Ice damming can cause large amounts of damage and affect your home insurance. According to wikipedia.org, “An ice dam is an ice build-up on the eaves of sloped roofs of heated buildings that results from melting snow under a snow pack reaching the eave and freezing there.” Also from wikipedia.org, “freezing at the eave impedes the drainage of meltwater, which adds to the ice dam and causes backup of the meltwater, which may cause water leakage into the roof and consequent damage to the building and its contents if the water leaks through the roof.” Once the water has leaked through the roof it can cause mold damage. However, that isn’t the only result. Water can cause damage to ceilings and leak through an affect the whole house. After the water has caused damage to the house you will need to file a home insurance claim.
How can I fix an ice dam?
One way is to not let one start. This old house states you can use heated cables to prevent ice dam formation. These cables allow the house to be heated outside in, instead of inside out. The inside out heating is what can contribute to ice damming. One way to remove an ice dam after it starts is to stand on the ground and use a rake to pull down the dam. In addition to a rake, calcium chloride socks can work. This would just be a sock or pantyhose filled with calcium chloride. Position the sock vertically over the dam and let the end hang over the edge. If you chose to use this method make sure you do not substitute rock salt. For instance, rock salt can cause damage to the shingles or any plants below. Finally, do not try to hammer or chisel the ice dam. This is dangerous and can damage your roof.
What if I have a claim?
If you have a home insurance claim, either due to ice damming or anything else we are here for you. You can visit our company page on our website or check out our client center. If you want more insurance info you can check us out on Facebook, Instagram, or our new YouTube page. We look forward to helping all of you.
