Preventing Roof Ice Dams

heavy snow on roof

The formation of ice dams on the roof can spell disaster for any homeowner and is an issue that must be solved quickly.  Ice dams are the name referring to the buildup of ice on the eaves of the roof which can cause standing water to be caught on the shingles.

How do ice dams form?

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An ice dam forms as heat from the home escapes through the roof and causes the snow that is on top of the roof to melt.  As the meltwater runs down the roof, it cools when it hits the parts of the roof that are not heated from the home, usually the eaves of the roof, and refreezes, causing the buildup of more and more ice until an ice dam has formed and has completely blocked the flow of melting water from the roof.

How to avoid ice dams?

When water is left standing on the roof, it has the potential to erode shingles and leak into the home, cause great amounts of water damage to both the roof of the home and possibly the interior of the home as well. But this damage can be avoided if the homeowner will take the appropriate steps in avoiding the buildup of ice dams.

  1. Secure the attic insulation. Insulating the attic of the home will allow less heat to escape and thereby largely eliminate the staggered snowmelt that leads to ice dams.
  2. Create ventilation. Both on the roof itself and from the attic through the roof at the corners, creating and installing ventilation will allow for the warm air to escape the sides of the home while allowing for cold air to run up the length of the roof to keep the snow cold and safe.
  3. Cap any hatches on the roof. Ceiling fans, attic hatches and other such openings allow for warm air to escape in droves. Sealing or capping these openings effectively will greatly reduce the amount of melt-water that has the potential to form an ice dam.
  4. Install snow brackets. Snow clips will help to retain the snow on the roof and will discourage the formation of ice dams by holding snow in place and allowing for an even and natural melt.

Leave Your Flashing Worries Behind

TRA Snow and Sun has something that every roofer needs “flashing”. It’s a must-have for all roofers. We call it the “roofer’s duct tape”.

The primary reason any type of roofing exists is to provide a protective layer to maintain a barrier between the interior of a building and the weather. How this is accomplished can take many different forms.  When it comes to flashing, there’s nothing proven to work better than TRA Snow and Sun’s flexible aluminum or copper flashing. It adheres to the wall or other roofing structure or tile, is extremely flexible, and adds a professional finish to all roofing projects while being extremely effective at sealing out water and preventing leaks.

VersaFlash and TileSeal are flexible rolled flashing that attach to the surface of the roof with butyl adhesive. Our flashing works like magic for many roofs especially around hard to flash areas! VersaFlash and TileSeal are extremely easy to use on the work site. You can use it in areas like around roof-to-wall abutments, around chimneys and pretty much everywhere else. Plus, it’s competitively priced.

Simply put, TRA Snow & Sun flashing is easy to use, flexible and will save you time and money without sacrificing an inch in quality. There are many reasons you’ll love our Aluminum and Copper VersaFlash and TileSeal Flashing — but once you choose it, you’ll never roof without it again.

TRA Snow and Sun is your number one source for solar mounting, snow retention, flexible ventilation, and flashing material. We offer competitive prices and guarantee our products. Try a FREE SAMPLE of our VersaFlash! Give us a call today at 801-756-8666 for more details, and check out all of our flashing products.

 

VersaFlash Flashing A Roofing Necessity

TRA Snow and Sun has something that every roofer needs: Flashing. It’s a must-have for all roofers. We call it the “roofer’s duct tape”.

The primary reason any type of roofing exists is to provide a protective layer to maintain a barrier between the interior of a building and the weather. How this is accomplished can take many different forms.  When it comes to flashing, there’s nothing proven to work better than TRA Snow and Sun’s flexible aluminum or copper flashing. It adheres to the wall or other roofing structure or tile, is extremely flexible, and adds a professional finish to all roofing projects while being extremely effective at sealing out water and preventing leaks.

VersaFlash and TileSeal are flexible rolled flashing that attach to the surface of the roof with butyl adhesive. Our flashing works like magic for many roofs especially around hard to flash areas! VersaFlash and TileSeal are extremely easy to use on the work site. You can use it in areas like around roof-to-wall abutments, around chimneys and pretty much everywhere else.  Plus, it’s competitively priced.

Simply put, TRA Snow & Sun flashing is easy to use, flexible and will save you time and money without sacrificing an inch in quality. There are many reasons you’ll love our Aluminum and Copper VersaFlash and TileSeal Flashing — but once you choose it, you’ll never roof without it again.

TRA Snow and Sun is your number one source for solar mounting, snow retention, flexible ventilation, and flashing material. We offer competitive prices and guarantee our products. Try a FREE SAMPLE of our VersaFlash! Give us a call today at 877-290-8669 for more details, and check out all of our flashing products at trasnowandsun.com.

 

A Must-Have For All Roofers

MAGE-Flex am Dach

 

TRA Snow and Sun has something that every roofer needs: Flashing. It’s a must-have for all roofers. We call it the “roofer’s duct tape”.

