You clear snow from your driveway, but have you given any thought to moving snow away from your home or off your roof?
As the weather warms and snow begins to melt, ice dams can become an issue, and it’s not an inexpensive one.
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Ice damming happens when ice forms on the lower parts of a roof, stopping water from running off and, occasionally, allowing it to infiltrate your home or shop.
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“These claims can be in the tens of thousands of dollars when a house is affected by it,” says Jeremy Pilon of SGI Canada.
“You’re talking about taking out all the drywall, taking out all the insulation, drying everything up and then rebuilding it. These are very expensive claims when they happen.”
SGI recently held a demonstration showing how ice dams can lead to problems, both on the roof and around the perimeter of your home or shop.
The good news is there are some easy steps that can be taken to prevent this costly damage:
- Lower the snow load on your roof by using a “roof rake” (it looks like a backward shovel, used to pull rather than push, and has a really long handle) to clear excess snow from your roof, and be sure to also clear snow at least six feet back from your foundation.
- Give that melting water a place to go to keep it away from your building.
- Keep air moving; make sure your attic is well-insulated and has proper ventilation.
- Make sure exhaust fans and ducts are well sealed so the warm air they’re moving doesn’t end up in the attic.
Pilon says so far this year SGI has received only 26 claims from across Saskatchewan. In 2014, however, he says SGI was hit with thousands of claims and the conditions this year are looking similar.
While no roof is completely immune to ice dams, Pilon says metal roofing does seem to offer some advantages.
“In my experience as an adjustor, the ice would tend to melt off the tin roofs,” Pilon said.
“With a shingled roof, the (rough texture) of the shingle would tend to hold onto that ice for a lot longer … and even if the water does back up on a tin roof, there are not as many holes to allow it to get in.”
Pilon advises checking your insurance policy to see if you’re covered for this sort of claim because it’s often only the “top tier” insurance packages that typically cover this sort of damage.
More tips for spotting and preventing ice buildup and water damage can be found on SGI’s website at sgicanada.ca/news?title=how-to-spot-and-prevent-ice-dams.
