Shingles are designed for water to run down and off the shingle into the gutter.  When conditions are right during the winter months ice damming can occur at the gutter line and in valleys on your roof.  Ice damming occurs on your roof when snow slowly melts due to the warmth escaping from under insulated attics as well as warmth from the sun.  When the show hits the gutter and begins to refreeze it creates a dam and water from above begins to sit on the shingles behind the ice dam.

Homes with the orginal builder grade roof in many cases do not have the proper protection needed against ice damming.  Ice and water shield is a thick membrane specifically designed to prevent water from penetrating down to the sheating or roof decking and ultimately keeping it from entering the attic and home.  Please click here for more information on proper roofing underlayment systems.

Home Visions Inc. through training and certification properly applies ice and water shield on all roof edges as well as in all valleys.  Additionally, we use ice and water shield over the entire area on low pitched roofs, around skylights and around windows on mansard style roofs (as seen below).

Classic example of ice damming:



Installation of ice and water shield around windows in a mansard roof: