Today I was clearing some snow from my roof. I do this often when we have a decent amount of snowfall. This practice is to prevent ice dams from forming on the edge of my roof and causing damage. I use a snow roof rake, which is a shovel-like scoop or specially shaped blade on a long handle. A roof rake allows me to clear the snow from the roof while standing on the ground. A good thing as I don't care for heights.
I have a partially finished attic that doubles as additional living space; mainly a play area for the kid’s extra toys and an area for a home gym. Because this area is partially finished it stays warmer than a typical attic. As the warm air from this area rises it causes the snow on the roof to melt. As the melted snow begins to run off the roof it begins to refreeze as it reaches the colder part of the roof line and ice builds up on the eves and in the gutters. This is called an ice dam, the dam stops additional water from running off the roof and instead it backs up causing the dam to become bigger. When the water from the melted snow cannot run off it begins to back up under the shingles, this can cause damage to the roof and cause leaking to occur on the inside of the home.
I have added extra insulation to the attic; however, this more so helps it to stay cooler in the summer months, but unfortunately has not helped much with heat loss in the winter. I guess more insulation is on the to do list for the future. There are some rules to follow when insulating an attic, be sure to preserve the attic’s airflow by not blocking the soffit vents. According to This Old House, “The airflow from the soffits to the ridge vent keeps the roof cool and prevents ice dams”.
I have also debated about adding heat tape to my eves and gutters, this prevents the melted snow from refreezing and building up. When the melted snow reaches the heat tape it continues running off the roof as opposed to the normal spot it would refreeze.
Another prevention I take to reduce ice dams happens in the fall. I make sure to clean my gutters of leaves and debris. As the leaves begin to drop in the fall it is important to keep your gutters and downspouts clean so water can flow freely.
So if you often have to deal with ice dams take some preventative measures to reduce them beforehand. As removing ice dams can be dangerous for both the one removing the dams and to the integrity of the roof. It is much easier to prevent them in the first place.