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Dam ice dam

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Abstract
Ice dams happen when the outside temperature is below freezing, the roof deck temperature is above freezng, and there is snow on the roof. The warm roof deck causes the snow on top of the roof deck to melt, and the melt water runs down to the edge of the roof wehre it water freezes leading to a buildup of ice. The strategy to control ice dams is fundamentally straightforward: keep the roof deck below freezing when the outside temperature is below freezing.
Date
2/2011
Author(s)
Joseph Lstiburek
Page(s)
Keyword(s)
ice dam; melt water; snow load


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