What Are Ice Dams, and How Do You Prevent Them?

During the winter months, it’s common for temperatures and weather conditions to fluctuate significantly from week to week, or even from day to day. With all those temperature fluctuations, it’s common for ice dams to form on roofs, which can cause a lot of problems for business owners. Unfortunately, a lot of commercial property owners don’t know much about what ice dams are—much less how to prevent ice dams from forming and creating drainage problems in Springfield, MA.

What are ice dams?

Ice dams are formed when snow and ice on a roof are exposed to rising heat from inside a building, which causes them to melt. When this ice and snow melts, it flows down the roof, but the freezing temperatures outside cause the water to freeze again, creating ice dams that block the flow of water on the roof. As time goes on, these ice dams only get worse. When more snow falls and ice accumulates, it flows toward the ice dams and builds up on the roof, adding to existing ice dams.

There are a lot of risks of an ice dam on a roof in Springfield, MA. For one thing, ice dams add weight to commercial roofs. Snow and ice can be extremely heavy, and that leads to excessive wear and tear and accelerated damage to commercial roofs. In addition, ice dams disrupt regular drainage of precipitation from roofs, which can lead to water damage. Ice dams can also fall unexpectedly, posing seriously safety risks to employees, customers and other people visiting a commercial building.

Preventing ice dams

Because of all the risks of an ice dam on a roof in Springfield, MA, it’s important to prevent ice dams from forming. While it’s not always possible to do this completely, there are some things property owners can do to reduce the risk of ice dam development. Here are some tips on how to prevent an ice dam on your roof in Springfield, MA:

• Invest in insulation: One of the most common reasons why ice dams form is problems with insulation. If attics aren’t properly insulated, heat is more likely to rise up through the attic and warm up the roof, causing ice dams to form.
• Install heat tape: Heat tape is designed to promote snow and ice melt on roofs during the winter months. Installing heat tape can keep snow and ice melting and prevent ice dams from developing.
• Get snow removal: To keep roofs protected during the winter, invest in professional snow removal on a regular basis. Keeping snow accumulation at bay is the best way to prevent ice dams from forming.

Professional commercial roofing services

If you’re looking for help getting your roof into the best condition possible this winter, reach out to R & H Roofing, LLP for comprehensive commercial roofing services. Our team specializes in roofing services for business owners throughout the area. From minor repairs and routine maintenance to complete reroofing services, our team has the experience necessary to assist you. Find out more about what we have to offer and get started with a consultation and quote by giving our team a call today.

Categorised in: Commercial Roofing

This post was written by Writer