How to Protect Your Twin Cities Home from Winter Damage

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Winter weather is a double-edged sword. Snow provides opportunities for us to enjoy ourselves, but it can also cause problems in and around our homes.

Ice dams are sheets of ice that form on the roof due to heat loss from the inside of your home. If left untreated, they can cause water to back up under the roof shingles. This water can then enter your home through your ceiling or exterior wall cavity and cause some serious problems for you down the road.

What is the best way to prevent an ice dam from forming? Well, the best way is to see if there is an ice buildup on the outside of the home. If there is ice buildup around gutters and there are icicles forming, it might be an indication that there is heat loss which is melting snow and causing water to run. Preventative maintenance is necessary to ensure that you have no major problems with ice dams. All you need to do is strap on some boots and walk around your home from time to time.

If you aren't sure whether you have ice dams, or if you think you do and want to correct it, there are companies that can come out and take a look and find ways to fix the problem. Please don't hesitate to ask us about good contractors that we can refer you to in the Twin Cities. We work with great companies all the time, and we may even be able to get you a reduced price.

Heat buildup in the attic is a major cause of ice dams. You want your attic to be insulated well so that the heat in your home doesn't settle there. This often happens when the insulation around the attic access has come away from it. Your insulation may have been compacted over time or the vents that lead out of your attic may be clogged up, resulting in heat gathering in your attic. We recommend that you check your vents before every winter, and repair any insulation as you deem fit. A few minutes of work in the fall could end up saving you quite a bit of money in the long run.

If you want to reduce the damage as soon as possible, you can also remove the excess snow from your roof.

If you have any questions about this topic, or if you need professionals to help you repair a problem due to ice damming, please don't hesitate to reach out to us. We would love to hear from you!