No Ice Dams: Prevent Water Damage to Your West Hartford Commercial Building

11/30/2020 (Permalink)

Beware! Icicles are a sign that you may be building up an ice dam on your commercial roof, which could lead to water damage.

With winter on its way, business owners and facility managers can save money and avoid water damage by preventing ice dams from forming. Icicles dangling from your building’s eaves may look picturesque, but they can pose a huge and costly problem if they cause water to back up under your roof, and run down through walls, ceilings and insulation into your business space, ruining furnishings and your structure along the way.

Briefly, ice dams form when snow on your roof is melted by warmer air in your structure. The meltwater trickles toward the gutter and refreezes. This happens again and again and eventually, you have a curb of ice sitting at the edge of your gutter, blocking meltwater and forcing it to back up under your roof shingles. That’s when the trouble—and water damage—start.

How to Prevent Ice Dams

The fundamental cause of ice dams is having a roof that’s too warm, so focus on insulating and venting the space just below your roof.

• Insulate your building up to code to prevent heat loss through the ceiling.
• Seal any areas where warm air leaks from the work space to the attic. Areas around masonry, pipes, electrical cables and HVAC ducts are all candidates for foam sealant. Scuttles and other openings can be covered with foil-lined foam board for extra insulation.
• Vent the space between the insulation and the roof. Your system should include baffles at the eaves, soffit vents and a ridge vent (depending on your building’s roof style).

It’s always good practice to have your gutters cleaned out after leaves have finished falling and before the winter starts. A leaf-clogged gutter forms a physical barrier that makes it even easier for ice dams to form at the eaves of your roof.

Yet another option to prevent ice dams is to lay heated cables along your building’s roof in a zigzag pattern.

Call SERVPRO of West Hartford to Clear the Dam and Repair the Damage

If you do end up with an ice dam at your commercial building, SERVPRO will be there quickly to safely remove the dam. Then, we’ll evaluate damage to your facility; thoroughly dry out your building, items and furnishings; clean and restore your possessions; repair your damaged structure and roof; and restore everything back to pre-water damage condition.

Help Is Here

The team at SERVPRO of West Hartford has specialized training and experience in commercial water damage restoration services, fire and smoke damage restoration services, biohazard cleanup and natural disaster prevention and cleanup. Call SERVPRO of West Hartford (860.206.6141) any time.

For commercial water, fire, smoke, mold, storm or other disaster restoration needs, call SERVPRO of West Hartford today at 860.206.6141

Other Helpful Blog Posts

SERVPRO publishes educational articles on how to protect your home or business from disasters and how to deal with water, sewage, storm, mold, fire and other damage.

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For commercial water, fire, smoke, mold, storm or other disaster restoration needs, call SERVPRO of West Hartford today at 860.206.6141