Is Your Home Losing Heat Through the Roof?

Is your home losing heat through the roof? If so, you surely encounter ice damming. Ice dams are like the unwanted guests of winter. They occur when heat escapes from your home and melts snow on the roof. This melted snow then refreezes at the colder eaves, forming a dam. The heat loss happens for a few different reasons:

Poor insulation:

If your attic isn't well-insulated, it lets too much heat escape, contributing to the snowmelt. This happens through two different processes called conduction and convection. Again, when the upper part of the home is poorly insulated, heat travels through various building materials, or simply rises, and exits the home. Properly insulating your attic mitigates costly heat loss. A properly insulated home performs much better and saves a lot of money and headaches.

Inadequate ventilation:

Good airflow in the attic helps regulate temperature. Without it, heat builds up and warms the roof, leading to melting. Because of this, make sure you have the right combination of ventilation. Generally speaking, your home needs to intake air into the attic and exhaust it. Some common intake vents are soffit, over-fascia, drip edge, and gable. The most common exhaust vents are ridge or hip. Again, air must pass from the soffit/gutter area into the attic and out the top of the home.

Air leaks:

Cracks, gaps, or holes in your home's structure let warm air sneak out and do its snow-melting mischief. Make sure all your windows are up to date and properly caulk any cracks or crevices. It's interesting to note that something as simple as a crack in the attic entrance can be the difference. Oftentimes home inspectors can render a service where they inspect for and detect heat loss. You'd be surprised where heat escapes the home. Equally, you will be surprised how easy it is to fix.

Heating Cable Installation:

So, keeping your home cozy and properly insulated is not just about comfort but also about avoiding the three icy troublemakers listed above! If you are looking for high-quality heating cables, The Gutter Boys help with that. Sometimes homes have trouble spots like valleys or large flat roofs, where ice builds up regardless. It doesn't have to be poor insulation, ventilation, or air leaks. Sometimes it's just the design of the home.