Rhode Island’s relatively mild winter ended with the blizzards of the past few weeks. As such, one important service that Rhode Island Slate Roofing can provide to your home is ice dam removal. In freezing conditions with heavy snow like those we are currently experiencing in Rhode Island, your home may be vulnerable to ice dams. What is an ice dam and why should you care? Well, an ice dam is exactly what it sounds like — a frozen bit of ice that blocks water from properly draining through your gutter system, and it is something you should be aware of because it can cause thousands of dollars in water damage and even health risks from mold and mildew growth, when all the snow that had piled up on your roof melts and leaks through your roof and into your home instead of draining through your gutter system.

Ice dams are caused by the warm air inside your home melting the snow that piles up on the roof of your home. The melted snow flows until it reaches the edge of your roof and the gutter system, where it has become far enough from the warm air in your home to refreeze and form blocks of ice that interfere with proper drainage. If left unattended, hydrostatic pressure from the combination of the weight of the remaining unmelted snow above, and the ice blockage below forces water through the shingles of your roof, causing leaks and massive inconvenience to you, the homeowner.

The process of removing ice dams is fairly straightforward — simply get rid of the ice and get rid of the snow — but without specialized tools and roofing experience you could put yourself at risk of a serious injury if you were to fall from an inadequate ladder or using inferior tools to melt the ice. So consider Rhode Island Slate Roofing for our ice dam removal service. We can rid you of any potential ice dam issues with our quick and efficient service, and can save you potentially thousands of dollars in damage and saved headaches in the long run.