MADISON (WKOW) -- With several inches of snow still hanging around from last month's blizzard, now is the worst time for ice dams. Many homes and businesses are covered with several inches of ice and snow.
In a quiet Madison neighborhood just off of Mineral Point Road, workers clear thousands of jagged icicles. Blasting gallon after gallon of steaming hot water, freeing up ice dams after the damage is already done.
"They had moisture coming through their dining room ceiling so we'll be replacing the ceiling too," says Aaron Martinek of A-Team Construction.
It's the third house A-Team Construction had to clear Wednesday afternoon. It's the beginning to a long month ahead.
"We saw such a heavy accumulation of snow," says Martinek. "Just about every Madison home has ice dams forming on them now."
It's not the ice dams themselves that cause the damage to your house. It's the melting snow and ice that runs off and can't go anywhere because the gutters are blocked. Eventually the runoff finds its way into your home.
"You'll have paint issues, mold issues, insulation, you know. That moisture can fall onto wood floors and cause the wood floor to wilt," Martinek explains.
Costing thousands of dollars to fix when experts say simple prevention will only cost you a few bucks. Suggestions include investing in a roof rake to pull down excess snow, installing specially made heating coils to prevent build up or as a last resort, hiring a company to clear off your roof.
The trick is to do it before the heat does. Before several inches of snow turn into several gallons of water leaking into your home.
"Over the next few weeks we'll see several more calls come in," Martinek says.
Besides using hot water and steam to loosen ice dams you can also chisel them out yourself. Experts urge caution. Chiseling too hard can cause damage to your shingles and gutters.
