What to Do When an Ice Dam Bursts

Damage from ice and ice-dams:

• Rip gutters from your home
• Raise, crack and swell roof shingles
• Damage roof sheathing
• Ruin attic and wall insulation.
• Destroy ceiling and wall drywall and paneling
• Warp floors and soak carpeting
• Stain surfaces, such as upholstered furniture
• Short electrical circuits, causing circuit breakers to trip and fuses to blow

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Call ServiceMaster Restoration by Wills! Fast action can save you money when it comes to repairing water damage from ice dams! ServiceMaster Restoration by Wills is ready to contain the water flowing into your home and to move valued items out of harm's way. By getting a fast start, we can immediately begin drying and cleaning items to prevent damage due to mold and staining.

Call 1-855-219-5648 for ice dam remediation and repair in Hartford, Stamford, Norwalk, New Rochelle, Springfield, New Haven and throughout Connecticut, Massachusetts & New York.

It may come as a surprise, but water is one of the most damaging substances a homeowner can confront. Ice dams can cause water to seep into your home, causing damage to flooring, wet carpets, and mold growth; not to mention severe damage to the roof.

Our ice dam remediation services include:

• Water removal, including from areas you can’t see
• Drying equipment that helps prevent warping and swelling of floors and furniture
• Air movers that evaporate moisture from surfaces, including carpeting
• Sanitizing agents that prevent the growth of mold
• Dehumidification

Our trained technicians can assess the damages caused by the ice damming on your roof and work with your insurance company to get all the problems fixed. Once the leaking has been stopped, we will inform you of what steps to take so the problem never happens again. The nice thing about ice dams is that they can be fixed, permanently!

Ice Damming Causes

Ice dams develop when heat escapes from your attic and begins to melt snow that has built up on your roof. The snow is melting from the bottom up, so you can’t see the water up there! As the water flows down the roof, it may refreeze when it passes over a cold expanse of roof. This typically happens at the eaves (the lowest edge of the roof) because eaves protrude beyond the wall of the house, making them less susceptible to the warming effects of heat leaks.

A large ridge of ice forms as water refreezes at the eave. The buildup of ice may extend over the gutter, but this ice is not what’s causing water to leak inside your home. The leaks are coming from the water that has pooled behind the ice dam. Roofs are not designed to hold water, just to shed it. So when a pool of water sits on your roof, some of that water will find its way under shingles where it can drip through nail holes and sheathing joints. Once inside, the water will find its way into ceiling assemblies and walls. When they have become saturated, the water enters your house.

Repairing and Preventing Damage from Ice Dam Leakage

Once the immediate threat of ice dams has passed, ServiceMaster Restoration by Wills can repair drywall damage to walls and ceilings as good as new. The ultimate solution is the installation of an ice and water shield under your roof shingles, but this is typically not feasible until you are ready to reroof your home.

In the meanwhile we recommend careful air sealing and insulating of the floor in your attic. Common culprits for leaking heat include vent pipes, recessed light fixtures, chimneys, attic access ways (pull-down ladders and hatches), heating ducts, and bath and kitchen exhaust vents.

How to Prevent Ice Dams

• Make sure soffit vents are not blocked by insulation. A well-ventilated attic is a cold attic, and a cold attic will not support the formation of ice dams.
• Keep gutters clear of leaves. A clogged gutter causes ice and snow to build up, which may in turn cause snow and ice buildup along your eaves.
• Install snow and ice slides on affected eaves. The slick metal allows snow to slide off the roof before it can melt and spawn an ice dam.
• Remove snow accumulation from the first two or three feet of your eaves using a snow rake. It is often best to call in a contractor for this task.

Do you have water in your home thanks to ice damming? ServiceMaster Restoration by Wills can provide fast, effective water removal and water damage restoration. We work in and around New Haven, Hartford, Stamford, Norwalk, New Rochelle, Springfield, Port Chester, Groton, Naugatuck, Southington, Branford, Greenwich, and nearby! Learn more about our ice dam remediation services and contact us to schedule a Free Estimate in Connecticut.