Ice Dams

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Don’t let winter get the best of you! MAPFRE wants to help you prepare and survive this season. By now you’re probably well aware of ice dams and all the trouble they can cause. But just in case you aren’t, we wanted to share some tips on ice dam preparation and prevention.

What is an Ice Dam?
Ice dams are ridges of ice that form at the edge of a roof and prevent melting snow from draining off your roof.
Water that backs up behind the dam can leak into your home and cause damage. Walls, insulation and ceilings are at the greatest risk for damage.

What to do if you have an Ice Dam?
Remove the first three to four feet of snow from the roofline with a roof rake or soft bristled broom. If the home is too tall to reach the roof then hire a roofing professional to clear the snow. Contact your MAPFRE Insurance agent as soon as possible.

Sources:
www.disastersafety.org/ibhs-risks-freezing-weather/reduce-winter-weather-damage-to-businesses

https://bct.eco.umass.edu/publications/by-title/preventing-ice-dams/

http://www.gaf.com/Roofing/Residential/Products/Leak_Barriers

Please Note: This is meant only to provide general information about commonly available insurance coverages. Except as expressly noted, this content is not intended to describe any specific coverage offered by MAPFRE Insurance. No coverage is provided, bound or guaranteed by this article. Available coverages, credits and discounts vary from state to state and are subject to eligibility criteria and policy terms/conditions, which will control in the event of conflict between this article and your insurance policy. For information about your policy, please review your individual policy contract and speak with your insurance representative.

MAPFRE Insurance® is a brand and service mark of MAPFRE U.S.A. Corp. and its affiliates, American Commerce Insurance Company^SM (Cal. COA 4928-8); Citation Insurance Company^SM; The Commerce Insurance Company^SM; Commerce West Insurance Company^SM (Cal. COA 1372-2); and MAPFRE Insurance Company^SM (Cal. COA 3039-5). Not all products available in all states.

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