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WELCOME TO
A.M.G. GUTTER AND DOWNSPOUTS
A.M.G. GUTTER AND DOWNSPOUTS
| TYPICAL ICE DAMS CAUSED BY THE HEAVY SNOW FALL OF 2005 |
ICE DAMS
ICE DAMS ARE CAUSED BY THE ACCUMULATION OF HEAVY SNOW ON THE ROOF
SURFACE. THERE ARE TWO FORCES AT WORK THAT CAUSE ICE DAMS. THE INSIDE
HEAT OF YOUR HOUSE IS TRYING TO RISE AND BECOMES TRAPPED IN THE ATTIC
SPACE HEATING THE ROOF BOARDS AND SHINGLES. THE TEMPERATURE OF THE
OUTSIDE AIR IS KEEPING THE SNOW FROM MELTING WHEN BELOW FREEZING.
ICE DAMS ARE CAUSED BY THE ACCUMULATION OF HEAVY SNOW ON THE ROOF
SURFACE. THERE ARE TWO FORCES AT WORK THAT CAUSE ICE DAMS. THE INSIDE
HEAT OF YOUR HOUSE IS TRYING TO RISE AND BECOMES TRAPPED IN THE ATTIC
SPACE HEATING THE ROOF BOARDS AND SHINGLES. THE TEMPERATURE OF THE
OUTSIDE AIR IS KEEPING THE SNOW FROM MELTING WHEN BELOW FREEZING.
WHEN THE OUTSIDE TEMPERATURE CAN NOT OFFSET THE HEAT OF THE INSIDE
TEMPERATURE THE SNOW BEGINS TO MELT. BECAUSE HEAT RISES, THE
HIGHER YOU GO IN YOUR ATTIC THE HOTTER IT GETS AND THE LOWER YOU GO
THE COOLER IT GETS. AND AS THE SNOW MELTS AND THE WATER RUNS DOWN
THE ROOF IT COOLS DOWN AND BEGINS TO RE-FREEZE. AS MORE AND MORE
WATER TRIES TO MAKE IT DOWN THE SLOPE IT IS TRAPPED AS IT REACHES THE
FROZEN ICE THAT IS NOW FORMING AT THE COLDEST PORTION OF THE HOUSE
(USUALLY ONE TO THREE FEET ABOVE THE GUTTER). AS THE DAYS PASS AND
THE PROCESS CONTINUES THE ICE DAM INCREASES IN SIZE CREATING A BOWL.
IF THE INSIDE TEMPERATURE OVER POWERS THE OUTSIDE INCREASING THE
FLOW OF WATER THE BOWL WILL THEN FILL UP WITH WATER. THE LARGER THE
DAM THE MORE WATER IT WILL HOLD ALLOWING WATER TO PENETRATE
YOUR ROOFING MATERIAL. ICE SHIELD IN OUR EXPERIENCE MAKES LITTLE
DIFFERENCE IN THE PERFORMANCE OF A ROOF WHEN ICE DAMS ARE
PRESENT.( EVERY NAIL AND OR STAPLE THAT PENETRATES THE ICE SHIELD
MATERIAL IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR WATER TO ENTER YOUR HOME). HEAT
TAPE IS IN MOST CASES NOT EFFECTIVE BECAUSE IT ONLY HEATS THE
IMMEDIATE AREA THAT IT IS LAID. (IN OUR EXPERIENCE YOU WOULD HAVE TO
COVER EVERY SQUARE INCH OF YOU ROOF TO GENERATE AND SUSTAIN
ENOUGH HEAT TO BE EFFECTIVE IN THE CONDITIONS THAT ARE CONDUCIVE
TO THE MAKING OF ICE DAMS) THE USE OF ICE MELTING CHEMICALS CAUSE
MORE DAMAGE THAN DOING NOTHING AT ALL. THESE TYPES OF PRODUCTS
ARE DAMAGING NOT ONLY TO YOUR ROOFING MATERIALS AND GUTTER, IT
CAN KILL ANY LANDSCAPING PLANTS THAT IT COMES IN CONTACT WITH.
