Ice Dam Prevention
Wisconsin winters are usually snowy and cold which is quite taxing on your home. Ice dams can damage the exterior of your home, but can be prevented by the professionals at Wisconsin Home Improvement.
What is an Ice Dam?
Ice dams form at the edges of roofs and result in dangerous icicles that can wreak havoc on your home’s gutters, siding, roof and attic. Ice dam removal is difficult and must be done regularly, while ice dam prevention measures only need to be done once to impede ice dam formation.
Why Do Ice Dams Form?
During the winter, escaping heat from your attic can melt snow that’s accumulated on your roof. As the melted water begins to move towards the edge of the roof, it meets a colder area that then refreezes it. This causes blocks of ice to form and create ice dams, including icicles which hang from your gutters and roof.
Preventing Ice Dams from Forming
Prevention of ice dams is much more effective than later trying to remove them. Although this does involve an initial investment, it helps to avoid problems and additional expenses in the long-term. The most effective solutions for preventing ice dams include:
Air Sealing
During the winter, the stack effect can be much more pronounced in a leaky home. The stack effect causes warm air to rise and escape through the attic, pulling in cold outdoor air through the home’s lower levels.
In order to prevent your heating system from having to work harder than it has to, spare your energy bills, keep you more comfortable and prevent ice dams, air sealing can help. Having your attic air sealed reduces the warm air that leaves your home. This lowers your attic’s temperature to keep it from melting snow, working to prevent the first step in ice dam formation.
Attic Insulation
Insulation acts as a thermal barrier for your home, preventing heat transfer. Increasing your attic insulation allows you to add to your home’s air sealing results.
By keeping your home’s heated air inside, you’ll save on energy bills, stay more comfortable year-round and reduce the melting and refreezing effect that creates ice dams. Improving your attic insulation after effectively air sealing is the second step in preventing ice dams, as well as keeping your home more cozy and energy efficient.
Wisconsin Home Improvement Helps to Prevent Ice Dams
Stop ice dams from damaging your home this winter with help from the expert team at Wisconsin Home Improvement. In addition to preventing ice dams from forming, we’ll help to keep you stay comfortable all year long in a home that’s energy efficient.
Ready to prevent ice dams from damaging your home while staying more comfortable and saving on your home’s energy bills? Contact us or call (262) 345-9922 to schedule an ice dam prevention consultation today!
