Preventing Don't give a dam...t chance to damage you home! ICE DDAMAMS By Hunter Riley & Indhu Venkatachalam of Amento Group W


e all know cozy weather will be here soon; the time for hot chocolate, a change of scenery, quality family time,


and the holidays. It also means dealing with snow and ice. The following narrative will break down the problem of ice dams, making it easier for you to problem solve their impact in your community.


Icicles provide a holiday aesthetic, but are not good for the house.


What Is an Ice Dam?


Ice dams form when warm air inside the house escapes, melting the snow on the roof causing it to run down to the eaves. Since eaves and gutters don’t get the same amount


22 Community Associations Journal | November-December 2023


of warm air as the center of the roof, the water freezes again, forming icicles that can provide a holiday aesthetic, but are not good for the house. This event is called an ice dam and can affect both steep roofs and low-rise roof systems.


This phenomenon affects low-rise & steep roof systems.


What Do Ice Dams Do to Buildings? Water that is unable to escape the roof system must go somewhere. This phenomenon affects low-rise and steep roof systems, which leads to structural and cosmetic issues in buildings. Proper mitigation protocols and roof maintenance can help reduce the potential risks ice dams present, which can help prolong the life of the building.


Mitigation protocols can help reduce potential risks.


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