At the root of the problem, according to Ron Lewis of Baurer Roofing and Siding, is poor insulation and ventilation. Homes without proper insulation tend to be those built before 1980.
Tom Harville, owner of Harville Home Improvement, also blames ice dams on overhangs shorter than one foot.
“If you don’t have a wide enough overhang, you’re more likely to get an ice dam,” he said.
The first sign of an ice dam will be a leak. Once there, the dam will cause more interior than exterior damages.
Mike Snyder, president of George White Insurance and an independent insurance broker, expects damages and claims caused by ice dams to range from small water stains to mini floods. The weather will play a major role in how bad damages are.
“The effect of how much water gets in will be in direct correlation to how fast it thaws,” he said.
Outdoor rooms or other areas without proper insulation are also at high risk for leaks caused by ice dams, and heat to these rooms should be completely shut off, according to Harville.
He explained that last week his business removed three inches of ice and two feet of snow on top of a woman’s outdoor room. Heat in the room had risen, thawed the snow, and refrozen as ice, which was leaking down onto her furniture. Once heat was cut off to the room, the leaking stopped.
To ensure coverage by insurance companies, Snyder said homeowners should keep their gutters and downspouts in good condition.
Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2178 or kcano@DaytonDailyNews.com.
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