Ice Dam and Thaw Risk Check for Rochester, MN
Five questions about the attic, roof, gutters, basement walls and grading give a rough winter and spring water risk score for a Rochester home.
Your winter water risk
A rough screening only, not an inspection. A roofer or insulation contractor can confirm attic conditions.
How ice dams and the thaw cause water damage
Heat escaping into the attic melts snow on the upper roof. The meltwater runs down to the cold eaves and refreezes into a ridge of ice, and the water behind it backs up under the shingles and into walls, ceilings and insulation. Wind on the open Rochester plateau drifts extra snow onto some roofs, which makes it worse.
In March and April the snow melts faster than frozen ground can take it, so water runs toward the foundation and finds block joints and the cove joint. Clear gutters, downspout extensions and ground that slopes away do more than anything else. See the ice dam water damage and spring thaw seepage pages for what the restoration team does once water is inside.
Water damage in Rochester right now?
A planning number helps, but the restoration team sets the real scope on site with meters and thermal imaging.