How To Deice Your Roof

While it is fun to talk about the magic of winters and the beauty of a toasty fireplace, it is also important to address the elephant in the room. Winters are full of cold, dreadful days filled with freezing temperatures and constant shovelling of snow off of your front porch and roof. Makes for a very cold and mostly annoyed elephant.

The drop in temperatures along with the relentless snow leads to icy roofs. This leads to long-term damage to roofs when they have not been regularly maintained. While winters can’t be avoided, a complete roof inspection from the professionals at Basswood Roofing can help you be better prepared for the cold season.

Winters can become very harsh for homes and roofs unless you are better equipped and prepared to deal with the cold. Freezing temperatures mean bad news for the plumbing, attic and a poorly insulated home will leave you cold with electricity bills shooting through the roof.

What are ice dams and how are they formed?

Usually seen as large icicles or blocks along the eaves of the roof or in gutters and downspouts, ice dams usually indicate something’s wrong with your roof. This, in turn, can further damage various components of your house, like ceilings and finishes, the framing components, exterior wall cladding, and even the roof system along with the deck components.

Snowstorms and blizzards leave behind a hefty layer of snow. This accumulation on roofs can act as an insulation layer above the actual roof. When the roof itself has improper insulation, as well as gaps in the roofing and shingles layer, it can cause the heat to escape from these spaces. The heat then melts the thick layer of snow above the roof surface, causing the melted water to flow towards the gutters. However, the overhangs and gutters are exposed to the cold, making them significantly colder than the roof. This causes the melted water to freeze and form a layer of ice.

How will that affect my roof?

This process repeats itself multiple times, causing the ice layers to pile on themselves, leading to the formation of an ice dam. This stops the melted water from flowing off of the roof, pooling on the roof. Water ponds on the roof can then leak into the dry laps in the shingles and underlayment, leading to damage to the roof and the interior roof structure. Repeated cycles of snow melting and freezing into ice lead to the formation of large icicles along the outer edge. Ice dam prevention is the best solution to avoid roof damage during winters.

This can damage the roof structure as it adds a heavy load for the roof to carry. Additionally, trying to pry off the icicles or ice dams can damage the roof and void the warranty of your shingles. It is also extremely dangerous and can be fatal to life as the icicles are not only pointed but also extremely unstable and can drop at any moment. It is important to know what needs to be done when harsh winters lead to snowstorms and subsequent ice dams being formed atop roofs.

How do I de-ice my roof?

There are a few ways to de-ice your roof during the winter or snow removal services that you can avail of from professionals. While there are many ways to de-ice your roof yourself, it is recommended to hire a professional for inspection pre-winter and be prepared for the snow season.

Basswood Roofing provides a range of winter services, including FREE inspections and same-day emergency services.

Here are a few ways to de-ice your roof:

Snow rakes: A snow rake, also known as a roof rake, is a shovel designed to scrape snow off your roof manually. If you’re willing to, you can step out with caution to scrape off the snow and icy crusts after a big snowfall. It is a physically intensive process that may need to be done repeatedly throughout the snowfall so as to not let the snow accumulate.
Ice picks: The age-old method of de-icing a roof is to use an ice pick. It is also a pretty labor-intensive process and should only be done after taking safety measures. Make sure you place your ladder against a solid surface like a wall. Have another person assist you to make sure your ladder stays stable. Wear your safety goggles and using a gloved hand, reach into the gutters where the ice dam has built up and use moderate force to pick the ice. After patiently chipping, some pieces eventually split, crack, and fall away. Ice picks are incredibly sharp and can damage your roof if you’re not careful.
Ice melter liquids: Ice melter liquids or de-icing chemicals work wonders to melt off the ice dams. A quick trip to the hardware store and you will find the products you need. However, it is important to be aware of the components in these chemical liquid deicers to avoid damaging your roof. Though low-investment-high-returns products are very tempting, they are damaging and corrosive to the roof as well as the environment. They should not be used on your roof. Invest in a good chemical deicer to ensure the long-term health of your roof and roof system. Avoid liquid deicers with Sodium Chloride and Calcium Chloride in their compositions. Based on need, you can invest in rocky deicers, or finer powdery deicers, or liquid deicers. Basswood Roofing provides services ranging from ice dam removal to ice melter for driveway to roof snow removal services and winter roof repair.
DIY de-icers: Popular on the internet, DIY deicers using various components commonly found at home are thrown together and sprayed on the roof, in hopes of melting the ice dams away. Tempting as they may be, DIY deicers tend to yield short-term relief and long-term damage to the roof, unless you are aware of the composition of the products used and know what is to be done. Do not try DIY deicers before doing some research about suitable elements for your roof type.

While these are steps for immediate relief for your roof, it is important to keep track of the snow or ice accumulation, and ice dam formation on the roof. Contact Basswood Roofing in case of any damage observed to the roof. A regular inspection and roof maintenance is the best way to combat nature’s tools.