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Eue t o e o o t t mt iA Auth it /n e it mtc t .A ult wl is n cA t in Real Estate:The Oakville Beaver, Wednesday, Feb. 9, 1994 â€"12 ICE DAM PROBLEMS Icicles can spell Icicles hanging from the eaves of a house make a picturesque winter scene for the artist because it suggests a warm cosy interior that is safe from the cruel elements. To the informed homeowner, howevâ€" er, icicles spell trouble. Not just because of the danger to family and pets of falling spears of ice, but also to the potential for damage to eavestroughs from such a heavy mass pulling down. The icicles are, in fact, related to a warm and cosy interior â€" but not in the house proper. Unfortunately, the warmth is in the attic which should be as cold as the outside air. Icicles form when an ice dam is allowed to build up at the edge of the roof. The dam is solid ice that has accuâ€" mulated from the runâ€"off of water higher on the roof during the day when the sun heats up the roof and melts some of the snow. If the roof receives some warmth from the attic, as well as, from the sun, the water will run right down the roof until it encounters the cold overhang and eaves. There it will freeze and build up. If the roof is as cool as the air, as it should be with no added heat from the attic, there will not be any water melting until the air itself is above freezing at which point the water will be able to run off the roof and into the water (not ice) in the eaves. Is it necessary to point out here that eaves full of leaves and debris will encourage ice to form when it is cold because the water will be trapped in the eaves ready to freeze? You cannot get the leaves out now very well, but you have a better motivation to clean them out on a regular basis each fall. Now let‘s look at the worst case sceâ€" nario for an ice dam. Eaves are full of ice, icicles are well formed and along come some bright, crisp days when the temperature is well below freezing. Bright sun The bright sun, after a few hours, will heat up the surface of the roof to above freezing because it has some inside warmth and the snow on the roof starts to melt under the snow at the bottom of the roof. If the ice dam has built up over a short period of time, it will block the flow and the water will back up under the shingles because they are not designed to shed water that flows uphill. Each day, as these conditions prevail, more water is forced under the shingles and through the roof deck because it is not waterproof itself. The water will drip 418â€"2 North Service Rd. E. 842â€"70 oR e C ie m ind oper HALL OF FAME into the attic and/or into the wall cavity and soak into the insulation. There may be evidence of the water on the ceilings of the rooms along the eaves or the damage may just be inside the wall spoiling the capacity of the insuâ€" lation to perform because it is full of water. One reason attics heat up and warm the roof is often a blocked soffit vent that is designed to allow free passage of air into the attic space from outside. Insulation sometimes gets forced along the attic floor right over to the corner where roof meets soffit. That is OK proâ€" vided the soffit vents are left uncovered. When the vent is blocked from the inside, it is very difficult to notice unless you crawl over and check it out with a flashlight. It‘s a messy job, but you had better do it. Overheated attic The other possibility for an overheated attic is insufficient insulation in the ceilâ€" ing, i.e. the attic floor. All breaks in the floor where pipes and electric boxes and ventilating fans have come through should be sealed off with caulking and the floor should have at least R30 value insulation. Once these improvements have been made, you will notice an improvement in the summer as well because a proper air flow will help keep the attic cooler. CAROLYN LOFQUIST Assoc. Broker ited WEST OAKVILLE Beaqutiful 3 bedroom home in excellent condition. Large ensuite bathroom and dressing room, family room with fireplace, Central air, garage, mature lot. Close to amenities. Across from _ greenbelt. CAROLYN LOFQUIST 842â€"7000. COUNTRY CHARMER This 3 bedroom detached bungalow sits on over 2 acres. Open concept, skylights, cathedral ceilings, 2 fireplaces, w/o to deck. Dream Home! A must to see! CAROLYN LOFQUIST 842â€"7000. PRIVACY PLUS! Charming 4 level on private treed lot. Inground pool, 6 person spa, intercom, security system, central air vac, gas fireplace, 4 bedroom, w/o from family room, finished basement, and more. CAROLYN LOFQUIST 842â€"7000. 187 TIME BUYER â€" DETACHED 150‘x81‘ mature lot, det. 3 level split, with updated kitchen, large recreation room, hardwood floors, interlocking _ walk to patio. Very private yard. CAROLYN LOFQUIST 842â€"7000. UPGRADES GALORE Beautiful detached 4 bedroom in East Oakville â€" 70 oz. broadloom, solid mahogany doors, ceramics, main floor Icundry, central air, fireplace. Large lot %10 gulef street. CAROLYN LOFQUIST 842â€" HOME FREE ...of traffic. Quiet court location. 3 bedroom link in Glen Abbey. Approx 1550 sq.ft, walkout fro kitchen to fenced yard, Icfige rooms, full ensuite, garage. CAROLYN LOFQUIST 842â€"7000.