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Ice Damming

What Causes Ice Damming and Why is it a Problem?

Many residents had the misfortune last winter of having to deal with a problem known as ice damming. Ice damming is the accumulation of ice along the gutters at the roof eaves. The warm sunlight heats the roof, which causes the snow on your roof to melt from the bottom up. When the melted snow runs down to the frozen gutters, it re-freezes in the form of ice. As this occurs, the ice continues to work its way back up the roof. This cycle will continue to worsen, because the snow on the roof that has not melted yet, acts as an insulator for the ice by not allowing the sun to melt it. Finally, while the ice continues to melt, ice and water begin to work their way under the shingles, through the roof paper, and eventually into your house. This is why it was so important last winter to remove the snow from the first three (3) or four (4) feet of your roof. This act allowed the sun to melt the ice at the roofs eaves, before it could work its way back up the roof!

How Can I Repair This Problem So It Doesn't Happen Again?

Unfortunately, there is not a 100% guarantee on anything; however, steps can be taken to reduce the chances of a reoccurrence. First, contact a state licensed roofing contractor that you’re comfortable with, based on his qualifications, recommendations, etc. Next, request that the contractor acquire a roofing permit from the Village of Lincolnshire, (roofing permits are issued immediately upon completion of a short application). The contractor will be required to provide a copy of their state issued license, some minor information regarding the project, and a $40.00 inspection/permit fee. Have your contractor procure the permit, as this will make them responsible for their work.

When a roofing contractor works on a roofing project, they usually simultaneously remove the existing shingles and replace them with the new shingles. This makes it nearly impossible to provide thorough inspections without delaying the project, which would drive up the cost of the work. Although the Village does everything it can to ensure proper installation, we cannot be on the job site from a project’s start to finish.

We suggest adding the following requirements to your agreement with the contractor, to ensure maximum protection:

1. Replace all roof sheathing and flashing that has any indications of damage.
2. Install a material known as ice shield along the bottom edges of the roof. The Village’s Building Code requires that the ice shield extend from the roof edge upward, until it extends a minimum of twenty-four (24) inches past the exterior wall. This is determined by drawing an imaginary line from the outside edge of the wall vertically through the roof line. The ice shield needs to extend twenty-four (24) inches, past that point, upward toward the peak of the roof.
3. Overlap the roofing paper at least eight (8) inches at all points.
4. State that all manufacturer’s installation requirements and instructions must be followed.

These are only a few of the requirements that need to be met when repairing a roof. However, if the contractor does these things properly, the chances of ice-damming will be greatly reduced.

One last reminder, which applies to all building permits. It’s a good idea to hold a portion of the final payment for the work completed, until you receive a final inspection from the Village. This is your last chance to ensure that the job was done properly and/or to express outstanding concerns that you had with the project completion. Holding the final portion of the project fee will provide an increased incentive for the contractor to perform the work to your satisfaction.