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Ice Dam Water Damage in Old Saybrook, CT
1/12/2021 (Permalink)
Ice dam water damage can affect multiple levels of your Old Saybrook home, requiring extensive water damage restoration services.
When ice dams form on the roof of your Old Saybrook home, you may be in for trouble. If not promptly removed, they can cause serious damage both inside and outside of your home.
When you need help dealing with the water damage from an ice dam, call the water damage restoration specialists at SERVPRO of Old Saybrook for immediate assistance.
What Is An Ice Dam and How Do They Cause Water Damage?
An ice dam is a large ‘wall’ of ice that forms on the edge of your roof and in your gutters. These most often form after a heavy snow and low temperatures. The problem with ice dams is that they prevent melting snow from draining off of your roof. This causes the dam to grow larger and larger as snow and ice melts.
Ice dams form because of above-freezing temperatures in your attic, which cause the roof to warm and melt snow. Since the edges of your roof stay below freezing, melted snow refreezes and forms the ice dam.
Ice dams cause water damage because the water that is trapped behind the dam penetrates your roof. Once water gets past shingles and hits the sheathing of your roof, it will begin to cause water damage in your attic.
Damages that ice dams cause include:
- Water damage in attic
- Wet insulation
- Water damage to ceilings, walls, and floors
- Ceilings leaks and roof leaks
- Warping of walls, ceilings, or floors
- Bubbling or peeling paint
- Mold growth in affected areas
- Roof damage
Ice Dam Water Damage Repair Services
Once you realize an ice dam is causing water damage in your Old Saybrook home, you should take immediate action. By calling the ice dam water damage restoration specialists at SERVPRO of Old Saybrook, you can be sure all damages are quickly taken care of.
Our ice dam water damage repair process:
- Emergency Contact - A representative will take all your contact information and ask questions about your damages. Questions asked include: When did the leak start? Is it still leaking? What areas are affected by water? Is there mold growth? Have you filed an insurance claim? Do you need the ice dam removed?
- Water Cleanup - Once our team arrives on site, they rapidly begin removing any standing water in your home.
- Drying Services - Commercial grade fans, dehumidifiers, and floor drying mats are used to ensure all moisture is removed from building materials.
- Demolition - Since ice dams leak through ceilings and behind walls, some amount of demolition is likely required to ensure all affected areas are dried out.
- Cleaning and Sanitizing - Our team cleans and sanitizes the affected areas to ensure no dirt, debris, bacteria, or mold spores are left behind.
- Restoration - Our in house construction team can take over to make any needed repairs to your roof, walls, floors, ceilings, or paint as needed.
Common Questions
Are ice dams covered by insurance?
Most of the time the water damage resulting from an ice dam leak will be covered by your insurance company. Unfortunately, they may not cover the cost of ice dam removal, which is around $1,000.
Can I remove ice dams myself?
While there are methods for DIY ice dam removal, we recommend calling in professionals. Getting on an icy roof can be dangerous and DIY removal can end up causing more damage to your roof.
Can you prevent ice dams?
Yes, ice dams can be prevented. You should take steps to better insulate your attic from your living space, maximize air flow from outside on your roof, and remove excess snow before it has a chance to form an ice dam.