Johnson County Homes and Ice Dams--What You Need to Know as a Johnson County Home Owner
Johnson County Homes and Ice Dams in 2014 have presented more challenges than a more usual winter presents. As a result of this last heavy snow and cold temperatures, when you drive around, you will see more icicles hanging from Johnson County homes than normal. Ice dams can cause roof and home interior damage.
While the presence of icicles does not necessarily mean there is an ice dam, it is worth checking further when you notice icicles. Even without an ice dam, it is probably smart to knock down the icicles so they don't fall on someone and hurt them.
Weather this year has made ice dams a common problem for Johnson County homeowners. An ice dam occurs when there is a wall of ice that falls at the edge of the roof, usually filling the gutters and possibly backing up into the soffit. When it forms, water can leak into the interior of the house and damage ceilings, walls, and insulation. When we have excessively heavy snow and inadequate ventilation and insulation in the attic, it causes a thaw-freeze cycle. When the snow on the roof starts melting, it runs off the roof until it reaches an area like the gutters or soffits and it freezes again. This allows an ice dam to build up.
Removing an ice dam is not a job for the person who doesn't know what they are doing. In the first place it can be dangerous and the person can be hurt. It is also easy to damage the roof and gutters. If you can use a roof rake, it is recommended that you get the snow off the roof. Removing snow prevents some of the future ice build up. Roof rakes or push brooms are recommended. Do not risk walking on the roof to remove snow. The other thing to check is to make sure that the downspouts are clear and will allow water to drain properly once the snow starts melting and the ice starts melting. It is not recommended that you use ice melt on the roof as it will damage the roof.
For more information about ice dam prevention and removal in Johnson County homes, a couple of articles are listed below:
- Travelers Insurance provides more details and information in their article, "Tips to Help Remove an Ice Dam from your Roof."
- "Removing Ice Dams and Roof Ice Build Up" from The Home Improvement Web
- "Ice,Melting Snow Causing Problems for Roofs from KCTV-5
Maintaining a Johnson County home does not usually include dealing with ice dams but 2014 has been a winter for the history books. We'll hope that we can go a long time before we have ice dams again, but you never know about the weather in Kansas City. The only thing we can be sure is that it will change.
If you're thinking about selling your Johnson County home and want to make sure you don't have a roof problem, contact me and I can give you some names of some roofers with whom we've worked. If you're buying, make sure you get a home inspection.
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