We have been lucky so far to not have that much snow or coldness hit us in the New England area, but that doesn’t mean that were out of the clear. One thing to look out and be prepared for when we do get snow is ice dams or icicles. An ice dam is ridge of ice that forms at the edge of a roof and prevents melting snow from draining. These ice dams that lay on your the roof of your house can tear off gutters, loosen shingles, and cause water damage in your home.

Water damage is caused by ice dams when warmth from inside a home causes snow on the roof to melt and drip to the roof’s edge leading it to refreeze and blocking gutters and drains. One way to prevent water damage in your home from ice dams is insulting the floor of the attic and under the roof to make the roof colder so the snow won’t melt into your house. Also, make sure all cracks are completely sealed so the warm air from the interior can’t get into the attic. Another method is to use a snow rake to keep any snow off of your roof.

If you encounter any water damage this winter from snow or ice dams, it’s best that a professional take care of it. One of our many services we provide in New Hampshire and Maine is water damage, contact Peniel Environmental Solutions 1-603-541-7979 for more information.