Serving Crested Butte
Ice Dam & Roof Leak Damage Crested Butte, CO
Snow melts over the warm roof and refreezes at the eave. The ridge of ice holds water back until it finds its way inside. Water held behind an ice dam enters slowly and keeps entering for as long as the snow and the ridge of ice remain. Ceilings and upper wall cavities near the eaves are opened where it collected, and wet insulation in the affected bays is removed.
Shut the water off first, then call
Often needed alongside
- Structural Drying
Water that ran unnoticed reaches further than it shows. Drying brings walls, floors and framing back, measured point by point.
- Vacant & Second-Home Water Damage
A leak in an occupied house is found in hours. In an empty one it runs until the next visit, and that time is the size of the loss.
Frequently asked questions
How does heavy snow on a Crested Butte roof lead to water inside?
Through ice dams. Heat escaping through the roof melts snow from below, the melt water runs down to the colder eaves and freezes, and the ridge of ice holds back the next melt until it finds its way under the shingles and into the ceiling. An empty house heated unevenly is especially prone.
What should a Crested Butte owner arrange for a house left through the snow season?
Someone to check inside and look at the roof and eaves after heavy storms, steady heat at a moderate setting, and a plan for clearing the roof edges if ice builds up. Leaks from ice dams start slowly and are easy to miss in a house nobody is using.
When is a Crested Butte duplex most at risk from a neighbor's leak?
When the other unit is empty, which in a town with many seasonal owners can be most of the winter. Water from a split line or an ice dam moves through the shared wall and ceiling. Knowing how to reach the other owner and having a key arrangement shortens the time it runs.
The Crested Butte page sets these questions next to the local figures.