Hi all, looking for a little input. A client who has a flat roof so no attic access and I can’t add insulation has been getting ice flows off her roof and wants to know about installing ice dam preventers in front of the roof drainage openings. I did not see them (the ice flows) so I dont know how bad they are and i wonder if it would even work. The warm roof is melting the snow and when it goes over the edge it freezes so the ice dam preventers or heat tape will not keep it from freezing once it gets over the edge. My thought is it will not prevent the ice flows but I am not sure.
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I wonder if you could install a 'cold roof'.
One method is to cover the existing roof with rigid foam, and lay down a membrane over that. Perhaps you could even build in a bit of extra pitch in the deal.
You could also take out the interior ceiling, and reinsulate, but that can be messy.
Once saw this solved by installing a 'cold roof' on the inside (in effect). The ceiling got a layer of 2 inch foam, covered by drywall. Saved heatloss, and stopped an ice problem.
Also, check for air leaks into the current ceiling. That could be part of the problem.
If I remember right the ceiling/roof is 4x6 tongue and groove with a elastomeric coating on it. I dont know if there is any insulation under the elastomeric coating but I assume so. I could find out but the roof was redone less then 5 years ago so I would think they put insulation but she wants to keep the architects design so no changes is usually her position just repair it.
5 years ago ....
architects design ....
I'd suggest both you and the client sit down with the original architect ... if possible ... to have then explain this mess. Appearantly something don't work!
Might be time for an "architects design change" ....
JeffBuck Construction, llc Pittsburgh,PA
Artistry in Carpentry
Believe me, if you try to divert water away from the scuppers, you will have a ton of "repairs" to keep you busy.
As I understand this, the roof is melting it but the ice only forms at the end of the scupper drain? That is fine and normal and won't do much damage. It is mostly cosmetic. You can dangle heat tape below so the water runs free.
Other than that, maybe I am missing something in the description.
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I am not sure if this will help you but a few years ago a customer had terrible ice dams over a shallow pitch. Their solution was to replace the shingle roof with a membrane roof. This stopped the leaks but an 8" block of ice still formed at the bottom of the roof. When the roof warmed up huge chunks of this crashed down on a lower roof. We dealt with this by suspending a pipe set up on blocks, hung from cables to the ridge. The theory was the the pipe would freeze in the center of the ice and hold it in place as it melted in the spring. This worked for at least two years which is as long as the people owned the house. I assume it is still working.
when doing some research on this topic I came across the heat tape referred to above and wondered if that would possibly work. It would be an option to hang it over the edge so the water would drip off of it but unless it let the water fall to the ground not down the side of the house. I'll look in to this some more. Thanks for all your help. Suggestons are still welcome:)