What are Ice Dams?

After last year’s winter, thousands of homes had property damage due to ice dams… but what exactly are ice dams?

An Ice Dam is when a block of ice forms at the edge of a roof. If you ever see those “picturesque” icicles hanging from your home, just know the damage being done isn’t so pretty.

Ice Dam forms when the upper levels of a home get warm enough to melt the underside layer of snow on the roof. Water begins to move between the snow and the shingles, until it reaches the eave of the roof. This is where the water freezes and eventually grows into a block of ice (those picturesque icicles). The larger the ice dam the more damage can be done. Melted water backs up and seeps underneath the shingles, eventually dripping into the cielings. If an ice dam breaks it can pull shingles and gutters off with it.