Roof Snow and Ice Dam Removal MN
Its that time of year again in Minnesota when we start to worry about winter storms, including rain, snow and ice dams. Remember ice dams? As the winter goes on, we can expect more snow and as it melts and refreezes into ice, we can expect more stories of ice dams and roof problems.
Excessive snow accumulation is one of the biggest threats to Midwestern states. Excess weight on your roof can cause leaks and even cause parts of the roof to collapse. The more snow that falls on your roof, the greater the danger.
Not only is Minneapolis MN known for being in the top 10 for Worst Winter Weather Cities for snowfall, the Twin Cities has the coldest average temperature of any major metropolitan area in the nation. It doesn’t get much more extreme.
After the December 11-12 weekend storm, Minneapolis had 34" for the season.
Remember the major winter storm that clobbered the Midwest with blizzard conditions during the weekend of December 11-12, 2010? Yep, Saturday, December 11th was the snowiest December day on record in Minneapolis/St. Paul (16.3″). The storm total of 17.1″ was the biggest December snowstorm and the fifth greatest snowstorm all-time, dating back to 1875. Only 1991, which included the infamous Halloween Blizzard, has had a snowier start to a season in the last two decades.
And who could forget the snow on the Metro Dome? The roof of the Metrodome collapsed under the weight of snow from that winter storm. We’ve seen the video a million times. Heaven forbid we have a repeat of that again.
Blizzards, freeze-thaw cycles and frigid temperatures place extraordinary stress on your roof. While most are designed to withstand harsh wintry conditions, roof failures can occur when these systems are pushed beyond their limits. These extreme amounts of snow can be troublesome, and ice dams can begin to form as the snow accumulates. An ice dam is formed on a roof when heat from the attic causes snow on the roof to melt. This water flows down the roof and then freezes when it reaches the edge of the roof where it comes in contact with the colder air. This keeps additional run off from draining off of the roof. The water then builds up behind the ice dam where it can seep under shingles and into your house.
Even if the snow on your roof does not make the roof cave-in, snow can still melt. Sunny winter days, which are common in Minnesota, contribute to ice dams. Ice dams allow water to get in under the shingles or often trickle through cracks in your roof damaging the interior of your home. The ugly brown stains throughout your home are a tell-tale sign of water damage, and an immediate signal that you must remove snow from your roof.
If you notice ice icicles forming you have an ice dam forming and it should be removed correctly by trained professionals that use special steam equipment to ensure quick and safe removal without causing damage to the roof.
