problem arises, it is very likely to return if something isn’t done about the root of the issue.
Short-Term Solutions
Once you see that dread-inducing wet patch on the wall or hear that heart-palpitating drip of melted snow on your coffee table, the first thing you’re going to want to do is to find the ice dam itself and remove the obstruction so that the melting water can leave the roof freely. However, simply hacking at it with a chisel or shovel can exacerbate the damage.
Instead, try to remove any snow from your roof in order to prevent further build up from happening. Also, consider blowing cold air into your attic via a fan aimed at the spot of the leak. Another option is to use heated cables or even de-icing agents (just put them in something like pantyhose so that they still work but don’t wash off the roof into your garden!) in order to open a channel for the trapped water to run through.
Long-Term Solutions
Once the problem is controlled, you’re going to want to consider making a few major changes to help prevent leaks from happening in the future. One of the first things to do is check if your house is improperly insulated, as there’s a good chance that’s what’s allowing the warm air to leak up into the attic. The good news about this option is that it will make your home more energy efficient in general and help you save on those all-important energy costs over the long term.
Check that your attic is properly vented. Make sure that cool air is easily getting in (and warm air getting out!) without any trouble. Issues can arise through poor ventilation with eaves and ridges. They can also arise when exhaust fans from places like your kitchen or bathroom let out into the attic and do not properly run outside of the house.
Next, check for anywhere else in the structure of the house where a leak could naturally occur. This could be at the base of a chimney or the previously mentioned ductwork. Make sure that proper flashing or a sealant has been properly installed around each one.
Other Winter Weather Nightmares
Of course, ice damming isn’t the only winter weather-related issues you might run into. Here are a few other ones to keep an eye out for.
Drafty Windows
Make sure your windows aren’t letting cold air into your homes. If you feel a draft, use some weatherstripping to seal it up!
Frozen Pipes
If the temperature gets cold enough, your water lines might freeze. While this is inconvenient at its best, it can also become catastrophic if the icy pipes burst due to the expanding pressure within them. If you have an area of the house that suffers from frozen pipes, consider wrapping the lines in heat tape.
Gas Stabilizers
If you have a lawnmower, chainsaw, or other gasoline-operated lawn equipment, make sure to add a stabilizer to their gas tanks before the cold sets in. Leaving gasoline in the tank over the winter can be quite damaging to their engines, and they may not start up again in the spring.
Lower Humidity Levels
This last one is a bit of a slow burn. Humidity levels within a house can fluctuate quite a bit during periods of colder weather. This can aggravate dry skin issues for extended periods of time. Consider using a humidifier to help keep your home’s humidity at reasonable levels.
Have a Plan B
Finally, it’s always wise to think ahead. Have a plan B ready if you find yourself in a bind. Repairs for things like ice damming or frozen pipes can be costly and intrusive. Consider winterizing your RV, if you happen to have one, so that you have somewhere to live if your house requires extensive repairs of any kind.
However you get ready for the cold this year, having a plan in place to both prevent and address ice damming and other natural disaster issues is a crucial part of preparing your home for winter each year and can save you a lot of grief in the long run.
