Ice Dams in Utah Homes

Heat from the house warms the attic and melts snow on the roof. The water runs down to the cold eaves and freezes. The ridge of ice traps more water behind it.

Stains along exterior walls, water at the top of windows and wet attic insulation near the eaves.

Use a roof rake from the ground to clear the bottom few feet of snow. Put buckets under drips and turn off power to wet fixtures.

Do not climb on an icy roof or chip at the ice. It damages shingles and is dangerous.

Seal air leaks into the attic, add insulation and keep soffit vents clear so the roof stays cold.

Wet insulation is removed, ceilings checked and dried.

This guide covers ice dams in utah homes. If water is already in the house, the steps are the same anywhere in West Jordan: close the main valve in the basement, stay away from wet outlets and the furnace, photograph the water and where it came from, and call for help. The sooner water comes off basement carpet and out of drywall, the more can be dried instead of replaced.

What you pay after ice dams in utah homes depends on how long the water sat, whether it was clean, and how much finished space it reached. A leak caught in an hour in an unfinished utility room is a small job. The same leak found days later under carpet in a finished basement can mean new pad, new drywall and a week of drying. Ask any provider how the price is set before work starts and whether they bill insurers directly.

Renters dealing with ice dams in utah homes should tell the landlord or manager right away, in writing, with photos. The building is usually the owner's responsibility, while belongings fall under renters insurance. Landlords who act the same day protect the property and usually keep tenants in place.

Most homes in West Jordan share a few traits that matter for ice dams in utah homes: a basement with the water heater, furnace and softener in one utility room, a main shut-off valve on the foundation wall facing the street, hard water that wears out valves and tanks, and winters cold enough to freeze pipes in outside walls and garages. Knowing where the main valve is, keeping the utility room floor clear so leaks are easy to spot and checking the basement after every cold snap and every big melt covers most of the risk.

If you call about ice dams in utah homes, ask how soon someone can come, what they will measure, whether they check behind basement drywall and under carpet pad, how many days of drying they expect and how the price is set. Ask whether they can bill your insurer directly and whether they handle rebuilding or refer it out. Ask for a Utah contractor license number and proof of insurance. A provider who answers these clearly on the phone is usually just as clear in the house.

The most common mistakes with ice dams in utah homes are waiting to see if it dries on its own, running a household fan and assuming the job is done, putting carpet back down over wet pad, and throwing away damaged items before photographing them. Each one either adds days of drying, invites mold or makes an insurance claim harder. When in doubt, ask for moisture readings; numbers settle the question of whether something is really dry.

For more on ice dams in utah homes and the cleanup that may follow, start at water damage restoration in West Jordan, or see basement flood cleanup and water damage drying.

Two houses on the same street can have very different ice dams. The difference is usually in the attic: how much insulation is there, how many air leaks let warm air up from the house, and whether soffit vents let cold air flow under the roof deck. Homes with recessed lights, attic hatches and bath fans that vent into the attic tend to have the worst ice.

A few icicles are normal. A thick band of ice along the edge of the roof, icicles that keep growing on sunny days and ice building up inside gutters are signs an ice dam is forming. That is the time to rake snow off the lower part of the roof from the ground.

An insulation or roofing contractor will look at insulation depth, air sealing around penetrations, ventilation from soffit to ridge and the condition of the ice and water shield at the eaves. Fixing the attic is usually cheaper than repeated ceiling repairs.

Water from an ice dam often runs inside an exterior wall before it shows. Technicians check the wall below the stain, the window frames and the insulation in the attic. Wet insulation is replaced and drywall is dried or cut where soft.

Many policies cover sudden interior water damage from an ice dam but not the cost of removing the ice or fixing the roof's ventilation. Photograph the ice from the ground and the damage inside.

A roofer or insulation contractor for the cause, a restoration company for the ceiling.

Questions about ice dams in utah homes? Call (801) 515-5529 to reach a local West Jordan provider, 24 hours a day.