Icicles along your roofline may be pretty to look at, but the larger they get, the more of a headache they can be. Large icicles are a telltale sign of ice dams on your Metro DC area home’s roof, which can cause thousands of dollars in structural and cosmetic damages.
But while getting rid of ice dams after they’ve already formed is difficult, preventing them is easier than you think. Ice dams are a symptom of poor insulation and air leaks in your attic, and Home Energy Medics can help make your home more comfortable, energy efficient, and ice-dam-free with our insulation and air sealing services.
WHAT CAUSES ICE DAMS?
Ice dams are caused by warm air escaping through air leaks in your attic or by a lack of insulation that allows heat to escape through the materials of your roof. Here’s what happens:
The warm air or heat from the underside of the roof melts the very bottom layer of snow on your shingles.
The melted snow then drips down to the edge of the roof. Some of it might drip off your roof, forming icicles, but eventually those icicles will become big enough that water will begin freezing along your roofline.
As this process continues, this ice builds up, forming a dam that prevents water from flowing off the edge of the roof.
That standing water will find its way underneath your shingles, getting into your home.
HOW ICE DAMS ARE A HAZARD TO YOUR HOME
Water damage in your attic can cause up to tens of thousands of dollars in remediation costs—your roof may need to be replaced, drywall may need to be replaced and re-painted, mold may build up inside your walls, carpets and furniture can be damaged, and rotten wood may pose structural risks.
If water and moisture get into your home as the result of ice dams, you could also create mold and indoor air quality problems down the road. You may not even realize that mold is hidden away behind walls or up in hard-to-reach areas of the attic, but you may start to experience allergic reactions as a result.
THE PROBLEM WITH REMOVING ICE DAMS AFTER THEY’VE FORMED
Removing ice dams once they've formed can be both hazardous and ineffective. Physical removal risks harming your roof, as methods like chipping or using salt can cause corrosion and shingle damage. Professional ice dam removal is expensive.
But most importantly, waiting until the ice dam has formed to do something about it fails to address the underlying issue causing the dam: heat loss from the attic. Without resolving this, ice dams will likely form again, and you’ll be back to square one.
HOW TO PREVENT ICE DAMS WITH HOME ENERGY MEDICS
Although removing the snow from your roof is a short-term solution, the best way to prevent ice dams in the future is to prevent heat from escaping your home and warming your roof by sealing all air leaks and upgrading your attic insulation.
At Home Energy Medics, this process begins with a home energy audit, which helps identify weak points in your home's thermal envelope by using an infrared scanner to identify air leaks and insufficient insulation. Then our team of building science professionals will air seal and install new insulation.
THE LONG-LASTING BENEFITS OF INSULATION AND AIR SEALING
Following our work, not only will your home remain ice-dam-free for decades to come, but it will also be more comfortable and cost less to heat and cool too! And while ice dams aren’t a concern when the weather’s warm, your new air sealing and insulation will continue to provide additional benefits year-round for you and your family.
Insulation and air sealing upgrades qualify for incentives that can lower your upfront costs and help you upgrade your home sooner, including federal tax credits of up to $1,200 and rebates available through your local utility company, like BGE, Dominion Energy, and Pepco. Home Energy Medics can help you maximize your savings and find financing options as well—talk to our team today to learn more.
Prevent ice dams from forming with insulation and air sealing services from Home Energy Medics. Contact us online to or call us at (703) 447-5379 to get started.
Looking for Duct Sealing? Did you know...
There is a substantial amount of energy loss when your HVAC system works overtime to make up for leaks and gaps in your ductwork. In addition to increased energy bills, the unnecessary strain on your system can significantly shorten its lifespan or lead to costly repairs. Air duct leaks can also create indoor air quality issues by allowing dust, allergens, and other pollutants easy access to the air circulating through your home. Having properly sealed ducts keeps these pollutants out of the air you breathe and balances temperatures, leaving your home feeling more comfortable.
HEAR WHAT OUR CUSTOMERS HAVE TO SAY
Home Energy Medics did a wonderful job on our house. We now have much better heating and cooling. The original audit was very revealing of heat leakage points throughout the house. I had no idea that recessed lighting "cans" could leak so much outside air into the house.