Snow and ice buildup on roofs causing problems for some homeowners

Central New York saw its fair share of snow in the past two weeks. And homeowners probably noticed some snow and ice buildup on the roof.

This can cause water damage and other problems in the home, which means money spent on repairs.

It's inevitable that snow will melt and ice will form on your roof, which can result in a number of problems.

But, one insulating company says there is a way to prevent damage from happening.

"You could have leaks in your roof, in your ceilings because the ice buildup and the water when it melts," explained Whitesboro resident, Lois Finegan.

Finegan hasn't seen any leaks in her roof yet. But, she's shelling out the bucks to prevent it from happening anytime soon.

"They are insulating the whole house with some foam and some cellulose," said Finegan.

Standard Insulating Company in Marcy says with the proper insulation, it keeps the attic cold in the winter, blocking the entry of heat which can prevent the snow from melting on the roof in freezing temperatures.

"If it's not insulated at all, even with 12 to 15 inches on the roof it's going to melt the snow in a hurry, you are going to see bare roof. You are going to see what I call hot spots. You are losing a lot of heat which is creating that problem which creates ice at the bottom of the roofs," said General Manager, Richard Waite.

And with the melting and freezing, it can build an ice dam at the edge of the roof, which can cause problems like leaky ceilings or water damage inside your home.

"Once the ice builds that dam at the edge of the roof it starts pushing water back up hill. Once we get a thaw we will see in the next few days, that's when we will see the damages done to the house," said Waite.

The warmer temperatures we are expecting this week should help clear up the roofs.

Experts also want to remind us that proper insulation can help save money on the heating bill.