Roofs and ice damming.

[from_the_NEK]

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So here are two "before" photos. Thank goodness the roofer is coming tomorrow.


Sent from my iPhone using AlpineZone

It really is amazing how much snow you guys have down there!

 

[SkiFanE]

Okay...we are not raking our roof. Never have. Why is there such an emphasis on this now? I mean besides the ice damming issue....our 2 homes have been around since the 50s and 60s and I doubt they've been raked off before. Shouldn't the roof survive just fine? I grew up in this area, and don't remember anyone ever having to do this. Newer homes seem to have the most difficulty holding snow - maybe the materials are crappier? We don't have a flat roof...it's survived fine before, I expect it to survive fine this time. If it collapses now...well...I'll have my first insurance claim in 20+ years of home ownership. This isn't Lake Tahoe level of snow...

 

[Puck it]

Okay...we are not raking our roof. Never have. Why is there such an emphasis on this now? I mean besides the ice damming issue....our 2 homes have been around since the 50s and 60s and I doubt they've been raked off before. Shouldn't the roof survive just fine? I grew up in this area, and don't remember anyone ever having to do this. Newer homes seem to have the most difficulty holding snow - maybe the materials are crappier? We don't have a flat roof...it's survived fine before, I expect it to survive fine this time. If it collapses now...well...I'll have my first insurance claim in 20+ years of home ownership. This isn't Lake Tahoe level of snow...

To prevent water damage from the ice dams. And the possibility of mold on the inside of the walls.

 

[SkiFanE]

To prevent water damage from the ice dams. And the possibility of mold on the inside of the walls.

So if your icicles aren't leaking into the house, no need to rake roof? People talk about the weight of the snow...not the ice dams. We have big icicles, but so far no leaking. In 15 years in this house, only leaked once into 2 window sills, not into house.

 

[ALLSKIING]

Everyone with icicles need to add some insulation to the attic. Icicles form from the heat leaking through the roof and melting from the bottom layer.

 

[freeski]

Okay...we are not raking our roof. Never have. Why is there such an emphasis on this now? I mean besides the ice damming issue....our 2 homes have been around since the 50s and 60s and I doubt they've been raked off before. Shouldn't the roof survive just fine? I grew up in this area, and don't remember anyone ever having to do this. Newer homes seem to have the most difficulty holding snow - maybe the materials are crappier? We don't have a flat roof...it's survived fine before, I expect it to survive fine this time. If it collapses now...well...I'll have my first insurance claim in 20+ years of home ownership. This isn't Lake Tahoe level of snow...

If you have an old house with a steep roof pitch you're okay. If you have a moderate pitch you're asking for trouble. We have a 65 year old house and never had a problem until I let it go one winter and an we had a leak in a valley. The ice dame was about 10". We've never had a fire, but I still maintain the chimney, wood stove etc..

 

[SkiFanE]

If you have an old house with a steep roof pitch you're okay. If you have a moderate pitch you're asking for trouble. We have a 65 year old house and never had a problem until I let it go one winter and an we had a leak in a valley. The ice dame was about 10". We've never had a fire, but I still maintain the chimney, wood stove etc..

Yeah, but you have to maintain your chimney b/c you add stuff to it that needs to be cleaned out. With a roof...if it held 4' of snow 30 years ago, is there a reason it won't today (given it's not rotted or something like that)? From what I'm hearing, it should.

I'm just wondering where all this sudden "clean your roof or they'll collapse" mentality is coming from recently - I never remember it so prevalent 30 years ago (?). I'm not talking ice dam prevention, but collapse prevention.

And honestly...after seeing my husband up 2.5 stories of our colonial 3 winters ago to clear dams...I'd rather we have dams then him paralyzed from falling! (we put more insulation up there right after that so no more water in house..knock on wood...don't wait til spring to add more insulation).

 

[Vortex]

Yeah, but you have to maintain your chimney b/c you add stuff to it that needs to be cleaned out. With a roof...if it held 4' of snow 30 years ago, is there a reason it won't today (given it's not rotted or something like that)? From what I'm hearing, it should.

I'm just wondering where all this sudden "clean your roof or they'll collapse" mentality is coming from recently - I never remember it so prevalent 30 years ago (?). I'm not talking ice dam prevention, but collapse prevention.

