What to Know About Ice Dams

This winter has been fairly mild but the season is still in full swing and it won’t be long until we get another storm to remind us that we live in New England. Before that happens, I always like to talk about the dangers of ice dams and the reason why so many homes in our area get damaged by them. 

An ice dam is a solid mass that forms when heavy snow blankets the roof, creating an extra layer of unwanted insulation. As warm air rises from your house and up through your attic, it causes the snow to melt and the water to slide down into the gutters. This would typically be just fine, but because so many homes in our area aren’t properly insulated, the melting ice will often make contact with the cold eaves of the roof and freeze again instead of draining off through the gutters. This forms a large ice mass at the gutter line, which will grow if not taken care of.

Solid ice is heavy and can easily pull gutters loose. The dam can even get strong enough to lift up your roof shingles, creating gaps that let the water through and into the attic. This is when people start to see leaks in their ceilings and walls. 

The only way to prevent ice dams from forming is to have your home properly insulated and ventilated. More than 75% of homes in our area are under-insulated which causes the heat from your home to shoot right through the roof. Because insulation and ventilation weren’t regulated when most of the homes were built in this area, a lot of us have houses that are better suited for Florida winters than our cold Connecticut climate. 

Having appropriate insulation and ventilation will not only keep your home free from ice dams but will also keep you much more comfortable in both the winter and the summer. You’ll feel the difference immediately, and you’ll see the benefit in your energy bills too. A house that can breathe and can properly regulate its own temperature will also be less like to accumulate mold and mildew which is not only damaging to your house but also to your health. It’s a simple solution to keep your family, your home, and your wallet healthy. 

Bob O'Donnell is the owner of O'Donnell Bros, Inc., a Bristol-based home improvement company established in 1975. Email your questions for Bob to info@odonnellbros.com with the subject line “Ask the Pro”. All questions may be considered for publication. To contact Bob for your remodeling needs, call O'Donnell Bros, Inc. at (860) 589-5155 or visit www.odonnellbros.com. Advice is for guidance only.

Get Your House Ready for Winter

With the forecast settling into chillier temperatures, it’s time to talk about getting our homes ready for the cold before the thermometer drops below freezing. After all, there’s nothing worse than not being ready when the first proper snowfall comes our way. So without further ado, here are my top five tips for pre-winter preparation at home:

Take a picture of your roof.

We’ll start with an easy one. Go outside and snap a photo of your roof from each direction. Wondering why? When we get a massive snowfall, I usually recommend that people get their roofs shoveled. Removing the snow helps to reduce the risk of leaks and other damage to your home. But when the snow is very deep, it’s impossible to see the pipes, skylights, and other parts and pieces that stick up out of the roof. Keeping a picture of the clean surface is a great way to minimize the probability of an accident when you’re trying to prevent damage in the first place.

Stake the driveway.

Speaking of damage prevention, stop by the local hardware store and get some property markers. They are generally made of wood or metal and are sometimes painted in a fluorescent color. Use the markers to create an outline around your driveway. Just like your roof, when a blanket of snow hits, it’s impossible for a removalist to see where the driveway ends and where your lawn begins. Creating that parameter will help the plow truck driver know where to go, which should assist in keeping your curbs and grass intact.

Check your heat and air sources.

Don’t wait until you really need heat to make sure that everything is in working order. Clean or replace your HVAC filters and check the temperature gauge to make sure you can power up and down with no problems. If you haven’t already, now is definitely the time to remove those window A/C units and check and clean those filters too. While you’re at it, make sure your carbon monoxide detectors are working and change the batteries if necessary.

Seal up leaks.

I get calls all winter long from people who are wondering why their house is so drafty. If you have an attic hatch, install an insulated box to prevent the cold air from coming down into your living space. Check all your windows and doors for gaps and use weatherstripping, foam, or insulation to seal them tight. If you have a fireplace that you don’t use, get that covered too. Any passageways from the inside to the outside can act as wind tunnels when the frigid winter air comes calling.

Clean those gutters.

If your gutters are full of autumn leaves and debris, it will prevent winter water from flowing off the roof and down away from the foundation. If water has nowhere to go, it will refreeze in your gutters and at the base of your roof, resulting in dangerous ice dams and potential leaks. If you don’t want to do this dirty job yourself, schedule a pro to handle it for you. It will be worth it.

If you do just these five things, you’ll be in much better shape when the wicked weather decides to settle in. Plus it’s much more pleasant to get these jobs out of the way before it’s too cold and snowy to bother. Happy Thanksgiving!

Bob O’Donnell is the owner of O’Donnell Bros. Inc., a Bristol-based home improvement company established in 1975. Email your questions to info@odonnellbros.com with the subject line “Ask the Pro.” All questions may be considered for publication. To contact Bob for your remodeling needs, call O’Donnell Bros. Inc. at (860) 589-5155 or visit http://www.odonnellbros.com. Advice is for guidance only.

Need a New Roof? Don't Ignore This Crucial Step

If you’re a regular reader, you know that roof insulation, ventilation, and airflow are my favorite topics to talk about. The reason I tend to focus on these areas is that, in nearly 50 years of business, I still cannot tell you how many homes in our area suffer from mold, mildew, and moisture problems. A house that can’t breathe is one that harbors bacteria, so not only are people living less comfortably than they should, but they are also subjecting themselves to long-term health problems like asthma, allergies, and lung function. 

No homeowner actually wants to believe their home is allowing moisture to thrive and many are intimidated by taking the proper steps to fix the problem. What’s worse is that many insurance companies won’t cover the cost of attic ventilation, which means that homeowners are skipping a crucial step in the re-roofing process. So let’s make this simple to understand. Here are five reasons why attic ventilation is absolutely necessary:

1. It’s the only way a roof will meet its life expectancy.

2. A shingle warranty will be void without it. 

3. It keeps a building up to code.

4. It ensures that the roof vents themselves are sufficient. 

5. It helps to guarantee that a replacement roof will be worth the thousands you’ll spend on it. 

In addition to the financial and structural benefits, there are comfort reasons too. Proper attic ventilation fights summer heat build-up and reduces the risk of ice dams and moisture in the winter. It keeps a house warmer in cold months and cooler in hot months so energy bills are lower and heating and air conditioning systems don’t have to work as hard. Plus, as I mentioned before, you’re lowering your risk of mold and mildew taking a stronghold in your attic, which can then spread into your living space and affect the air that you breathe every single day. 

According to a poll conducted by Roofing Contractor Magazine, more than 75% of North American homes today have improper attic insulation, including insufficient or incorrect ventilation. If you’re getting your roof quotes from quality-focused contractors, this step will most certainly come up in conversation because, without it, your investment is pretty much doomed. Proper insulation and ventilation keep a roof healthy and stable which means it’s much less likely to be damaged during the 20-plus years of abuse Mother Nature will throw at it, and then some. 

The bottom line? Make sure you deal with a roofing company that’s reputable and knows what they are doing. If there is no mention of insulation and ventilation in an initial conversation about replacing your roof, you’re better off looking elsewhere. How you replace your roof is your choice, but you deserve to know and understand all the options available. 

Bob O’Donnell is the owner of O’Donnell Bros. Inc., a Bristol-based home improvement company established in 1975. Email your questions to info@odonnellbros.com with the subject line “Ask the Pro.” All questions may be considered for publication. To contact Bob for your remodeling needs, call O’Donnell Bros. Inc. at (860) 589-5155 or visit http://www.odonnellbros.com. Advice is for guidance only.