Ice & Water Barrier

 Ice damming is a serious problem for homeowners in climates like we have in Pittsburgh, PA. Especially in spring. In spring, it is common to have a warm spell and then everything freezes again. This can happen several times before the weather finally breaks and we start to get some beautiful spring weather.

The problem is, this can be very hard on your roof. What is happening on your roof to cause those early spring leaks? 

When the snow on your roof starts to melt the water starts to shed to the eaves (bottom edge) of your roof and then as it cools down again and freezes, it creates what we call an Ice Dam. As this process continues the Ice Dam builds up on your roof. Ice is more dense than snow and melts at a slower rate. With a dam of ice building on the edge of your roof, the water that the snow is creating has nowhere to go, so it starts to work its way under your shingles and into the roof decking.

We all know what happens when water gets under your roofing system and the results aren't pretty. Thankfully there are ways to prevent this from happening. The best way to prevent Ice Damming from penetrating your roof is to insure that Ice and Water Shield is installed on your roof when you get your shingles replaced.