The weather forecast for this week looks very cold and snowy. West Michigan is looking at 6 to 12 inches of snow in the next couple of days. Possibly the worst weather we will get this winter. Additional snow amounts are predicted beyond that. Winter has finally arrived!
The National Weather Service in Grand Rapids posted the following on their Facebook page:
While all this snow can be fun for those who like outdoor winter sports, snow amounts like this also make for perfect conditions for the formation of dangerous Ice Dams on your roof.
What Causes Ice Dams?
While you are trying to keep warm inside your home, heat is escaping from your roof. Depending on the amount of insulation you have in your home, some residences lose more heat than others. The homes losing the most heat are also at the greatest risk of the formation of Ice Dams. When the escaping heat melts the snow, gravity takes over and the water runs down the roof. As the water nears the roof’s edge, it re-freezes and the ice formation continues to grow — eventually creating a dam, trapping the water which causes the ice to freeze in an upward direction on your roof. The water that continues to melt on your roof gets trapped and begins to find it’s way behind the roofing material — and into your home or business.
Not only do ice dams cause damage to the exterior of your roof, the backed up water can cause additional damages. The water that leaks into your attic can soak the insulation. This can lead to black mold. The water may also make it beyond your attic and seep into the living areas of your home. This will cause damage to ceilings, drywall, flooring, furniture and more.
What is the Best Way to Remove Ice Dams?
Home and business owners often try to remove the ice dams on their own. The typical procedure is for a person to grab a hatchet, ice pick, and/or hammer. The owner then risks his or her safety climbing up a ladder to chip away at the ice. Hitting the roof’s shingles with these tools can also cause serious damage to the roof. Some have tried ice melting chemicals, or even pressure washers, to remove the ice dams. These methods can also cause serious damage to the roofing materials.
At Roof Cleaner we use a commercial steam machine to remove ice dams from roofs. Our commercial steam machine will not cause damage to the roofing material the way other methods do. Our commercial steam machines also mean you don’t have to pay for needless hours of work. Our machines melts the ice faster than average hot-water pressure washers that most so-called ice dam “experts” use to soak your roof with dangerous amounts of water. On the average it takes us 2-4 hours to remove your ice dams — however each situation is different depending on the severity of your icing problem.
Call Roof Cleaner
Give us a call today to have your ice dams safely removed! Roof Cleaner can be reached at at 616-240-3465 for Same or Next Day Service. We service the West Michigan area, including the cities of Grand Rapids, Holland, Grand Haven, Muskegon, Ada, Caledonia, Lowell, Rockford and more. Click here to read more about our Ice Dam Removal Services.
