Photo: James Rojas/WBZ NewsRadio
MEDFORD, Mass. (WBZ NewsRadio) — After this past weekend's snowstorm, experts say while the focus of snow removal has been on roads, sidewalks, driveways and vehicles, not to forget about roofs.
Now is the time an ice dam can form.
An ice dam is solid ice that builds along the edge of a roof and in gutters.
It forms when snow and ice on the upper roof melt and flow down the roof refreezing when reaching the colder, unheated edge of the roof.
This section of ice acts like a dam that blocks any water flowing down from the roof preventing it from draining, potentially causing severe interior water damage.
Moacir Filho, CEO of FRS Roofing and Gutters in Medford, said there are clear warning signs to look for when an ice dam could be forming. "The main thing people should be looking at is the icicles that are forming on gutters," he said. "Once the icicles start to form, it's time to call a professional to go there and help them with their need."
With another storm possibly hitting the region Sunday, Moacir said this winter could be shaping up like 2015, a historic winter for its severe weather that saw more than 110 inches of snow fall in Boston and some homeowners dealing with major damage caused by ice dams. "They lost kitchens, bathrooms, and all kinds of stuff in the house, because once it starts, there's nothing that can stop it."
WBZ News Radio's Kyle Bray (@KykeBrayWBZ) reports.