Ice Damming & Gutter Damage
For some parts of the country, ice damming has become a significant problem, resulting in recurring gutter replacement year after year. And unfortunately, many insurance policies won’t cover ice dams and the resulting damage.
The Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety provides a good description of how ice damming occurs:
When heat from the interior of a house with a sloped roof escapes into the attic space, it warms the underside of the roof. Meanwhile, the roof eave outside the heated space remains a colder temperature. As snow accumulates on the rooftop, it melts over the warmer portion of the attic and the melt water runs down the roof. When it encounters the cold edge of the roof it refreezes. The refrozen water along the roof edge creates an "ice damming" condition, and consequently, the melted snow running down the roof begins to back up underneath the roof covering. This water will soak the roof sheathing and leak into the attic unless there is a barrier above the sheathing.
Because Pro Energy Consultants use infrared cameras as part of the energy audit, we can ‘see’ areas of extreme temperature differential and missing insulation that are contributing factors to ice dam formations. The infrared photos are included in your energy audit report, and are a great tool to show any contractor or tradesman you might hire for improvements.
"[I was impressed with] how knowledgeable [the energy auditor] was and how he assured me if I followed through with his suggestions and/or recommendations on a variety of issues — i.e., the uneven heat and air conditioning, drafts through outside electrical outlets and plumbing penetrations, and my previous ice damming — these problems would all be resolved."
Beverley S., New York