Things you can do now to prevent ice dams in the winter.

1. No More Ice Dams

2. No More Ice Dams What causes ice dams? How do they cause damage? How to remove ice dams How to prevent ice dams from occurring Electric heating cable Insulation Venting What to do if you have damage

3. About Me Been in the building industry all my life Started own construction company in 1992 Owner Fair and Square Remodeling Over 17years of experience in fixing the causes of ice dams

4. Where Do Ice Dams Come From?

5. Where Do Ice Dams Come From? In poorly insulated homes, warm air escapes through the ceiling and into the attic. If ventilation inside the attic is also inadequate, all that warm air has nowhere to go. Result: the roof's temperature starts to creep up higher than the outdoor air temperature, causing accumulated snow on the roof to begin melting. Water then trickles down the slope of the roof until it once again hits a cold patch, usually the gutter. There it refreezes, gradually forming a dam that prevents runoff. Additional melting snow, having nowhere to go, starts seeping inside the house -- and that's where the homeowner's headaches begin.

7. How Damage is Caused Ice dams cause the water that is blocked by a wall of ice to build and rise up underneath the roof shingles thereby penetrating inside your home.

8. Damage Caused by Ice Dams Leaky roofs Attic condensation – rotting wood Wet insulation –doesn’t work if wet Cracks in the wall Water stains, mold Peels in your paint job Structural damage –ice is heavy! Rotting trim around windows and doors, buckled hard wood floors and more….

9. How to Remove Ice Dams DON'T try to remove ice from gutters with blunt force. Might get the ice out of the gutters but you could end up ripping your gutters off the roof or damaging your roof. DON'T climb onto your roof and attempt to shovel the snow and ice on your own. That's a steep, slippery surface, and you could fall and seriously hurt yourself.

10. How to Remove Ice Dams DO Rake snow from roof from the ground – or if using a ladder –careful on icy ground A good roof rake will have wheels to prevent damaging your roof DO Hire a professional steam company that will chip the ice into chunks and remove it.

11. How to Prevent Ice Dams From Occurring Electric heating cable Insulation Venting

12. Heating Cables Roof de-icing cables, also known as heat cables or heat tape, should be a last resort when it comes to preventing leakage from ice dams. CONS: De-icing cables aren’t cheap, it’ll cost money to have them professionally installed, and they’ll cost money to operate – between five and eight watts per foot. PROS: They’re very effective; it’s pretty much a guarantee against leakage from ice dams. NOTE: They won’t prevent ice dams, but they’ll keep enough ice melted to create drainage channels for water, if installed properly.

13. Insulation Fix the air leaks first! Look at the space around the furnace and / or water heater vent. Look for transitions between old and new construction Look around plumbing vents Seal them off with caulk, spray foam, or weather stripping.

15. Closed cell insulation is the most effective; Cellulose insulation second. Avoid fiberglass batts – they leave gaps everywhere.

17. If your soffit vents are dirty, clean them or replace the grills if they’re painted shut. Grills are cheap.

18. If your soffit vents are blocked with insulation, you need air chutes installed at the eaves to prevent the insulation from blocking the vents.

20. Thank You! Mike Otto Fair and Square Remodeling Ph: (612) 245-5826 www.fairandsquareremodel.com