Since the ice dams are there i didnt know how the roofers would look at it. There is only one leak and the ice dams are the same size around our entire house. Should i call the roofer, and is this something that would generally be covered under a warrenty.Also i know that good insulation helps prevent this problem. Luckily we were already planning to insulate this coning spring
the leak is prob caused by the ice dam and not the roof. that is why ice dams are bad. get on a ladder and remove the ice dam above the window and let the water out.
Ice dams cause leaks and are not the responsibility of the installer. You as the homeowner need to take measures to prevent the formation of ice dams.
What a great winter we're all having...Not. Actually, if you've only got one leak through a roof that's ringed by ice dams, pretty good. Might find out whether the roofer installed a membrane to prevent this before doing the shingles. That's required in some areas. An ice dam leak comes from the water on the roof above the ice, pooling, and working it's way underneath the shingles. So an otherwise good roof can leak. As you've started to gather, the main problem is on the inside, underneath the roof. What's needed is not only good insulation - but free cold air circulation above it, so the roof stays cold. So venting is as important as the insulation. Nuff on that. You might bail on the immediate problem by raking snow off the roof as is possible safely (do NOT get on the roof, or you'll end up on the ground), then tossing up some high-grade ice melter, like Calcium Chloride or Magnesium Chloride and giving it a chance to work (don't go nuts on the stuff, as it's pretty aggressive). Getting through the winter, you might get some advice on installing gutter/roof heating cables for particularly bad areas where inside work combined with limits on access and roof design makes it silly hard to fix otherwise.
the roof should be good for at least 10-15 years. you need to call the roofer.
