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Serving New England since 1990

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(603) 641-6555

24 Hour Emergency Services

(603) 641-6555

Ice Dams 101

Written by Casey Shearns on . Posted in , , .

We are sure that you have heard the term “ice dam” once or twice before in your life. It is essential for homeowners in climates where it snows to have proper knowledge of ice dams, what they are, what damage they cause, and how to prevent them. 

Luckily, the expert remediation team at Soil-Away is here to give you a complete Ice Dam 101; follow along!

What Are They?

An ice dam is a build-up of snow and ice that gather on the edge of your roof. They typically occur after a snowfall when the cold snow meets the warmth radiating from your attic. The heat causes the snow to melt, which causes water to run down to the edge of your roof, then refreezing and causing a mound of ice to form.

What Damage Do They Cause?

  • Structural Damage:

Heavy ice dams can cause structural damage to the roof of your home. 

  • Water Damage:

Water melting from the ice dams can seep into your roof, behind your shingles, and eventually into your insulation and ceiling! 

  • Gutter Damage

Your gutters were never meant to hold the weight of icicles. Because they cannot hold the weight, they could end up bending or breaking. The long icicles formed can also cause damage to windows, landscape, or a person were they to fall. 

Not properly taking care of ice dams on your roof can lead to much more severe damage. 

How to Prevent Ice Dams

  • Proper Insulation:

Adding insulation to your attic will help prevent ice dams from forming on your roof. Proper insulation will also help you keep heat inside and ultimately lower your heating costs. 

  • Keep Gutters Clean

Making sure that your gutters are clean will ensure that there is not as much weighing down your gutters. 

  • Contact Professionals

If ice dam forming is a common problem for you, be sure to call in expert help to ensure you keep the integrity of your roof and everyone inside your home safe. 

If you have damage to the inside of your property caused by an ice dam…Soil-Away has a team of water damage restoration experts ready to respond. Even in the worst of weather conditions, we have emergency services in order to best serve you and your home. Be sure to give us a call today or fill out our online contact form for more information!

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Jay Korsen
00:51 04 Aug 22
All I have to say is WOW and FANTASTIC. I just got done building out my new professional office with Soil-Away’s construction division and they went ABOVE and BEYOND. Scott and Mike, the carpenters are skilled artisans. The project got done on time and the project came in on budget! The finished results have been blowing people away. Much better than I could have anticipated. Anyone is welcome to come to our office, Bright Light Chiropractic in Hooksett to check out the fine work they did. Simply can’t sing enough praises for them. Sorry that the picture doesn’t do the job justice. Thank you Jack and your team. -Dr. Jay
Asian Breeze
04:28 15 Jul 22
Since day one, I’ve known the owner, Jack, to be a hard-working and selfless leader. Through the efforts of him and his team, he was able to restore my flooded restaurant to tip-top shape. I was amazed with Jack’s orderliness throughout the entire process. Jack has proven to me that he is trustworthy, as both a friend and an individual in the work environment.
Breton Langendorfer
21:17 07 Jul 22
Highly recommend Soil-Away. A pipe in our upstairs bathroom gave and sent water down through a wall for at least a day before we noticed water dripping through our kitchen ceiling. Our insurance put us in touch with Soil-Away and they were at our house the next morning to assess the damage and dry things out. Joe, Ray and Tom were phenomenal to work with. They explained every part of the process to us and were very professional and friendly. If you have to deal with similar issues call Soil-Away, you won’t regret it.
Maureen Cidzik
13:49 15 May 22
Superior service from start to finish. Highly responsive. The entire team is dedicated to quality and customer care and it shows in everything they do – from first call, to estimate, to job completion.
Sarah Grugnale
16:02 14 Jan 22
Joe and Tommy were amazing to deal with, they kept us updated every step of the process. They were punctual and hard working, answering all of our questions that we had. Everything was done as promised and even above and beyond. A great experience from start to finish.