Winter Leak Danger - Roof and Gutter Ice Dams

Save Money. Clean Your Roof and Gutters Now.

Clean my gutters now, you say? It's 15 degrees and the wind is howling! What can I do?

Normally I'd say the same thing that anyone else might say: "Stay indoors and keep warm!" 

You can do that, but you'll need to pick up the phone as you sip your hot chocolate. 

To save money right now as well as in the spring, follow these instructions: 

First, take a quick walk around your house, if you can. Do you see anything like this?

Your icicles may not be this big, but if you have a few you need to think about some not-so drastic measures that will save you from roof leaks. 

Here's a house in my area (Shirley, NY) that I took a quick snapshot of: 

See the snow overhanging the gutter? That's an ice dam waiting to happen. It could virtually pull the gutter down if it freezes and becomes too heavy for the gutter straps to handle. 

One thing that I see most of all in our area is the dreaded "Bay Window Syndrome":

This one is typical. Some homes have their roof extended to cover that area, and invariably the roof extension does not have adequate ventilation, nor ice and water shield. As a consequence, some very nice living rooms are being ruined by leaks in the ceilings and walls. 

So by now you know you've got an issue. 

What can you do? 

• Clean the snow from your roof, at least 2 feet from the gutters. Doing this requires a roof rake, available at hardware stores, but right now they may be extremely scarce - or - climbing up onto the roof and shoveling the snow off it. (Not recommended).

• Place roof melt disks in a zigzag pattern above your gutters in the space that you made in the snow, like the photo above:.
• Note that these disks or pellets work not in a matter of hours, but days. Even as the ice melts, it may still cause a leak as the dam melts. 
• Add a pantyhose leg filled with non-corrosive salt or ice melt. Lay it just above your gutter. You may need several of them, laid end to end to cover the entire length of the ice dam. 

Once you've done all of the above, wait and see. Some of the ice may be ready to remove in a day or two. As I've said, though - all that time you're waiting, the dam will be melting right into your roof. This is cold, miserable work, and it can be extremely dangerous. More dangerous even that a regular gutter cleaning, because you're braving temperatures, wind, and very slippery surfaces.  And there's no guarantee that it will work well enough for you in the first place!

The simplest method of getting rid of the ice dam and getting your roof fixed in a timely manner is: 

CALL ME. 

1. We'll rake the snow off.
2. We'll apply melt strategically if necessary.
3. We'll get the ice down and clear your gutters.
4. We'll repair your roof with ice and water shield and new matching shingles. 
5. We'll give you a good recommendation as to how to ventilate your roof so this doesn't happen again. 

What have you got to lose? 

Money - if you don't do something about the situation right now. 

Waiting until the Spring will allow the ice to get under your shingles, into your soffits and fascia, spread throughout the ceiling, run down the walls, cause black mold to grow, and cost you thousands in repair costs. 

Making a free call for a free estimate is the simplest answer. 

And you won't even have to get out of your warm, cozy chair to do it. 

855-626-9100

Call Best Quality Roofing and Chimney, Inc. 

Serving the Entire East End, Suffolk, Long Island, NY

With Quality Roof Repairs for a Quality Price