New Roof Ice Dam Leak

An ice dam is a ridge of ice that forms at the edge of a roof and prevents melting snow water from draining off the roof.

New roof ice dam leak.

These photos and comments describe the diagnosis and cure of roof ice dam leakage occurring on a steep sloped roof in a new york home. Since the eave is not over heated space it is cold so the water freezes and makes a dam. Place a box fan in the attic and direct it at the underside of the roof where water is leaking in. Most likely the first notice you will see of a snow or ice related roof leak will be water dripping from a ceiling or a puddle on the floor.

It melts the ice away without damaging the roofing. Snow builds up on the. This is a precursor to a certain leak and is only a matter of time before it reaches the inside of your home. Moisture entering the home from ice dams can lead to the growth of mold and mildew.

From the attic check the underside of the roof sheathing and roof trim for moisture in the area beneath the dam. There is a single cause for ice dams and the subsequent leaks. Effects of ice dams. Apply calcium chloride or another ice melting product onto the ice.

Providing a drainage path for such water accumulations is one way to stop ice dam leaks dead in their tracks. An ice dam is caused by heat under the roof which melts the snow which then runs to the eave. The cold air will freeze the water. Even when there are no obvious roof leaks you ll want to carefully inspect your roof gutters when you discover an ice dam.

A steamer is like a pressure washer except that the water is hot. When that blocked water from melted snow or ice cannot escape off of the roof it can accumulate and can back up to a depth that causes the water to find an opening to leak into the building. As that builds up it can actually cause standing water above the dam which can get under the shingles and into the attic and walls. The water that backs up behind the dam can leak into a home and cause damage to walls ceilings insulation and other areas.

Not gutters or the lack thereof not frozen gutters not low pitched roofs. What happens is this. If your roof is not very steep an ice dam can still form on metal roofing and drip edges. Whatever you do install a water repellant membrane under any new roofing.

If an ice dam has formed here are immediate steps you can take to help prevent further damage. Or you can replace the bottom three feet or so of your shingle roof with a wide metal drip edge.