Ice damming usually occurs after a heavy snowfall and several days of freezing temperatures. The warmer air inside of your home leaks into the attic and will warm the underside of the roof causing snow and ice to melt. This melted water will drain along the roof until it reaches the cold overhang and then will refreeze oftentimes resulting in icicles. It can also occur when warmer air temperatures melts the snow on your roof, and then colder temperatures at night will re-freeze the water. This ice build-up is called ice damming, and if it is not prevented can cause damage to the roof and the interior of your home.

Here are a few ways that you can prevent this from happening to your home.

• Seal air leaks that may occur into your attic to stop warm air leakage. Gaps and cracks in your insulation around vent stacks or electrical wiring can significantly reduce your insulation's effectiveness.
• Make sure your attic has adequate insulation and ventilation so warm air that does reach attic space will escape before it melts the snow on the roof.
• Clean all leaves and debris from your gutters to allow melting water to flow away from your home.

Even though Virginia and Maryland only sees a few days of snow a year, it is still important to be aware of ice dams. They can form from as little as one inch of snow, and once inside, can cause damage to your home without you even knowing it.