Articles tagged Ice Dams. Sellers Roofing handles Minnesota winter roof issues — ice dams, snow load, ventilation, and insulation — across Saint Paul and the Twin Cities.
Poor roof ventilation usually shows up as moisture, frost, heat buildup, or uneven roof temperatures, and you can often spot it in minutes from the attic hatch. Proper roof ventilation maintains balanced airflow and prevents these issues. In Minnesota, the clearest clues are winter frost on nails, damp insulation, moldy smells, and ice-dam patterns. If…
Short answer: The Minnesota ice barrier code requires an ice barrier at roof eaves on many heated, shingle-style sloped roofs. The barrier must extend from the eave edge to a point at least 24 inches inside the exterior wall line (measured on the roof). The code language does not require ice barrier in valleys, and…
After a storm, you usually need gutter replacement when the system can’t hold slope, keep seams tight, or move water away from the building, even after cleaning and minor repairs. Look for sagging gutters, split seams, pulled fasteners, bent downspouts, and overflow marks. If water is causing water damage by hitting walls or pooling at…
If the leak shows up near chimneys, vent pipes, roof-to-wall lines, or valleys, it’s often a roof leak flashing problem (gaps, failed sealant, loose metal). If it shows up under open roof field, especially after wind, hail, or freeze-thaw, shingles are the usual culprit (cracks, missing tabs, nail pops). Photos from inside and the attic…
Ice and water shield failure, primarily caused by ice dams, usually shows up as winter roof leaks near roof edges, valleys, and penetrations, often during the freeze-thaw cycle. In Minnesota, watch for water stains that appear on warmer days, bubbling paint, damp insulation near exterior walls, and soffit or fascia rot. Confirm by checking roof…
A roof drip edge, or roofing drip edge, is a metal flashing installed along roof edges to push water away from the fascia and roof deck, and into the gutter system. In Minnesota, you usually do want it because snowmelt, ice, and wind-driven rain can sneak under shingles and rot wood edges. It’s not always…
Look for roof valley leaks when water stains or drips line up with the “V” where two roof slopes meet. In Minnesota homes, leaks often appear during thaw days, wind-driven rain, or ice buildup. Confirm a roof valley leak with an attic inspection, a critical confirmation step, for wet decking along a valley line; then…
Most chimney leaks don’t start in the shingles — they start at the seam where the roof has to “wrap” a brick chimney. That seam is protected by a layered system: step flashing tucked into the shingles, counterflashing set into the masonry, plus sealant and a solid chimney crown that sheds water. When one layer…
A professional roof inspection includes a safe roof-surface review (or equivalent testing), checks of drains and flashing, interior leak tracing, and clear documentation of defects with photos and locations. Request a written scope, a dated photo report, moisture findings (if needed), repair and replacement options, and a line-item estimate that states assumptions, exclusions, and warranty…
Most commercial roofs in Minnesota can handle routine winter snow, but roof snow load becomes risky when snow turns wet, drifts pile up in one area, drains freeze, or storms stack up before melting happens. In Minnesota, code-based roof design loads are often tied to regional ground snow loads (commonly 35 psf south, 42 psf…
Ice dams in Saint Paul, MN, buildings usually form when heat loss causes melting snow on the roof, the meltwater runs to a colder edge, then refreezes into a ridge that traps more water. Ice dam prevention comes down to stopping heat loss, improving ventilation and drainage, and removing snow safely. A professional roofer should…
Most homes follow International Residential Code R806 style rules for attic ventilation to the outdoors, size vents using the 1/150 rule (or 1/300 when conditions allow), keep intake and exhaust balanced, and protect openings with screens and weather protection. I work on Minnesota roofs, and our cold winters make moisture control and ice dam prevention…
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Sellers Roofing Company is your premier Saint Paul destination for expert commercial and residential roofing services, offering comprehensive solutions from storm damage restoration and repairs to new asphalt shingle installations, all with meticulous craftsmanship and an eye for enhancing your property’s safety and aesthetic.