Prevent Ice Dams to Help Protect Against Water Intrusion

Water damage to your home or office is one of the most expensive and stressful events that a property owner can face. The best way to avoid water damage is to know how to prevent water damage. One of the ways you can help prevent water damage this winter is the ensure that ice dams are not preventing moisture drainage off your roof.

Ice dams form when snow begins to melt, starts to trickle off the roof line as liquid water, and then re-freezes into ice as a hardened “blockade” at the roofline, forming a “dam.” As the snow begins to melt again, instead of the water draining off the roof and channeling away from your home, it will pool between the roofline and the ice dam. This standing water can then begin to cause roof damage, and even leak into your roof, saturating the trusses, insulation, ceilings, and walls underneath. Here’s a great image of an “ice dam” and how it can force water to pool on the roof and creep into your dwelling.

While most insurance companies will pay for the actual water damage from an ice dam, they will NOT pay for the removal of the ice dam. Most insurance companies consider the removal and prevention of ice dams “maintenance” of the home and therefore the homeowner’s responsibility. Insurance agents encourage homeowners to prevent ice dams by SAFELY raking excess snow off the roof or hiring a professional to steam away ice dams. Additionally, installing heat cables to prevent the water from freezing is another option to prevent ice dams.

Water damage from an ice dam typically includes damage to shingles or siding, roof damage, insulation damage, water intrusion damage to drywall, and mold and mildew growth. If you experience water damage due to an ice dam, contact Montgomery Builders immediately. They are trusted by insurance companies and referred by homeowners and business owners throughout Bend, Redmond and surrounding communities. They will help you restore your property to like-new conditions if you experience water damage from an ice dam this winter.