Roofs could be next problem for homeowners

QUINCY, Ill. (WGEM) - Warmer weather melts snow and ice off roofs, but it can cause problems for some homes.

Ice dams build up when melted water runs down the roof but freezes at the base of the roof just before running off. Co-Owner of Full Service Roofing and Remodeling Jonathan Schemerhorn says the problem can cause water to sit on the roof, leading to leaks or parts of the roof caving in. He says the problem can start in the attic.

"To help prevent it, you definitely don't want to get on the roof when it is icy," Schemerhorn said. "[The ice] is at the base of the roof. It's where you set your ladder. It's where you first get off. The thing is you will just have to wait it out. You can wait for it to melt or you can get in your attic and make sure the insulation is spread completely around."

Schemerhorn says spreading the insulation around the attic makes the snow melt evenly as opposed to melting at the top and refreezing toward the bottom of the roof. Co-Owner Kevin Phillips said ice damming is common in our area.

"This is just something really common every year," Phillips said. "We always have ice damming. We are kind of in that section of the country where we are just north enough to where we see it. If you go a couple hundred miles south it kind of is not so much of an issue."

Schemerhorn and Phillips say this is a problem some individuals can fix on their own as long as they are comfortable on the roof and with tools. Phillips says there is no set manufacturer guidelines on what temperature is good for working on a roof.

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Roofs could be next problem for homeowners