‘Ice Dams’ May Damage Attic, Cause Mold

As you drive around Cape May County you can see that the painful and expensive cleanup from the worst winter I’ve seen in 55 years has begun.
Piles of branches are stacked on the side of the road, and signs of flooding are everywhere. Most of the damage caused by major snow this winter is very obvious. However, there are some problems that can still create havoc with your house.
With the large snowfall this year, most roofs were covered with snow for long periods of time. That can create a situation called “ice dam.”
Ice dams are caused by different roof surface temperatures. Sections of your roof become warmer than others, causing snow to melt.
The water rolls down your roof into the snow that is not melting at the end of your roof. Here it turns to ice and forms an ice dam.
That causes melting snow water to back up and find cracks and holes in the roof covering and flows into your attic. If a lot of melting snow found its way into your attic, it could cause drywall to get saturated and fall. Also, insulation could become wet and lumber could also get wet. That could eventually cause a mold or mildew problem.
So now is the time to check your attics. Make sure that at the end of your roofline in your attic, the insulation is dry and you see no evidence of moisture. If there is moisture replace your insulation and dry out the area. You may also need to clean up from any possible mold and mildew growth.
To prevent this, make your ceiling air tight so no warm air can escape from your house into the attic. You should also make sure your ductwork, if any, in the attic is insulated and does not lose any heat at joints or connections.
You may consider adding more insulation to the ceiling to cut down on heat loss from living spaces into the attic. You can wrap your ductwork so no heat escapes.
The steps you take to eliminate heat loss into the attic can have a side effect if the snow remains on your roof. Allowing snow to build up on the roof and stay for a period of time can increase the load on your roof.
Can your roof withstand the heavier loads? If your house was built to current codes, there should be no structural damage. You should consult local professionals if you have any concerns. Also, when it does snow heavy try to get the snow off your roof or if ice darn forms, cut channels through the ice so the melting snow can run off.
Winter clean up and repairs are on the mind of everyone at this time of the year.
We, the professionals at CAPE 47 LUMBER, are always available to help with any questions or projects. Stop in, say “Hello” and see what we have to offer.
(The above was submitted by Robert Shore of Cape 47 Lumber, Green Creek.)