Beware of ice dams this winter

One of the perils of living in New England is the cleanup of the winter weather that so often blows our way. In addition to the ice chipping and the snow shoveling, there is one more serious homeowner hazard that can create a headache both inside and outside, and cause major damage your home. The culprit I am talking about is ice dams.

Let me give you some background. An ice dam forms when heat from inside your home causes snow on your roof to melt and the water to trickle down into the gutters. This sounds like what is supposed to happen, except that when the water slides down, it can often refreeze before it drains because the temperature changes from the top of the roof to the bottom. As the water moves it refreezes, causing a blockage in the gutters and drains. Since the water has nowhere it go, it builds up, and looks for other places to go, such as under your shingles. The snow continues to melt, refreeze and accumulate, growing aggressively until you have what we call an ice dam, or a large mass of frozen water that grows from your gutters and the base of your roof.

So why does the temperature change? Well that’s easy. We all know that heat rises, and when your house isn’t properly insulated or ventilated, the heat from the living areas of your home will rise into the attic, hitting the highest temperatures in the very peak of the roof. So it’s no surprise that snow starts to melt at that very point, where the temperature can easily rise to 32 degrees Fahrenheit, or melting point. As the water makes its way down the roof, the temperature decreases; enabling the water to refreeze by the time it finds its way to your gutters. As that water builds up, it begins to form an ice dam. 

Have you ever looked around the neighborhood and seen a house with big beautiful icicles hanging from the roof? Those icicles aren’t just a pretty bi-product of winter weather; they are a sure fire sign that an ice damn is forming.

Ice dams can be a real problem, especially in older homes that aren’t properly insulated and ventilated. As the water builds up, it can leak into the house and cause damage to the walls, ceilings, insulation and other areas. Additionally, an ice dam that is melting can channel water down into the foundation, which can cause leaks and mold formation in the basement.

Worried about ice dams damaging your house? Next week, we’ll talk about the ways to temporarily fix them, and what you can do to ensure they don’t pop up again next winter.

Fix Little Things Now to Save Big Later

When you own a home, it can feel like something is always going wrong, especially if you purchase an older home and inherit the problems that go with it. There are a few things you can let go, and there are others that, with a quick fix, will allow you to breathe a sigh of relief in the long run. So in the spirit of Black Friday, here are my top tips for big home improvement savings.

Overflowing Gutters

This autumn the leaves fell late, which means your gutters might be filled to the brim with debris. Clean them out before the snow comes or you might be looking at thousands of dollars in water damage. If your gutters are clogged up, the water from the snow has nowhere to go – so it will either seep into your roof or pour down into your foundation. Either way, a season of repetitive flooding might be too much for your home to handle. Call a professional for a gutter cleaning, or if you’re comfortable on a ladder you can do it yourself with a scoop or lawn blower.

Deteriorating Deck

If you’ve been out on your deck all summer, you may have noticed a few loose, soft or sagging boards. To check the damage, poke the boards with a screwdriver and see if the wood feels spongy. If it does, you could have rot. Rather than spend thousands to remove the whole deck, pull off the damaged boards and replace them with new wood before giving the deck a fresh coat of paint or stain to protect it before winter.

Moldy Foundation

Mold can be a fairly straightforward problem to deal with, unless you have it growing on your foundation. If you have plants and shrubs along the base of your house, the water you use to keep them hydrated and happy could be seeping down into your home, causing mildew and eventually rot. Check the perimeter of your home for any signs of mold, and take a look to see if plant roots are starting to crawl around your foundation. A good rule to follow is to keep shrubs at least three feet from your house and choose plants that are compact growers. A quick check and some pruning could save you hundreds or thousands of dollars in damage repair.

Worn Wood Floors

If you have old wood floors, keeping them fresh with a protective layer of topcoat can prevent them from splitting, splintering and drying out. If you are starting to detect signs of wear, sand down your floors and apply a new coat of polyurethane. You can also opt to rent a floor polisher from your local hardware store. Some simple upkeep every few years should save you from replacing the entire floor, and from the bill that goes with it.

Peeling Paint

If you notice paint peeling on the outside of your home, now is a great time to scrape, sand, prime and re-paint the exterior. Not only will it make a huge difference cosmetically, it will also protect your home from seasonal rain, snow and wind damage. If the paint is only peeling in certain areas, it might be because that area is prone to flooding, so take care and inspect any wood for rot, especially around window sills and door frames.

Home maintenance can be a pain but spending thousands on unnecessary replacements is a whole heck of a lot worse. If you’re not sure where to start, a home improvement specialist can give you a thorough inspection to identify potential problem areas before they become a major headache. Enjoy your leftovers everyone and Happy Thanksgiving weekend!