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TOPIC: General Discussion

Ice dams, Double wide mobile home

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I have a new home, and have a problem with ice dams. It leaks into my home. Will a metal roof fix that problem?
Guest User

12/27/2008
Possibly. But the root cause of ice dams usually has more to do with inadequate insulation and ventilation than it does with roofing material. Todd Miller
Todd Miller
Isaiah Industries, Inc.

1/2/2009
Todd, I live in the Northeast and end up with ice-dam leakage into my house every year, in spite of my best efforts to snow-rake. I have a raised ranch with a 20 year old slate shingle roof. Will a steel or aluminum roof solve my problems with melting snow/ice dams for good? Is it worth the extra cost to go with a metal product? It's about ready for a replacement anyway, there are large patches of green moss like stuff growing on it. How much more is a steel or aluminum product that new slate shingles?
Guest User

1/20/2009
I have same problem and am cosidering your approach. When yoy find out can you e-mail me at [email protected] thanks.
Guest User

1/25/2009
Ice dams are generally caused by three conditions. 1. Insulation in the attic is not in contact with the outer wall allowing warm air to contact the cold air at the eaves. This condition causes condensation on the inside of the roof and an ice dam on the outside of the roof. The effect is that you get leaks along the outer walls. 2. Moisture in the home rising into the attic, freezing, and then re-melting. This can happen when your attic is unventilated or there is too little ventilation. This situation will cause leaks more around skylights and other roof penetrations where the cold air outside condensates the warm moist air in your home. On the outside of the roof ice will form around the top of these roof protrusions and can cause considerable damage to roofing materials as the freeze thaw effect works the ice under the shingles. 3. Gutters are frozen and backing water into the soffits. This is damaging to the soffits and facials. As the ice is forced under the first course of shingles it melts and refreezes. Eventually the ice reaches the warmer air in the attic and you get a lot of water wherever you have blockage in the gutters. 4. Roof pitch is to low for the roofing product on your home. The water runs over the edge of the roof slowly and freezes at the soffit area. This causes an ice dam. Then melting snow and ice water run to the edge of the roof and are trapped by the ice dams. The soffits of the home are colder so the water refreezes causing a larger dam. The effect of this is leaks that can extend up to several feet from the outer walls. I always recommend a metal roof, over other products on the market, but along with the metal roof you should also check your attic for proper insulation and ventilation. Then look your gutters over. There are products on the market that will melt the ice in your gutters thus keeping ice out of you soffits. The same companies make systems that melt the ice along the eaves. Shingles and most metal roofing require a roof pitch of 3/12 or better. If your home has a lower pitch this can be the cultrate. You will need a flat roof product. Now on the positive side for metal roofing. Many metal roofing products have locking starter strips and shingles. This can reduce the chance of ice damming from gutters, blowing snow, and melting snow. Also the use of Ice and water shield will help too.
R.A. Knowlton
Certified Installation Trainer and Author

1/27/2009