And honestly...after seeing my husband up 2.5 stories of our colonial 3 winters ago to clear dams...I'd rather we have dams then him paralyzed from falling! (we put more insulation up there right after that so no more water in house..knock on wood...don't wait til spring to add more insulation).

I had a local guys Shovel my roof for $125 this week. Thought that was awesome and easier than any claim. If you change your mind i have his number. I will see how it came out tonight.

 

[ALLSKIING]

Yeah, but you have to maintain your chimney b/c you add stuff to it that needs to be cleaned out. With a roof...if it held 4' of snow 30 years ago, is there a reason it won't today (given it's not rotted or something like that)? From what I'm hearing, it should.

I'm just wondering where all this sudden "clean your roof or they'll collapse" mentality is coming from recently - I never remember it so prevalent 30 years ago (?). I'm not talking ice dam prevention, but collapse prevention.

And honestly...after seeing my husband up 2.5 stories of our colonial 3 winters ago to clear dams...I'd rather we have dams then him paralyzed from falling! (we put more insulation up there right after that so no more water in house..knock on wood...don't wait til spring to add more insulation).

It's coming from record breaking snow fall in and around the Boston area.

 

[hammer]

Everyone with icicles need to add some insulation to the attic. Icicles form from the heat leaking through the roof and melting from the bottom layer.

We have a finished attic with insulation and venting, and we have vented soffits and a ridge vent. Kneewalls have insulation and the doors were custom-made with luan around foam insulation. Sure there's minor leakage through the kneewall doors, and the venting isn't perfect but I'm not sure how to improve on what we have...

Regarding the concerns about snow loads, if one has a decently pitched roof is it really a problem? I asked the contractor who cleared my ice dams and he didn't think the other areas needed clearing, and they have a decent amount of snow on them.

 

[skifree]

Hope they shovel and rake gently. I hear of a lot of roof problems people experience down the road after getting roof raked/shoveled.

 

[ALLSKIING]

Finished attics even when insulated will cause melting due to know cold zone.

 

[hammer]

Finished attics even when insulated will cause melting due to know cold zone.

So would vaulted ceilings, right? The additions on my house have those and I have not seen significant ice issues. May be due to better insulation in those spaces.

I think the attic is at R-30 and the ceiling above the additions is at R-40, may account for it.

Since I can't add insulation to the ceiling portion would adding anything behind the kneewalls help? Just trying to think of ways to avoid replays of the ice dams we had...

 

[Puck it]

So would vaulted ceilings, right? The additions on my house have those and I have not seen significant ice issues. May be due to better insulation in those spaces.

yes

 

[Cannonball]

I've owned my house for 16 years. This is probably the deepest snow we've had, it's definitely the the worst ice dam situation. I'm actually worried about it to the point that I may miss some prime skiing next week in order to deal with the next few storms.

I have about 1-2 feet of snow on the roof and 6-10" of ice in the gutters. The slope of my yard makes the front of the house very high and inaccessible. Not to mention, my ladder is under a 5' snow drift.

These pics don't really capture it. I just climbed out the 2nd floor window to remove the massive hanging icicles. I still have a nice overhanging cornice.

 

[Cannonball]

Just another roof snow/ice cautionary tale....

When I lived in CO we had ~2' of snow and ice on the roof. It was a low house so I climbed up to shovel it off. The first scoop I made sent the whole thing sliding like an avalanche. I stayed on the roof fine, but the ice sheared off the gas main!!! We pretty much freaked out until the fire dept came and plugged it a little while later. Then the gas co. eventually got around to fixing it (and moving main away from the eave) about 5 days later :blink:

 

[JDMRoma]

Wow.....gas line, holy crap !

Only way I can get around my yard is with Snowshoes......Crazy shit ! My house is a ranch, went around back and it looked like i had a full dormer ! 3 + Feet of snow up there.....shoveled that off last night. So far no ice dams......knock on wood !

 

[Not Sure]

Throw some softener salt on , what's worse?

 

[Nick]

I lost a gutter on the back of my house 2 years ago.

I had water in my daughters room today

 

[Cannonball]

Throw some softener salt on , what's worse?

Got an ice melt cannon?