The primary reason any type of roofing exists is to provide a protective layer to maintain a barrier between the interior of a building and the weather. How this is accomplished can take many different forms, when it comes to flashing, there’s nothing proven to work better than TRA Snow and Sun’s flexible aluminum or copper flashings. It adheres to the wall or other roofing structure or tile, is extremely flexible, and adds a professional finish to all roofing projects, while being extremely effective at sealing out water and preventing leaks.

VersaFlash and TileSeal are flexible rolled flashing that attach to the surface of the roof with butyl adhesive. Our flashing works like magic for many roofs especially around hard to flash areas! VersaFlash and TileSeal are extremely easy to use on the work site. You can use it in areas like around roof-to-wall abutments, around chimneys and pretty much everywhere else. It’s super easy to work with and competitively priced.

Simply put, TRA Snow & Sun flashing is easy to use, flexible, and will save you time and money without sacrificing an inch in quality. There are many reasons you’ll love our Aluminum and Copper VersaFlash and TileSeal Flashing — here’s why once you choose it, you’ll never roof without it again.

Why Choose VersaFlash and TileSeal Flashing?

Versatility
We don’t call it the “roofer’s duct tape” for nothing. VersaFlash and TileSeal are extremely flexible, stretchy material that can be used to seal roof-to-wall abutments, chimneys, and basically anything you can think of. It’s very easy to work with so you can get the job done right the first time.

Conforms to Many Roof Types
A roofer looking for a go-to roofing adhesive needs to look no further than our VersaFlash or TileSeal. Our flashing will conform to most types of roofs including, but not limited to:
• Tile (clay or concrete)
• Asphalt Shingles (primer needed)
• Wood Shingles and Shakes (primer needed)
• Slate
• Metal (copper, steel, aluminum, tile)
• Fiber Cement

Durability
Leave all of your flashing repair worries behind. Our flashing is highly durable, flexible, and weather resistant. It stretches up to 33 percent, conforms easily to roof surfaces, and installation is easy. If you want a durable roofing flashing that won’t give you problems down the road, our flashing is the gold standard. To top it all, TRA Snow and Sun offers a 25-year limited warranty.

TRA Snow and Sun is your number one source for solar mounting, snow retention, flexible ventilation, and flashing material. We offer competitive prices and guarantee our products. Give us a call today at 877-290-8669 for more details, and check out all of our flashing products at trasnowandsun.com.

Chimneys and Roofs – How They are Similar

What?  Roof Systems and chimneys the SAME?  You’re thinking, “No way, Jose!”  Okay, before leaving this post, give me just a second to explain.

smoking chimney

 

We at TRA Snow and Sun sell ventilated roof flashings and ridge risers which help with roof system ventilation.  No, we don’t want you to set them on fire thereby showing that roofs and chimneys are the same because of fire.

Chimneys are ventilation systems for the hot air and smoke produced in a fireplace.  Roof systems can also be ventilation  systems.  We’re not talking here about venting an attic, but venting UNDER the roofing product from eave to ridge.

Reduce Heat Losstile vent, roof ventilation

In a chimney, hot air rises because it is less dense than the colder air outside the building.  This causes a draft from low to high and out the top of the chimney.

For more information on why venting roof system is an excellent idea, see our previous posts – Why Roof Ventilation is So Important, Vent a Metal Roof? Absolutely, Why You Should Vent a Roof.

For both chimneys and roof ventilation, there are factors which affect the amount of draft produced.

  • The distance from eave to ridge on a roof or from the fireplace to outside in a chimney
  • The temperature outside compared to inside for a chimney and from the eave to the ridge on a roof.
  • Obstructions between eave and ridge. Design such as valleys, dormers, skylights, etc., will inhibit the venting of a roof system.
  • On the roof, the lower the slope the harder it is for a draft to form, therefore the duct size or opening below the roofing product must be greater on lower slopes.

Venting a roof system in a cold climate will help stop ice damming and in a warm climate will cool the house by helping prevent radiant heat from the sun getting trapped by the roofing product.

Talk to the experts at TRA Snow and Sun about venting your roof!

 

Why is Roof Ventilation so Important?

Just because your house does not include built-in roof ventilation does not mean that it is not important. Initially it may seem like an additional and unnecessary stress, but once installed it can make a huge difference in the lifespan of your attic and roof structure. Eventually, these installations will save you hundreds of dollars in repair costs.

The benefitsTile Roof

The ventilation process is beneficial in the extreme weather months throughout the year. During the summer the ventilation helps keep the temperature down in the attic, preventing moisture from collecting and deteriorating shingles. These lower temperatures then affect the rest of the home as well, keeping energy and air conditioning costs down.

Once it begins to get cold outside, the ventilation is still able to maintain a dry environment for the attic and reduce the moisture inside. Typically, water would build up under the shingles, the insulation would become damaged, and the roof structure would rot.

Ice dams

In addition, without roof ventilation your home may begin to produce ice dams on your roof. In areas of extreme cold, roofs need special protection from the ice and snowfall in order to prevent it from building up and blocking the natural flow of melted water off of the roof. If not installed these ice dams often start leaks inside homes which then results in drywall damage.

Save yourself more money and more headaches by installing roof ventilation today. You will be grateful in both the usually hot summer months and freezing winter months.

photo credit: gcraig3si via photopin cc