ALTHOUGH THE GUTTER AND ROOFING INDUSTRY WOULD BENEFIT FROM
CHOPPING THE ICE FROM YOUR ROOF AND GUTTERS THIS ALSO CAUSES MORE
DAMAGE THAN DOING NOTHING AT ALL. HACKING HOLES IN YOUR GUTTERS
AND SHINGLES CAN CAUSE HUNDREDS AND POSSIBLY THOUSANDS OF
DOLLARS IN DAMAGE. USING A WATER HOSE TO MELT THE ICE IS THE BEST
WAY TO REMOVE IT WHEN DAMS HAVE ALREADY FORMED. IN OUR OPINION
THE ONLY EFFECTIVE SOLUTION FOR THE PREVENTION OF ICE DAMS IS TO
REMOVE THE SNOW FROM YOUR ROOF.
TEMPERATURE THE SNOW BEGINS TO MELT. BECAUSE HEAT RISES, THE
HIGHER YOU GO IN YOUR ATTIC THE HOTTER IT GETS AND THE LOWER YOU GO
THE COOLER IT GETS. AND AS THE SNOW MELTS AND THE WATER RUNS DOWN
THE ROOF IT COOLS DOWN AND BEGINS TO RE-FREEZE. AS MORE AND MORE
WATER TRIES TO MAKE IT DOWN THE SLOPE IT IS TRAPPED AS IT REACHES THE
FROZEN ICE THAT IS NOW FORMING AT THE COLDEST PORTION OF THE HOUSE
(USUALLY ONE TO THREE FEET ABOVE THE GUTTER). AS THE DAYS PASS AND
THE PROCESS CONTINUES THE ICE DAM INCREASES IN SIZE CREATING A BOWL.
IF THE INSIDE TEMPERATURE OVER POWERS THE OUTSIDE INCREASING THE
FLOW OF WATER THE BOWL WILL THEN FILL UP WITH WATER. THE LARGER THE
DAM THE MORE WATER IT WILL HOLD ALLOWING WATER TO PENETRATE
YOUR ROOFING MATERIAL. ICE SHIELD IN OUR EXPERIENCE MAKES LITTLE
DIFFERENCE IN THE PERFORMANCE OF A ROOF WHEN ICE DAMS ARE
PRESENT.( EVERY NAIL AND OR STAPLE THAT PENETRATES THE ICE SHIELD
MATERIAL IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR WATER TO ENTER YOUR HOME). HEAT
TAPE IS IN MOST CASES NOT EFFECTIVE BECAUSE IT ONLY HEATS THE
IMMEDIATE AREA THAT IT IS LAID. (IN OUR EXPERIENCE YOU WOULD HAVE TO
COVER EVERY SQUARE INCH OF YOU ROOF TO GENERATE AND SUSTAIN
ENOUGH HEAT TO BE EFFECTIVE IN THE CONDITIONS THAT ARE CONDUCIVE
TO THE MAKING OF ICE DAMS) THE USE OF ICE MELTING CHEMICALS CAUSE
MORE DAMAGE THAN DOING NOTHING AT ALL. THESE TYPES OF PRODUCTS
ARE DAMAGING NOT ONLY TO YOUR ROOFING MATERIALS AND GUTTER, IT
CAN KILL ANY LANDSCAPING PLANTS THAT IT COMES IN CONTACT WITH.
ALTHOUGH THE GUTTER AND ROOFING INDUSTRY WOULD BENEFIT FROM
CHOPPING THE ICE FROM YOUR ROOF AND GUTTERS THIS ALSO CAUSES MORE
DAMAGE THAN DOING NOTHING AT ALL. HACKING HOLES IN YOUR GUTTERS
AND SHINGLES CAN CAUSE HUNDREDS AND POSSIBLY THOUSANDS OF
DOLLARS IN DAMAGE. USING A WATER HOSE TO MELT THE ICE IS THE BEST
WAY TO REMOVE IT WHEN DAMS HAVE ALREADY FORMED. IN OUR OPINION
THE ONLY EFFECTIVE SOLUTION FOR THE PREVENTION OF ICE DAMS IS TO
REMOVE THE SNOW FROM YOUR ROOF.
| HEAT LOSS |
