Ice Dams Pose Potential Problems For Green Country Homeowners

Dan Bewley, News On 6

TULSA, Oklahoma -- The snow and ice can bring another problem for homeowners. It's called an ice dam, but there are ways to prevent it.

It's important you take care of your home during a snow storm like this. Something you might not think about but the experts say is very important is the buildup of snow on your roof.

The drifts and winds can be a menace to your home. The snow builds up on the edge of the roof, causing a backup where there isn't any insulation.

"First we started with one, then it came to two, then it came to seven," Jim Stuart, a homeowner, said.

We met Jim Stuart last February after a major snow storm. His roof had developed leaks that had been caused by ice dams.

"It had drips here then it came down through this seam here where you can see the paint here has come off and it's flaking off here, just drip, drip," he said.

Ice dams usually come after a snow or ice event. It forms when the ice melts at the top of your roof then refreezes as it gets closer to the edge where there's less insulation.

"So on the heated area of the home as the warm air hits the bottom side of the sheathing, that our shingles are attached to, it does in fact start to melt that water and that water can't get off because of this ice dam...it simply just can't get off, so it backs it up underneath the shingles," Jim Lane, A-Best Roofing, said.

One way to prevent an ice dam is to clear off the edge of your roof. You can purchase a roof rake online or use a squeegee with a long handle to clear back about three feet from the edge of the roof.

It's not necessary to do it while the snow is falling, an ice dam will only form after the snow and ice has started to melt.

It's also important to clear the snow away from your exhaust vents. If those get clogged, carbon monoxide can build up inside your home.

If an ice dam does form on your roof, roofing ecperts say do not try to chip it away, it's dangerous and you could damage your roof.