3 Reasons Why Ice Dams Form on Your Roof

The icicles that form on gutters or the edge of the roof might look pretty, but these ice formations actually represent a potential danger to your home and roofing system. It’s important to stay alert and find ways to prevent ice dams from building up, and quickly remove them if ever they form on your roof.
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What Is an Ice Dam?
When the snow that’s collected on top of your roof melts, the resulting water flows down your roof, turning into ice as it reaches the edge of the roof and gutters, where the roof is colder. The thicker the ice dam gets, the more problems it will cause. You’re going to need professional help from expert roofing contractors to remove it.
Here’s a quick look at three reasons why ice dams form:
Warm Indoor Temperatures – Homes that aren’t very energy efficient tend to leak warm indoor air into the attic. As the attic becomes warmer, the roof does as well, until it’s warm enough to melt the snow that sits on top of it. The snow then melts into water, which turns into ice due to freezing temperatures outside the home.

Varying Temperatures – Your home may very well have been properly insulated by experienced residential and commercial roofing contractors, and your roof shielded from the sun’s rays, but ice dams can form another way – through varying temperatures. Ice dams can still develop when temperatures rise during the day and drop below freezing at night.

Solar Heat – Cold weather doesn’t mean the sun is cold too. It can still shine brightly, emitting radiant heat that’s hot enough to melt the snow on your roof. This will result in more water, which can turn to ice in ambient temperatures that may very well be below freezing.

Ice dams can be prevented, but if ever they do form, they should be removed to avoid damage to your home. Contact Arrowhead Roofing, the most reliable, trustworthy residential and commercial roofers, to remove dangerous ice dams from your roof. Call us at (918) 743-9257 or fill out our contact form for a free estimate.