Inefficient heating in your home can cause more problems than you can imagine. One of those issues would be having icicles hanging along the edge of your roof. While these icicles may seem like cute roof decorations, these are signs that you have roof problems. Aside from that, large icicles can cause serious injuries if ever they break off and hit people below.
Basically, icicles can be found on houses where there is improper ventilation and insulation along the roof area. So, what causes these icicles to form on your roof?
When winter comes and snow accumulates on your home's roof, it will melt and run down into your gutters. As they run down, refreezing can occur and thus produces icicles. These icicles form because of various factors.
One of these factors is inadequate insulation in the attic. If the temperature in the attic becomes hot, it will melt the snow on the roof. As the water reaches the gutter (which has a lower temperature since it is not heated by the air in the attic), it will freeze. These solid icicles will turn into an ice dam. The cycle goes on and on. More snow gets melted on the roof and runs down and builds up on the gutters.
These ice dam build ups will cause pressure to your shingles and damage them. The ice dam forces the water back up. The water may then seep under the shingles. There are even times that the water will seep into the ceiling or the walls in your home. These ice dams, therefore, indirectly causes more than roof damage but also structural damage if left unchecked.
Aside from the improper insulation, having inadequate attic ventilation is also one cause of the problem. Proper ventilation allows proper transport of hot air to colder regions. Having no air sealing between the attic and the conditioned space is also one root of the problem.
Dangers of Having Icicles
It is important to address icicle formations along the side of your roof. Aside from the fact that they are indications to roofing and ventilation problems, they can cause serious damage and injuries too.
- Structural damage
- Injury from falling icicles
- Rotting timber
- Paint damage
Solving Icicle Problems
The main solution to having icicle problems is addressing the ventilation in your attic area. Basically, you need to make sure that your roof is cold. This means that you have to avoid hot air leaks from the living space into the attic. You must be sure that the insulation you have put in place is sufficient and secured in place.
Although it is not a solution, removing the snow from your roof is a great preventive method. If there is no snow, then nothing can melt. This is however just a short term solution.
It is highly advisable that you go to a professional roofing company to ensure your roof has proper insulation and ventilation. This long term solution is much better than trying to remove the icicles on your roof. Not only does this pose a risk to your safety, it can also damage your roof. For more information on preventing icicles on your roof, and for a quote on any roof repair services you may require, contact Cherry & Clark Roofing today.
