Got Ice? Insulating Your Home Can Help with Ice Dams

Without a doubt, one of the prettiest sights of the winter season is an icicle reflecting the sun, blue sky and frosty glint of snowy hills. But looks can be deceiving – behind that lovely wall of icicles draping from the roof probably lies a major insulation problem. For as pretty as they are, icicles are an indicator that valuable heat is escaping from your home.

During the winter, your home’s heat builds up under your roof deck, which in turn melts the snow closest to the roof surface. The melt-off runs down the roof to the overhang, and when it refreezes it forms icicles – and worse, an ice dam, which is a thick ridge of ice that forms on your roof’s edge.

Ice dams can mean that your home is not properly insulated.

How can an ice dam cause damage to your home? First off, an ice dam will prevent the water from flowing down your roof, which causes the snow to back up. Since it has nowhere to go but down when it melts, it will seep into your shingles – and into your attic. It only gets worse from there, because a heavy ice dam can cause major destruction, damaging roof soffits and flashing. Then, the water can seep into exterior walls of your home, causing wall, ceiling, insulation and basement damage and potential mold growth.

If you have a lot of icicles, you probably also have an ice dam – and likely not enough insulation. If icicles are a problem at your home, it’s time to call Standard for a free energy audit. Performed by a trained and BPI-certified technician, we will locate issues in your home that are contributing to energy loss, safety and comfort concerns. We use state-of-the-art diagnostic equipment, so our technician will easily find trouble areas and will be able to calculate your home’s potential energy savings.

Looks can be deceiving – if you’ve got ice, then you might have major insulation concerns. Call the experts at Standard at 800-738-1424, and we’ll be more than happy to help you break the ice – and stay warmer AND save money this winter!