Contact Info
Toll Free
847-436-3990
Illinois:
1703 Biesterfield Road
Elk Grove Village, IL 60007
847-436-3990
847-436-3990
Illinois:
1703 Biesterfield Road
Elk Grove Village, IL 60007
847-436-3990
News & Articles – Illinois
Chicagoland's Icy Snowy Winter
Are you ready for another Chicagoland snowy winter? Ice Dams could be a problem again this year. Get prepared now -- Here are some headline news from the 2010-2011 winter:“Tuesday's snowfall was the heaviest snowfall on a Feb. 9 in more than 125 years, officials said”
“Officials measured 12.6 inches of the white stuff, the most since Feb. 9, 1885, when 8.9 inches of snow was recorded, said Andrew Krein, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service”
“A day after getting buried by one of the area's biggest snowstorms, commuters faced an icy commute this morning”
"We still have some cleanup to to do, but we're on it," said Illinois Department of Transportation acting dispatch supervisor George Williams. "We're just playing catchup."
“At 5:30 a.m., Chicago shifted its full contingent of 275 snow-fighting trucks from main arteries to side streets. After later moving to side streets, the trucks were pulled in about 2:30 p.m.”
“Airlines had to cancel more than 600 flights Tuesday, and more flights were canceled Wednesday because of the storm hitting the East Coast”
“O'Hare International Airport officially recorded 12.6 inches of snow Tuesday, according to WGN's Weather Blog. The measurement was the highest since Jan. 2, 1999, when 18.6 inches were recorded.”
“Midway Airport logged 8.8 inches by midnight, according to the National Weather Service”
“By about 1:15 a.m., an observer in Deerfield logged 13.1 inches, the agency reported. By midnight, far north suburban Lakemoor recorded 12.5 inches, Romeoville recorded 7.5 inches and Rockford recorded 7.4 inches”
“In the city's Rogers Park neighborhood, Yuliya Polzikova, 71, was killed Tuesday afternoon when she was struck by a snow plow backing out of the private parking lot it was clearing, Chicago police said”
“Two men died Tuesday, one on the Northwest Side and one in Des Plaines, after collapsing while shoveling snow, authorities said”
Removing Ice Dams Safely From Your Home
Icicles are an indication that you may have ice dams on your roof. How they form and what are the best methods for removing them safely?What is an ice dam?
An ice dam is a ridge of ice that forms at the edge of the roof or in the gutter. Once it forms the water pools behind the ice dam which can leak into your home causing damage to ceilings, walls, insulation, windows as well as other areas.
What are the causes of ice dams?
Typically ice dams are caused by poor insulation or improper ventilation in the attic. This will cause energy loss from you attic which in turn causes the snow to melt. When the snow on your roof starts melting it runs down your roof until it reaches a "colder" section like the soffits, valleys or in gutters where it begins to freeze again, this process of thawing and refreezing is what causes an ice dam.
It's also estimated that 75% of all ice dams form in the gutters, so keeping them clean will be extremely important.
Removing an ice dam
Removing ice dams can be a dangerous job for the inexperienced homeowner. This can result in severe personal injury if not done properly. We highly recommend that you hire a professional or invest in ice dam prevention products such as heated gutter protection or heat panels for roof eaves and valleys.
Preventing ice dams
Generally proper ventilation and insulation will prevent ice dams. Make sure you pull any large accumulations of snow immediately from the roof with a roof rake. Again, consult a qualified ice dam prevention contractor to make sure your roof vents are not plugged with snow or ice. In many cases you will need to apply heat to areas that cannot be controlled by ventilation or insulation.
Call us toll free at 847-436-3990 or contact us online for Gutterglove Icebreaker or Heat Panels.